Walden receives 2012 ASCAP/CMA Adventurous Programming Award
=DUBLIN, NH — For the past 24 years, Chamber Music America (CMA) and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) have honored chamber music and jazz ensembles, festivals and presenters with Adventurous Programming Awards. The annual awards recognize U.S.-based professional ensembles and presenters for distinctive programming of new music composed in the past 25 years. The recipients were chosen by an independent panel of judges, who evaluated the applicants on the basis of their programming of recent works and innovations in attracting audiences to new music performances.
The Walden School will receive the 2012 award for Small Contemporary Presenter/ Festival in an awards ceremony on Sunday, January 15, 2012. The ceremony will take place at the Westin New York at Times Square (207 W. 43rd Street) in New York City. Cia Toscanini, vice president of concert music, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), will present the awards.
“This year’s award recipients represent some of the most exciting contemporary music programming in the country,” said Chamber Music America’s CEO, Margaret M. Lioi.
“Judging from the number of excellent applications that we received, new music is flourishing in the chamber music community. We are pleased to recognize these outstanding ensembles and presenters for their accomplishments.”
The 2012 CMA/ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award is the culmination of a highly accomplished year for The Walden School. In addition to the CMA/ASCAP award, The Walden School received a $35,000 National Endowment for the Arts grant in support of its 2012 Young Musicians Program; it received the 2011 New Music Educator Award from the American Music Center in honor of its creative philosophy and curriculum, as well as its contribution toward motivating and mentoring decades of successful students; and the School was named one of 50 finalists for the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award (NAHYPA).
“The Walden School is tremendously honored by this recognition from CMA and ASCAP,” said Walden’s Executive Director Seth Brenzel. “The presentation of innovative, cutting edge and diverse artists on Walden’s Concert Series is an important component of our educational mission, and our participants and audiences alike reap the benefits.”
Brenzel added, “It is especially gratifying to receive this and other recognition as we begin several years of activities to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of The Walden School in 2012. It is also humbling to join past recipients of the CMA/ASCAP Adventurous Programming awards —organizations and ensembles we admire —such as the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), the PRISM Saxophone Quartet, Monadnock Music, Del Sol String Quartet, and others Walden counts as partners and collaborators.”
“I was lucky enough to spend five summers at Walden as a member of the Walden School Players,” said Claire Chase, founder and Executive Director of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE). “During my time there I was deeply inspired by the effortless way in which innovative programming, education and community involvement were integrated. Walden is a utopia among institutions! I cannot imagine an organization more deserving of this most important award.”
The Walden School received special notice for its collaboration between Walden, the Firebird Ensemble and the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music that commissioned 11 new works, eight by Walden faculty members and three by Walden student composers.
For a complete list of all recipients of the 2012 ASCAP Adventurous Programming Awards, visit www.chamber-music.org.
The Walden School, founded in 1972, is an acclaimed summer music school and festival offering programs that emphasize creative application, specifically through music improvisation and composition. In residence since 1983 on the beautiful campus of the Dublin School in Dublin, New Hampshire, the School provides an inspiring retreat-like environment ideal for creative music making. The School’s core programs include the Young Musicians Program for musicians ages 9 to 18, the Teacher Training Institute for music educators and the Creative Musicians Retreat for adult musicians. The School’s Concert Series showcases free public performances by renowned artists and ensembles that work closely with program participants. The Walden School is the successor organization to the Junior Conservatory Camp. To learn more, visit www.waldenschool.org.
Chamber Music America, the national service organization for the ensemble music profession, was founded in 1977 to develop and strengthen an evolving chamber music community. With a membership of over 6,000—including musicians, ensembles, presenters, artists’ managers, educators, music businesses, and advocates of ensemble music—CMA welcomes members representing a wide range of musical styles and traditions. In addition to its funding programs, CMA provides its members with consulting services, access to health and instrument insurance, conferences, seminars and several publications, including Chamber Music magazine and a website, www.chamber-music.org.
