Message from Seth Brenzel, Executive Director

Dear Walden friends,

Happy Thanksgiving! During this season of gratitude, I am thankful for the passion, dedication, and creativity of our entire Walden community. Thank you for all the ways you show generosity to Walden: by attending our summer programs, joining us for events throughout the year, volunteering your time and efforts, and making financial contributions.

I invite you to share your gratitude with Walden on December 3 for Giving Tuesday. We will be holding a one-day fundraiser to kickstart Walden’s 2025 season, and we encourage gifts made in honor or memory of someone you’re grateful for. Please mark your calendars and read below for more details.

We are very excited to be hosting Walden holiday parties again this December and January. Please read on to find details about these wonderful events, to RSVP, and to volunteer to host a potluck gathering in your city!

We’re already looking ahead to June 14, 2025, the start of Walden’s Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR), and to June 28, 2025, when we will commence Walden’s Young Musicians Program (YMP). Both programs will be held on the beautiful Dublin School campus in Dublin, New Hampshire. If you know a creative musician, ages 9 to 99, or if you yourself might want to apply to be part of Walden Summer 2025, I hope you will pass along information about Walden and request an application.

I wish you a joyful Thanksgiving, and I hope to see you soon at a holiday party in your area, an upcoming Walden regional event, or next summer in Dublin, New Hampshire!

Sincerely,

Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
415-587-8157

Walden Holiday Parties

Warm up with Walden holiday parties! Walden community members will be gathering for holiday potlucks in cities throughout the country this December and January. So far, we have two confirmed dates, with more to be announced soon:

Chicago

Sunday, December 15, from 4 to 6 pm

Boston

Sunday, January 12, from 3 to 5 pm

These events are open to Walden and Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC) alumni, faculty, staff, artists, donors, and board members, as well as friends and family. Please save the date and help us spread the word!

RSVP by email or call (415) 587-8157. When you RSVP, please let us know what you would like to bring, and we will send you the address.

If you are interested in hosting a party in your area, please contact us. We are so grateful to this season’s hosts and the many volunteers who have hosted Walden holiday parties over the years.

Celebrate Giving Tuesday with Walden

Share your gratitude on December 3.

Giving Tuesday is a global day dedicated to giving back. On Tuesday, December 3, communities around the world will come together for one common purpose: to celebrate generosity and to give.

During this season of gratitude, Walden is encouraging gifts in honor or memory of someone you’re grateful for. It could be a teacher who mentored you or your child, a creative artist who inspired you, or a friend or family member who made a difference in your life. We are happy to contact your dedicatee to let them know you made a gift to Walden in their honor.

We hope you will consider making a gift to Walden on Giving Tuesday. Your gift of any amount will be put to work making Walden’s 2025 summer programs a success. See below for ways to donate, or visit our Facebook page to participate in a one-day fundraiser. Our Giving Tuesday goal is to raise $5,300 for Walden’s upcoming 53rd season!

Support Walden Today

Give the Gift of Walden

Bring some summer magic to the holiday season and support Walden School programs and initiatives with your order of Walden merchandise!

Enjoy 20% off of all Walden merchandise orders, now through January 5.

We have Walden beach towels (new!), blankets (new!), hoodies, shirts, baseball caps, canvas totes, stickers, mugs, pens, pencils, and more.

See what’s available and fill out an order form here.

Orders can be placed by check or money order, or via credit card/PayPal. Please contact Mindy Williams, Walden’s Administrative Manager, or call the Walden office at (415) 587-8157 if you have any questions.

Apply for Walden 2025

The early application deadline is Monday, December 16.

We are thrilled to announce that applications for The Walden School’s 2025 summer programs are now open! The early-round deadline to apply to the Young Musicians Program (YMP) and Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) is Monday, December 16. We encourage you to share the news with your friends, family, colleagues, students, and teachers.

Walden’s 2025 programs:

• Creative Musicians Retreat: June 14 – June 22, 2025, Dublin School, Dublin, New Hampshire (for musicians ages 18-98)

• Young Musicians Program: June 28 – August 3, 2025, Dublin School, Dublin, New Hampshire (for pre-college musicians, ages 9-18)

Application materials for both programs are available on our website.

Write to us at applicants@waldenschool.org with any questions.

Young Musicians Program (YMP)

Information Sessions

Join us to learn more about the music camp that changes lives.

Do you know a student who writes songs or arranges music? Or a young improviser who wants to strengthen their musicianship and meet like-minded peers? Or a music teacher who might like to learn about Walden’s unique curriculum?

Join us at one of our online interactive information sessions, featuring presentations and Q&A with Walden’s Executive Director, Seth Brenzel, alongside YMP leadership, faculty, staff, and students.

All YMP Info Sessions are held on Zoom. Learn more and register for one of the info sessions below:

Monday, December 9, 2024

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Thursday, March 20, 2025

These events are open to prospective students, music teachers, and anyone else who would like to learn about Walden’s flagship program for musicians ages 9 to 18.

A Walden School/PRISM Quartet Premiere

Congratulations to Young Musicians Program (YMP) alumnus Aaron Nichols, recipient of The Walden School/PRISM Quartet Student Commissioning Award, on the premiere of his commissioned work, Mesovortex!

Aaron’s piece was performed by PRISM Quartet in Philadelphia on November 17 and New York City on November 18. Walden hosted receptions after each concert, and we were so glad to see several Walden alumni and friends in attendance! Many thanks to Walden faculty member, academic dean, and Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) alumnus Nate Trier for organizing the receptions. Thanks also to Walden board member Kate Valenta and to Mary Anne O’Meara, a past board member and Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC) alumna, for their assistance.

Walden is proud to partner with PRISM Quartet on this opportunity to support young composers in their creative development. We are especially grateful to Matthew Levy, founding member of PRISM Quartet and a former member of Walden’s Board of Directors, for his longstanding collaboration and leadership. The Walden School/PRISM Quartet Student Commissioning Award was launched in 2000, and since then 22 Young Musicians Program (YMP) students have received the award and had their compositions premiered on PRISM’s concert series.

Community News

Walden at the GRAMMYs!

The 2025 Grammy Awards nominations were announced on November 8, with five going to members of the Walden Community! The Best Opera Recording category includes both The Shining, by past Young Musicians Program (YMP) Composer-in-Residence Paul Moravec, and Kaija Saariaho’s Adriana Mater, featuring the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, which includes Walden Executive Director Seth Brenzel, Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) alum Drew Kravin, Walden bookkeeper Brielle Morgan Neilson, and former Walden administrative staff members Elizabeth Susskind and Chung-Wai Soong. YMP alumna Andrea Grody is nominated for Best Musical Theater Album as the co-producer and music supervisor of the original cast album of Suffs. Seth Parker Woods, a past member of The Walden School Players, received a nod for Best Classical Instrument Solo for Eastman: The Holy Presence Of Joan D’Arc. And JACK Quartet (which includes Austin Wulliman, a past visiting artist at Walden) is nominated for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance for its recording of Waves and Particles by John Luther Adams.

Ruth Hertzman-Miller and Sarah Kirkland Snider to be featured on Carnegie Hall program

Compositions by CMR alumna Ruth Hertzman-Miller and 2024 YMP Composer-in-Residence Sarah Kirkland Snider will be performed on December 15 at Carnegie Hall, on a program titled Celebration of the Voice of Women Composers. The concert is being presented by Vox Feminarum, a new nonprofit committed to creating a global platform that elevates the work of women composers. To order tickets, click here.

Kate Soper awarded Marie-Josée Kravis Emerging Composer Prize by the New York Philharmonic 

Composer and vocalist Kate Soper, a past visiting artist at Walden with Wet Ink Ensemble, has been named the Kravis Emerging Composer by the New York Philharmonic as part of the Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music. She will receive a $50,000 stipend and a commission to compose a new work that the Philharmonic will premiere in May 2025, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. This opportunity to explore the orchestral texture in a meta-theatrical sense will continue Kate’s existing work in creating “unique and uncategorizable musico-theatrical spectacles.” Congratulations, Kate!

Violin concerto by Michael Kropf performed on Concert for Peace

Moses in Nederland, a violin concerto by CMR alumnus and former YMP faculty member Michael Kropf, was performed on November 24 in Milwaukee as part of a Concert for Peace, a program presented by the ensemble Present Music. The work is inspired by Kropf’s great-grandfather, Moses Schenkein, who, Michael writes, “as a European Jew living in Holland, was forced to lead his family on a dangerous and miraculous journey of escape from the horrors of the Holocaust. He was also an amateur violinist and composer, and left behind a folder of short melodic compositions,” some of which are incorporated in the concerto. An earlier performance of the work can be viewed here. Michael is on faculty at Gonzaga University as Assistant Professor of Theory and Composition.

Sarah Stroud authors new book

Sarah Stroud, a professor of philosophy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, member of Walden’s Board of Directors, and mother of YMP alumna and faculty member Francesca Hellerman, is the co-author, along with Daniel Muñoz, of a new book: Ethical Theory: 50 Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments. The book covers classic debates and problems, such as the Trolley Problem and the Repugnant Conclusion, and explores more recent topics of interest, including the ethics of AI. Congratulations on this publication, Sarah!

Song cycle by Freya Waley-Cohen to be performed in New York City

Book two of Spell Book by YMP alumna Freya Waley-Cohen will be performed by the St. Luke’s Chamber Players on December 4 at the DiMenna Center in New York City, in a concert on the theme of Spells and Revelations. Spell Book is a song cycle set to poems by Rebecca Tamás published in the 2019 collection Witch. A recording of Spell Book was released in October on NMC Records. Tickets to the December 4 concert can be purchased here.

Mary H. Crawford and Jimmy Levi engaged

We are excited to share the news that YMP alumni Mary Crawford and Jimmy Levi have gotten engaged! Mary and Jimmy live in San Francisco, where they attended Walden’s celebration and fundraiser in September.

Congratulations, Mary and Jimmy!

In Memoriam

Mary Murrell (Bennett) Faulkner

We are sad to share the news Mary Murrell (Bennett) Faulkner died on October 27, 2024. Mary attended the Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC), Walden’s predecessor program, in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Her obituary can be found here. Mary was a distinguished organist and church musician who also worked as a professional tax advisor. Fellow JCC alum Bob Weaver shares that Mary can be seen in this JCC video (prepared by the late Ron Nelson) at the 12:45 mark in a top emblazoned with a large “T”. Walden joins Mary’s family and all who remember her from the JCC in mourning her passing.

We Want To Hear From You!

If you have a recent or upcoming premiere or concert, publication, award, new job, or a celebratory life event, please share your news, which needn’t be music-related (although we love your music-related news to be sure!). Email your news to alumni@waldenschool.org.

Stay in Touch

You can like The Walden School page on Facebook and join The Walden School private group to hear about events and opportunities throughout the year. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, bandcamp, and at waldenschool.org.