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is a membership association of more than 420,000 composers, songwriters, and publishers of every music genre. Founded in 1914, ASCAP is the only U.S. performing rights organization created and governed by its members. ASCAP licenses non-dramatic public performances and distributes royalties to its members. ASCAP makes obtaining permission to perform music simple and economical for all who wish to perform copyrighted music publicly.
Contact: Seth Brenzel, Executive Director
The Walden School
sbrenzel@waldenschool.org
415-648-4710 (office)
Hilary Kole at Birdland
Walden alumna Hilary Kole performs a benefit for the Young Musicians Program at famed jazz venue Birdland in mid-town Manhattan.
Eleven Eleven Eleven -- Claire Chase in concert
Walden supporters gather at a private home in Manhattan to revel in the artistry of International Contemporary Ensemblen Director and virtuoso flutist Claire Chase.
The Walden School Takes the Prize
The San Francisco Classical Voice reported on Walden’s status as a finalist for the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award.
The Walden School Announces 2011 Concert Series
DUBLIN, NH — Every year since 1973, The Walden School has offered free public concerts that have drawn enthusiastic audiences of music lovers to its New England venues. The popular Concert Series returns for 2011 with an eight-week season across the Monadnock Region of NH and in Northampton, MA.
All concerts are free, unless otherwise noted.
The 2011 season offers stellar musicians representing diverse genres and musical styles, all presenting ambitious programs with music ranging from the English Renaissance, Bach, Mozart, Stravinsky, and Xenakis, to contemporary works by John Adams, Mario Diaz de de León, Caroline Mallonée, Sam Pluta, and Kaija Saariaho, among many others.
Audience members can also be the first on the block to hear the composers of tomorrow with performances of world premieres written by participants in The Walden School’s Young Musicians Program and by participants of an exciting new offering, the Creative Musicians Retreat. The Retreat is designed for adult musicians seeking to invigorate their musical training, participate in a rich and diverse musical community, and engage in creative music making. Visit www.waldenschool.org/retreat to learn more. “The Walden School is thrilled to offer exciting and compelling musical events for our community in the Monadnock Region of New Hampshire and now, in Northampton, Massachusetts,” explains Seth Brenzel, executive director of The Walden School. “Not only are we presenting incredible artists from a wide range of musical backgrounds who work in a variety of styles, we are collaborating with terrific partner organizations: the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, the Firebird Ensemble, the Monadnock Folklore Society, Monadnock Music, and the St. Catharine’s Choir of Cambridge University.”
The Boston-based Firebird Ensemble will be in residence in New Hampshire from July 4-13. Kate Vincent, Firebird Ensemble director, says, “This exciting residency in New Hampshire is a collaboration between Firebird Ensemble, The Walden School, and Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music. During this period, we will offer a public performance on July 8 at The Walden School (featuring eight world premieres by Walden faculty composers) and four outreach presentations at different community venues in New Hampshire. Our residency will also showcase a joint performance on July 12 at the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music with Apple Hill students premiering three new works
written by Walden student composers.”
Vincent adds, “We are delighted to be part of this multi-faceted and incredibly vibrant
collaboration with The Walden School and Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, and
look forward to working closely with young performers and composers from all over the
country.”
Contact: Seth Brenzel
Executive Director, The Walden School
Email: sbrenzel@waldenschool.org
Telephone: (415) 648-4710 (office)
International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) to Perform Free Public Concerts at Smith College
NORTHAMPTON, MA — The Walden School of Dublin, NH, has launched a new program—the Creative Musicians Retreat—on the Smith College campus, and the Northampton community gets to reap rewards in three free public concerts in Earle Recital Hall.
The International Contemporary Ensemble, one of America’s top ensembles, will perform in all three events, and on June 15 and 17, Russell Pinkston, the Retreat’s Composer-in-Residence will moderate the Composers Forums, which are part performance and part discussion with the composer, performers and audience members. The two final evenings will feature world premieres by participants in the Creative Musicians Retreat who come from all over the United States and Canada.
SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 7:30 pm
THE INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ENSEMBLE (ICE)
Earle Recital Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA
The Program
Nathan Davis, “Wweet Bells” for clarinet, percussion, live electronics and cell phones
Kaija Saariaho, “Oi Kuu” for bass flute and cello
John Adams, “Road Movies” for violin and piano
Nathan Davis, “on the speaking of 100 names,” for bassoon and electronics
Intermission
Edgard Varese, “Density 21.5″ for solo flute
Iannis Xenakis, “Hunem-Iduhey” for violin and cello
Mario Diaz de León, “The Soul is the Arena” for bass clarinet and electronics
JS Bach, arr. Jacob Greenberg: Chorale TBA in a new arrangement for flute, clarinet, bassoon, violin, cello, and piano
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 7:30 pm
Creative Musicians Retreat Composers Forum
Earle Recital Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA
Moderated by Russell Pinkston http://www.russellpinkston.com/
Works to include world premieres written by participants in the Creative Musicians Retreat, performed by members of the International Contemporary Ensemble and followed by a moderated discussion, led by Russell Pinkston
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 7:30 pm
Creative Musicians Retreat Composers Forum
Earle Recital Hall, Smith College, Northampton, MA
Moderated by Russell Pinkston http://www.russellpinkston.com/
Works to include world premieres written by participants in the Creative Musicians Retreat, performed by members of the International Contemporary Ensemble and followed by a moderated discussion, led by Russell Pinkston.
The Northampton concerts are part of a larger 2011 Walden School Concert Series that includes 20 public concerts in Dublin and Peterborough, New Hampshire. All except one concert are free.
The Creative Musicians Retreat is designed for musicians ages 18 and older seeking to invigorate their musical training, participate in a rich and diverse musical community, and engage in creative music making through musicianship, composition, improvisation, choral singing, computer musicianship, and more.
Participants will have the opportunity to write for and work with members of the Ensemble-in-Residence, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE). Everyone will participate in two Composers Forums, where they will hear new compositions and discuss them with the performers, composers, visiting artists, faculty and Russell Pinkston, the workshop’s Composer-in-Residence.
“Walden is a truly unique musical experience for students and teachers alike, fostering an explosively creative dialogue between composers and performers, and challenging all of us to become inventors together,” explains Claire Chase, flutist, and co-founder and executive director of the International Contemporary Ensemble.
Chase adds, “We begin with a blank page at the start of the week, and six days later we have given dozens of groundbreaking world premieres. ICE is incredibly excited to bring these new scores and new ideas to life over the course of the week in collaboration with an inspiring and singular community of artists.”
“The Creative Musicians Retreat advances The Walden School’s mission to nurture a life-long commitment to creative expression. Our newest program builds on Walden’s nearly 40 years of proven success in creative music education demonstrated by our Young Musicians and Teacher Training programs. The Creative Musicians Retreat has already attracted more than 25 participants from throughout the United States, with a variety of musical backgrounds, levels of training and ranging in age from 20-70,” states Seth Brenzel, executive director of The Walden School.
The Walden School, founded in 1972, is an acclaimed summer music school and festival offering programs that emphasize creative application, specifically through music improvisation and composition. In residence since 1983 on the beautiful campus of the Dublin School in Dublin, New Hampshire, the School provides an inspiring retreat-like
environment ideal for creative music making, with a student/faculty ration of 4 to 1. The Walden School is the successor organization to the Junior Conservatory Camp. The School’s core programs include the Young Musicians Program for musicians ages 9 to 18, the Teacher Training Institute for adult music educators and the Creative Musicians Retreat, its newest program offering for adult musicians. The School’s Concert Series showcases free public performances by renowned artists and ensembles that interact closely with students. To learn more, visit .
Contact: Seth Brenzel
Executive Director, The Walden School
sbrenzel@waldenschool.org
(415) 648-4710 (office)