A dance during the 2019 Young Musicians Program

Message from Seth Brenzel, Executive Director

An incredible summer of creative music making at Walden is flying by. Our Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) was as inspired as ever, and our Young Musicians Program (YMP) is entering its final stretch—Festival Week starts on Sunday!

We hope you will join us, either in person or online, for some of the amazing concerts we have lined up for the last week of YMP. Read on for more information, including livestream links!

In this edition of InterNetzo, we are excited to invite you to two upcoming fundraising events. Monday, July 29, is Giving Day, our annual online fundraiser showcasing live video updates from YMP. And Saturday, August 3, is our end-of-summer celebration and fundraiser in New Hampshire, featuring the acclaimed vocalist Hilary Kole, a Walden alumna and faculty member. We hope you will join us and support Walden!

Plus, Walden’s Board of Directors is matching every new and increased contribution—up to $15,000—that we raise through August 4, the last day of our Young Musicians Program. Your new or increased gift today will be put to work immediately toward student scholarships and inspiring artist residencies at Walden this summer.

Please read on for more news and updates from the Walden community, including reflections on this summer’s CMR from Caroline Mallonee, and an announcement of our new Memphis Composers Institute, an exciting orchestral performance opportunity for emerging composers. I hope our paths cross soon!

Sincerely,

Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
415-587-8157

This Weekend at Walden

At Dublin School,

Dublin, New Hampshire (and online!)

All events are free and open to the public.

Friday, July 26, 7:30 pm EDT

The Walden School Players

.Presenting Walden’s in-house contemporary music ensemble in a dynamic concert of new music, including works by YMP Composer-in-Residence Sarah Kirkland Snider

Walden is proud to host its own professional ensemble-in-residence, The Walden School Players. All distinguished musicians and specialists in contemporary music, the Players share their talent and wealth of experience in contemporary music with the Walden community each summer during the course of a two-week residency at the Young Musicians Program (YMP). While in residence at Walden, the Players work closely with student composers in readings and rehearsals, giving feedback as students prepare their pieces for Festival Week. Then, over the course of three Festival Week Composers Forums, they perform students’ pieces. In addition to their work with students, the Players present a concert of modern and contemporary chamber music in an event that is always a highlight of Walden’s concert series.

The 2024 Walden School Players are: Laura Cocks (flutes), Erica Dicker (violin), Kyra Sims (horn), Chris Wild (cello), Mabel Kwan (piano), Dennis K. Sullivan II (percussion), and Zachary Good (clarinets).

This concert will feature music by YMP 2024 Composer-in-Residence, Sarah Kirkland Snider, alongside contemporary works by Kyra Sims, George Lewis, Rick Burkhardt, Carolyn Chen, Hans Abrahamsen, Isang Yun, and Steven Long.

Watch the Livestream Here!

Sunday, July 28, 7:30 pm EDT

YMP Composer-in-Residence Presentation with Sarah Kirkland Snider

Composer Sarah Kirkland Snider writes music of direct expression and vivid narrative that has been hailed as “rapturous” (The New York Times), “groundbreaking” (The Boston Globe), and “ravishingly beautiful” (NPR). Recently named one of the “Top 35 Female Composers in Classical Music” by The Washington Post, Snider’s works have been commissioned and/or performed by the New York Philharmonic; Boston Symphony Orchestra; Cleveland Orchestra; San Francisco Symphony; National Symphony Orchestra; Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Philharmonia Orchestra; Birmingham Royal Ballet; Emerson String Quartet; Renée Fleming and Will Liverman; Deutsche Grammophon for mezzo Emily D’Angelo; percussionist Colin Currie; eighth blackbird; A Far Cry; and Roomful of Teeth, among many others. Join us for a presentation by Ms. Snider of some of her work.

Note: This event will not be livestreamed.

Upcoming concerts—Festival Week starts on Sunday!

Festival Week Composers Forums:

• Monday, July 29: YMP Festival Week Composers Forum I
• Tuesday, July 30: YMP Festival Week Composers Forum II
• Wednesday, July 31: YMP Festival Week Composers Forum III

Friday, August 2: YMP Choral Concert

See the entire Summer 2024 Concert Series lineup here.

Upcoming Fundraising Events

Giving Day is Monday, July 29!

Throughout the first day of Festival Week, we’ll be sharing live video updates from our Young Musicians Program (YMP) as part of a special fundraiser on our Facebook page. Help us raise $5,200 in honor of Walden’s 52nd summer.

Livestream events will include meals, classes, interviews with students, faculty, and visiting artists, a rehearsal of a student composition, and the first 2024 YMP Festival Week Composers Forum.

Plus, Walden’s Board of Directors is matching every new and increased contribution—up to $15,000—that we raise through August 4, the last day of our Young Musicians Program. Your new or increased gift today will be put to work immediately toward student scholarships and inspiring artist residencies at Walden this summer.

Now is a great time to make your first donation to Walden, or to increase your annual donation, to be sure to increase your contribution’s impact!

Support Walden Today

A Walden celebration in New Hampshire on Saturday, August 3

You’re invited to a fabulous Festival Week celebration to cap off Walden’s 2024 Young Musicians Program! Join us to celebrate the impact of Walden’s transformative music programs and to raise funds for student scholarships and inspiring artist residencies. Enjoy a performance by world-renowned vocalist Hilary Kole, a Walden alumna and faculty member, and jazz pianist Misha Piatigorsky, followed by a reception with refreshments and wonderful Walden community.

While there is no charge to attend, gifts to support Walden’s award-winning programs may be made online, by check payable to The Walden School at P.O. Box 432, Dublin, NH 03444, or in person at the event.

For details or to RSVP, contact Noah Mlotek, Walden’s Director of Development and Alumni Relations, by email or by calling (603) 563-8212.

Reflections on the 2024 Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR)

From Caroline Mallonee, Director of CMR

The 2024 Creative Musicians Retreat has come and gone. It was a wonderful week of music-making! This summer, we welcomed 46 participants from 21 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and Australia. More than a third of the student body were alumni of CMR, back for more Walden magic, and one participant was an alumna of the Young Musician’s Program (YMP), returning to Dublin 37 years after her first summer at Walden!

We offered twelve different classes, including four musicianship/pedagogy classes, three electronic music classes, some favorite seminars, and two new skills classes in conducting and choral writing. Our curriculum was rounded out by workshops in Irish Traditional music, writing for the guitar, writing for the flute, and exploring the creative potential of the “electro-sandbox” in the Electronic Music Studio.

Our CMR Composer-in-Residence Oscar Bettison came to us all the way from the Netherlands to lead master classes, give private lessons, and moderate our three Composers Forums, in which we heard 39 world premieres! The pieces were performed beautifully by our artists-in-residence alongside performers from our student body. Our incredible 2024 CMR artists-in-residence were pianist David Friend and members of the International Contemporary Ensemble: Colleen Bernstein (percussion), Isabel Lepanto Gleicher (flutes), Nicolee Kuester (horn), Dan Lippel (guitar), Josh Modney (violin), and Damian Norfleet (voice).

The CMR Chamber Choir, led by our choral director, Sarah Riskind, performed four world premieres at this year’s CMR Composers Forums. Sarah also led the morning choral rehearsals for the entire community. We delighted in singing both very new and very old music from a variety of composers, and we used a lot of solfège hand signs.

When we started the Creative Musicians Retreat, we hoped it would be appealing to musically inclined parents of students at our Young Musicians Program (YMP). It is! One of our participants, who had sent his daughter to YMP two years ago, came to CMR this year from his home in San Francisco. He invited his sister to join him, and she did — coming all the way from Australia! They played a delightful piano four-hands piece on Performers Night.

Performers Night kicked off with a performance by faculty member Alex Christie using slide projectors and tape loops; included six pieces by faculty and artists who coached ensembles playing their work; and offered one of the most memorable performances of the week. None of us will soon forget Liz Benjamin’s performance of PDQ Bach’s “Little Bunny Hop Hop Hop,” in which she donned a bicycle helmet and hit her head with boomwhackers (tuned percussion tubes)!

We were thrilled to return to our home at Dublin School after two years away. Although we have proved that the magic of Walden can be created elsewhere, being back in Dublin allowed us to reconnect with the memories and traditions cultivated here over forty years. It was a joy to revisit familiar spaces, revive past experiences, and build upon our shared history in this special place.

Sincerely,

Caroline Mallonee

Director, The Walden School Creative Musicians Retreat

Announcing the Memphis Composers Institute

Walden is proud to announce a new performance opportunity for emerging composers: the Memphis Composers Institute, a partnership between The Memphis Symphony, the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music of the University of Memphis, and The Walden School.

Memphis Composers Institute invites composers in the early stages of their orchestral composing careers to submit one orchestra work for a chance to be performed by the Memphis Symphony. This is a three-day event beginning with rehearsals and panel discussions, culminating with a performance of three orchestral works by emerging composers with the Memphis Symphony conducted by Kyle Dickson on February 9, 2025.

For more information about this exciting call for scores, visit our Memphis Composers Institute webpage. The submission deadline is Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 11:59 pm Central Daylight Time.

Plus, be sure to visit our website for a searchable list of competitions, awards, and calls for scores. Opportunities are often posted in Walden’s community Facebook group as well.

Transitions on Walden’s Board of Directors

The Walden School’s Board of Directors held its annual summer meeting on July 19 and 20, in the midst of this summer’s Young Musicians Program (YMP). For two days, this group of dedicated volunteers met to work on plans for Walden’s long-term growth and sustainability. Board members also joined the YMP community for a barbecue dinner and a concert by the International Contemporary Ensemble. The weekend was capped off by a celebratory dinner hosted by Charlie and Dede MacVeagh at their home in Marlborough, New Hampshire.

At this year’s meeting, we were excited to welcome two new members to the board, and we expressed gratitude to Bob Bassett, whose term on the board came to an end. A Denver-based composer, Bob is a Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) alum and a valued member of the Walden community. Thank you, Bob, for your service on Walden’s board!

We are pleased to welcome two new board members:

Stephen Smith

Stephen has worked in the biotechnology/pharmaceuticals industry for 28 years, developing medicines in neurology, virology, oncology, and various rare diseases. His passion is visual art and art history, and he works as a volunteer docent at the San Francisco Asian Art Museum, where he leads school tours aiming to form deeper connections between young people in the 21st century and objects created hundreds or thousands of years ago. He holds degrees from George Washington University (political science and economics) and the Sotheby’s Institute of Art Institute in London (East Asian art). Stephen lives with his husband and their daughter in San Francisco.

David Bivins

David Bivins has been a dedicated supporter of The Walden School since 2022 when his son experienced a transformative first year as a student. His passion for the school’s mission stems from witnessing the profound impact it has had on the growth and development of his own child and many others. David is a seasoned marketing strategist currently serving Montefiore Einstein, a renowned hospital system in New York City. He holds a B.A. in Women’s Studies from Michigan State University. David’s creative outlets include photography and music composition and performance. His joy of music traces back to his youth when he played trumpet and served as drum major in his high school marching band.

We Want To Hear From You!

If you have a recent or upcoming premiere or concert, publication, award, new job, or a celebratory life event, please share your news, which needn’t be music-related (although we love your music-related news to be sure!). Email your news to alumni@waldenschool.org.

Stay in Touch

You can like The Walden School page on Facebook and join The Walden School private group to hear about events and opportunities throughout the year. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, bandcamp, and at waldenschool.org.

A dance during the 2019 Young Musicians Program

Message from Seth Brenzel, Executive Director

Walden begins today!

Summer is here, bringing with it another summer of transformative music programs at The Walden School. Today, June 15, our 2024 Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) begins, and our Young Musicians Program (YMP) starts on June 29. I can’t wait to experience the energy, diversity, and creativity that our more than 100 participants will bring to Walden this year.

In this edition of InterNetzo, we are excited to share the incredible lineup of faculty and staff who will bring our Summer 2024 programs to life. We also share a recap of the festive Walden celebration and fundraiser that was held on May 5 in Washington, DC, raising more than $11,000 in support of critical scholarships and world-class artist residences at Walden’s programs this summer.

Please read on for more news and updates from the Walden community. And stay tuned for more updates throughout the summer as our programs and Concert Series get underway. I hope our paths cross soon!

Sincerely,

Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
415-587-8157

This Weekend at Walden

At Dublin School,

Dublin, New Hampshire (and online!)

All events are free and open to the public.

Join us for the opening concert of Walden’s 2024 Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR), featuring artists-in-residence David Friend (piano) and members of International Contemporary Ensemble: Colleen Bernstein (percussion), Isabel Lepanto Gleicher (flutes), Nicolee Kuester (horn), Dan Lippel (guitars), Josh Modney (violin), and Damian Norfleet (voice). The concert will feature music by current Walden faculty members and by CMR Composer-in-Residence Oscar Bettison.

Sunday, June 16, 7:30 pm Eastern

Composer-in-Residence Presentation

With CMR Composer-in-Residence Oscar Bettison

Note: This event will not be livestreamed.

Oscar Bettison’s music lives, thrillingly, on a razor’s edge between unpredictability and a groove wrought of full-bodied play. Born on the United Kingdom’s Channel Islands to Spanish and British parents, Bettison was fascinated from an early age by the interplay between the “weird, hazy, tenuous aural image” in his imagination and the wild effort to wrestle it onto the page. After studying in Amsterdam with Louis Andriessen and Martijn Padding, he learned to embrace this creative discomfort, crashing through challenges with fantastic, imaginative twists. As Bettison has said: “It’s not that refinement is a bad thing. But there are times when it can get in the way.” Join us for a presentation by Mr. Bettison of some of his work.

Fundraising Event

Event recap: A Walden Celebration and Fundraiser in Washington, DC

Thank you to all who joined us for The Walden School’s celebration and fundraiser in Washington, DC, on Sunday, May 5!

It was a wonderful afternoon of food, drink, conversation, and music held in the beautiful and historic DACOR Bacon House, just steps from the White House. The Claremont Trio (violinist Emily Bruskin, cellist Julia Bruskin, and pianist Sophiko Simsive) wowed with their engaging performances of works by Fanny Mendelssohn, Kati Agócs (a 2022 Composer-in-Residence at Walden), and Johannes Brahms. In between pieces, Julia Bruskin shared reflections from her many visits to Walden’s Young Musicians Program, saying, “There’s no place like Walden.”

Donate Today

We are so grateful to our host committee and all of our event donors for your generosity. With your help, we raised $11,480! Thank you! Your support brings Walden 2024 that much closer.

If you would like to show your support to Walden, contributions are warmly appreciated at any time. You are welcome to donate online or send a check to The Walden School at 7 Joost Avenue, Suite 204, San Francisco, CA 94131.

Donate Today

Summer 2024 Faculty and Staff

Each summer, Walden assembles a stellar team of faculty and staff to mentor and inspire our participants and provide them with unparalleled musical experiences. Our philosophy is that by participating together in all levels of community life, faculty, staff, visiting artists, and students can create an environment where close relationships develop and creativity flourishes.

Walden’s 2024 faculty and staff team is a wonderful mix of returning team members, team

members returning in new roles, and several new staff and faculty members. Walden’s faculty are a diverse group of improvisers, composers, conductors, performers, and music scholars, all of whom are committed to the creation and dissemination of new music and to developing the next generation’s composers, performers and arts advocates.

Visit our website to learn more about the faculty and staff at Walden’s Young Musicians Program (YMP) and Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR).

YMP Faculty and Staff

David Carlton Adams, Faculty

Zaki Andoh, Staff

William Bolles-Beaven, Faculty

Seth Brenzel, Executive Director & YMP Program Director

Kittie Cooper, Faculty, Academic Dean, & Director of Composers Forums

Shannon Dunning, Staff

Jeff Dutter, Staff

Kari Francis, Faculty & Choral Director

Aidan Gold, Faculty

Cara Haxo, Faculty & Academic Dean

Francesca Hellerman, Faculty & Assistant Director of Composers Forums

Gree Jordan, Nurse

Ross Karre, Technical Director

Hilary Kole, Faculty

Loretta Notareschi, Teaching Mentor

Carlos Henrique Pereira, Faculty

Dahlia Riddington, Staff

Marco Roberts, Staff

Luke Schroeder, Assistant Director of Operations & Faculty

Sammi Jo Stone, Director of Operations & Faculty

Theo Trevisan, Faculty

Nate Trier, Faculty

Samantha Wolf, Faculty

Paul Zito, Staff

CMR Faculty and Staff

Seth Brenzel, Executive Director

Alex Christie, Faculty & Director of Electronic Music

Cara Haxo, Faculty

Francesca Hellerman, Staff

Caroline Mallonee, Faculty & CMR Program Director

Ted Moore, Technical Director

Loretta Notareschi, Faculty

Sam Pluta, Faculty

Dahlia Riddington, Staff

Sarah Riskind, Choral Director

Luke Schroeder, Staff

J. Sparr, Faculty

Sammi Jo Stone, Director of Operations

Call for Memories and Photos

Attention alumni! We are renewing a call for treasured memories and photos from your time at Walden or the Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC), to be included in a 50th/70th-Anniversary memory book.

Please aim to keep your reflections to a maximum of 250 words.

Alumni are also invited to share up to five treasured photos with the community to be included in the memory book.

Please send your memories and photos to us at alumni@waldenschool.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

Community News

Denise Ondishko’s Moments in Nature featured on new recording

A three-movement composition by Denise Ondishko, Moments in Nature for saxophone and digital audio, is featured on Inflorescence, a new album by saxophonist Kyle Horch. In these pieces, Ondishko is heard reciting a poem along with digital audio that she designed and created in her home studio, and a live saxophone recorded for the album. Ondishko is a Young Musicians Program (YMP) alumna and a former Walden staff member, faculty member, and Board member. She was featured in a previous edition of InterNetzo, where she shared that her work with Horch was instrumental in keeping her involved in composition.

Modney releases Ascending Primes 

Composer-violinist Josh Modney, who performs and records as Modney, released a new double-album of solo and ensemble works on Pyroclastic Records, Ascending Primes. The album builds on Modney’s interests in tuning systems and exploring “extremes of harmonicity and dissonance.” The works are performed by prime-numbered ensembles featuring several Walden-affiliated artists: Erica Dicker (violin), Marina Kifferstein(violin), Mariel Roberts (cello), and Sam Pluta (electronics). Modney is a frequent Walden visiting artist who will return to both the Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) and the Young Musicians Program (YMP) in Summer 2024.

Nnenna Ogwo’s Juneteenth Festival returns  

This June, Juneteenth LP (Juneteenth Legacy Project), founded by Nnenna Ogwo, will present a series of musical events celebrating Juneteenth, the national holiday commemorating the end of slavery in America. The Juneteenth Festival will culminate in Ogwo’s annual Juneteenth celebration at Joe’s Pub on June 19, featuring music by Black composers across genres. Ogwo’s Juneteenth LP was honored this year with a special grant from the Aaron Copland Fund for Music (a Walden School supporter), in honor of the Fund’s 30th anniversary. Ogwo is both a YMP and CMR alumna, as well as a past board member, faculty member, and visiting artist. A complete lineup of the Juneteenth Festival can be found here.

Alex Christie earns PhD

Composer, electronic musician, and intermedia artist Alex Christie, a YMP alumnus and veteran Walden faculty member who will return to teach at CMR this summer, earned his PhD from the Department of Music at the University of Virginia on May 18. His dissertation is titled “Light, Sound, Systems, Deer: Nonhuman Agency and Intermedia Practice,” and it represents the culmination of many years of Christie’s artistic practice and scholarship. Congratulations, Alex!

We Want To Hear From You!

If you have a recent or upcoming premiere or concert, publication, award, new job, or a celebratory life event, please share your news, which needn’t be music-related (although we love your music-related news to be sure!). Email your news to alumni@waldenschool.org.

Stay in Touch

You can like The Walden School page on Facebook and join The Walden School private group to hear about events and opportunities throughout the year. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, bandcamp, and at waldenschool.org.

A dance during the 2019 Young Musicians Program

Message from Seth Brenzel, Executive Director

Dear Walden friends,

I enjoyed seeing many of you in March for our celebration and fundraiser in New York, and I look forward to seeing more of you this weekend in Washington, DC. Read on for details about a wonderful Walden event planned for Sunday, May 5, and join us as we build excitement and raise funds for another summer of extraordinary music programs. I hope to see you there!

In this edition of InterNetzo, we are pleased to share the full lineup of our Summer 2024 Concert Series. All of our events are free and open to the public, as well as livestreamed for a global audience. Wherever you are, I hope you’ll join us for some inspiring performances this summer!

I also want to draw your attention to a part-time job opening on our year-round administrative team in San Francisco. We are seeking a Development Assistant to support Walden’s fundraising efforts while gaining valuable experience in the field of nonprofit development. If you or someone you know might be interested in this position, please be in touch!

Please read on for more news and updates from the Walden community. I hope our paths cross at a Walden event or program soon. Our 2024 Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) begins on June 15, and our Young Musicians Program (YMP) starts on June 29. Summer is right around the corner!

Sincerely,

Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
415-587-8157

Upcoming Fundraising Events

Join us on Sunday, May 5, for a Walden celebration in Washington, DC!

Washington, DC

Sunday, May 5

3 to 5 pm

Join The Walden School for an afternoon of music, community, and refreshments at the historic DACOR Bacon House, an elegant mansion and foreign-affairs club located near the White House. Guests will enjoy a performance by the Claremont Trio, lauded as “one of America’s finest young chamber groups” (Strad Magazine), who will perform works by Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, Johannes Brahms, and Kati Agócs (a former Walden Composer-in-Residence).

This reception and concert will celebrate Walden’s mission of inspiring artistic expression and personal growth through experiential music programs. Contributions to Walden’s Annual Fund will underwrite critical student scholarships and world-class artist residences at Walden’s 2024 summer programs.

For more details or to RSVP, contact us or call (415) 587-8157.

Summer 2024 Concert Series

Each summer, Walden’s award-winning Concert Series presents leading professional musicians and ensembles on concerts that are offered free of charge to the public and webcast through high-quality livestreams.

Visiting artists and Composers-in-Residence are integral to Walden’s programs, leading workshops, demonstrations, and dialogues that challenge and inspire Walden students. During Composers Forums, student improvisations and compositions are performed by faculty, students, and visiting artists.

Across eight concerts, eleven Composers Forums, and two composer presentations, the 2024 Walden School Concert Series will feature cutting-edge works from artists of diverse contemporary musical genres. In a typical summer, Walden will present nearly 200 world premieres created by our students and faculty—approximately 140 by Young Musicians Program (YMP) students, 40 works by Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) participants, and 10 pieces commissioned from Walden’s YMP faculty.

We hope you will join us—whether in person or virtually—for a season of dynamic performances, creative collaborations, and diverse new musical voices.

Time: 7:30 pm

Location: Louise Shonk Kelly Recital Hall on the Dublin School campus in Dublin, New Hampshire (unless otherwise noted)

Admission: Always free and open to the public

Saturday, June 15

Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) artists-in-residence David Friend and members of International Contemporary Ensemble performing music by Walden faculty members and CMR Composer-in-Residence Oscar Bettison

Thursday, June 20

CMR participants and visiting artists presenting a curated selection of chamber music

Sunday, June 30

ZOFO piano duet—Eva-Maria Zimmerman and Keisuke Nakagoshi (pictured at right)—presenting repertoire for piano four-hands on Walden’s recently donated Steinway

Friday, July 5

Aurora Nealand and friends, presenting a popular outdoor concert of New Orleans jazz on the Fountain Arts Building patio—co-presented with the Monadnock Folklore Society

Friday, July 12

Faculty Commissioning Concert with Friction Quartet (pictured at right), premiering new works by Young Musicians Program (YMP) faculty members

Friday, July 19

International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), described by the New York Times as “one of the most accomplished and adventurous groups in new music”

Friday, July 26

The Walden School Players, featuring innovative performers Laura Cocks (flute), Erica Dicker (violin), Kyra Sims (horn), Chris Wild (cello), Mabel Kwan (piano), Dennis K. Sullivan II (percussion), and Zachary Good (clarinet) performing contemporary music including works by Sarah Kirkland Snider, 2024 YMP Composer-in-Residence

Friday, August 2

The Walden School Choral Concert, showcasing the entire YMP community under the direction of choral director Kari Francis

COMPOSER PRESENTATIONS

Sunday, June 16

Oscar Bettison, CMR Composer-in-Residence

Sunday, July 28

Sarah Kirkland Snider, YMP Composer-in-Residence

COMPOSERS FORUMS

Creative Musicians Retreat Composers Forums

Tuesday, June 18; Wednesday, June 19; and Friday, June 21

Featuring newly composed/improvised works by CMR participants

Young Musicians Program Composers Forums

Each Tuesday in July: 2, 9, 16, 23, as well as Thursday, July 18

Monday–Wednesday, July 29–31 (Festival Week Composers Forums)

Featuring newly composed/improvised works by YMP participants

Walden is Hiring!

Join our year-round administrative team in San Francisco.

Walden is hiring for a Development Assistant to join our dynamic, fun, and collegial San Francisco-based administrative team. The part-time Development Assistant will play a crucial role in supporting Walden’s fundraising efforts. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to Walden’s growth and sustainability while gaining valuable experience in the field of nonprofit development.

Please help us spread the word about this exciting opportunity! View the full job description here.

Please direct any questions and inquiries to us at jobs@waldenschool.org.

Photo: The Walden School administrative office in San Francisco

Call for Memories and Photos

Attention alumni! We are renewing a call for treasured memories and photos from your time at Walden or the Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC), to be included in a 50th/70th-Anniversary memory book.

Please aim to keep your reflections to a maximum of 250 words.

Alumni are also invited to share up to five treasured photos with the community to be included in the memory book.

Do you have memories and photos to send? Contact us: waldenschool.org/contact. We look forward to hearing from you!

Photo courtesy of Jane Dugdale, showing Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC) students on a swim trip in the late 1950s

Community News

Katie Balch performed by SF Contemporary Music Players

Katherine Balch’s Musica Spolia was performed on April 20 by the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players as part of the Pierrot RE:Wind festival. The festival celebrates Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire, featuring new and existing works for the “Pierrot” ensemble of flute, clarinet, violin, cello, and piano. Musica Spolia was performed alongside pieces by Kevin Day, Massimo Lauricella, Andrew Norman, and Mason Bates. A past Young Musicians Program (YMP) faculty member, Balch currently teaches composition at Yale School of Music.

D. J. Sparr’s harp concerto premiered in Nashua alongside music by New Hampshire students

On April 20 in Nashua, New Hampshire, Symphony New Hampshire gave the premiere performance of Extraordinary Motion: Concerto for Electric Harp by composer D. J. Sparr and poet Janine Joseph. D. J. is a YMP alumnus, a past YMP faculty member, and a current CMR faculty member. Also premiered on the April 20 program was a new collaborative work created as part of New Hampshire Concerto, a project that commissions college composers to submit short movements for orchestra that exemplify or represent New Hampshire. Music composed by four New Hampshire students, from University of New Hampshire, Dartmouth, Plymouth State, and Keene State, made up the finished work.

Sky Macklay featured with portrait concert at WoCo Fest

Composer Sky Macklay, a former YMP faculty member, former CMR faculty and staff member, and Teacher Training Institute (TTI) alumna, was featured in a portrait concert on April 13 at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland. The concert was presented by Ghost Ensemble, in which Macklay performs as oboist, as part of WoCo Fest 2024, a three-day festival celebrating music by women and gender-marginalized composers, produced by the Boulanger Initiative. Five of Macklay’s compositions were performed, alongside an installation of her Harmonitrees, a unique set of interactive, inflatable harmonica-playing sculptures. Sky is on the composition faculty of the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.

Bob Bassett work performed by Federal Way Symphony

Bob Bassett’s string orchestra work Lodore received a Pacific Northwest premiere on April 14 by the Federal Way Symphony, based outside of Seattle, Washington. Bassett is a CMR alumnus and member of Walden’s Board of Directors. He was also featured on a podcast speaking about the work and his path as a composer with conductor Adam Stern. Congratulations on your premiere, Bob!

New Arrangement of Stacy Garrop’s Tribute to Justice Ginsburg

YMP alumna and past faculty member Stacy Garrop was commissioned by Jane and James Ginsburg, the children of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, to compose My Dearest Ruth for the Justice’s 80th birthday tribute in 2013. Garrop’s work is a setting of the last letter written to Ruth Bader Ginsburg by her husband, Martin Ginsburg. Last year, the Bay area vocal ensemble 21V commissioned Garrop to create a version for soprano and alto voices. The new adaptation of My Dearest Ruth was performed by 21V on April 5-6, 2024 in Berkeley and San Francisco.

Theo Trevisan presents master’s recital

Theo Trevisan, a YMP and CMR alumnus and current YMP faculty member, presented his composition master’s recital at the University of Southern California on April 6. Theo performed as bass-baritone in the concert alongside many other performers, including Walden alumni Daniel Montes de Oca Tellez (YMP) and Hannah Rice (CMR). CMR alumna Ashlin Hunter helped with tech. The program for the recital can be viewed here.

Zach Layton performs live sci-fi film score in Albany, New York

On April 20, CMR alumnus and 17-string bassist Zach Layton and collaborators Geoff Gersh (electric guitar) and Bradford Reed (drums and pencilina) performed a live film score for the 1973 French sci-fi film Fantastic Planet at The Linda in Albany, New York. Together, as Order of the Illusive, Layton, Gersh, and Reed have performed accompaniment for other silent films at the same venue, including Nosferatu, F.W. Murnau’s Faust, and Metropolis. On April 21, Layton performed a new work for amplified piano, drums, and 17-string bass with Hamir Atwal and Phyllis Chen (a past Walden visiting artist who will return to Walden in 2024) in Kingston, New York. Check out more of Zach’s upcoming concerts and collaborations in New York State on his website.

Lukáš Janata cantata to be premiered in New York

CMR alumnus and YMP faculty member Lukáš Janata was commissioned by the Chorus American award-winning Cantori New York to write a new cantata. But Love Is Stronger, a 50-minute work for mixed choir, countertenor, clarinet, string quartet, and percussion, will be premiered on May 18 and 19 at the Church of the Holy Apostles in New York City. Janata describes the work as “a testament to the indomitable power of love to transcend even the darkest of circumstances, offering solace, healing, and the promise of renewal,” set to poems by Lord Byron, Emily Brontë, Christina Rossetti, and e.e. cummings. Lukáš recently completed a three-month Helene Wurlitzer Foundation Artist Residency in Taos, New Mexico, as part of a cohort of 11 cross-disciplinary artists.

PRISM Quartet to premiere new body of work

PRISM Quartet, the acclaimed saxophone ensemble and Walden School collaborative partner, will present a new body of work entitled Generate Music, exploring the ties between Black and Jewish artists. World premiere concerts will take place on June 8 in Philadelphia and June 9 in New York, preceded by panel discussions on May 28 and 30 in Philadelphia. Five of the project’s commissioned composers are also musicians—clarinetist David Krakauer, violinist Diane Monroe, poet/vocalist Ursula Rucker, drummer Tyshawn Sorey, and trumpeter/vocalist Susan Watts—who will join PRISM, guitarist David Gilmore, and bassist Reuben Rogers to form an all-star ensemble and perform each other’s works. The program includes additional commissions from Yotam Haber, Myra Melford (with poet Erica Hunt), and Fred Wesley. Project artists have previously collaborated with James Brown, Wayne Shorter, The Roots, Itzhak Perlman, The Klezmatics, and more. A trailer for the project can be viewed here.

We Want to Hear from You!

What’s been going on? If you have a recent or upcoming premiere, publication, award, new job or program, or a celebratory life event, please share the news at waldenschool.org/contact.

Stay in Touch

You can like The Walden School page on Facebook and join The Walden School private group to hear about events and opportunities throughout the year. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, bandcamp, and at waldenschool.org.

Message from Seth Brenzel, Executive Director

Dear Walden friends,

Spring has sprung, and I hope you are enjoying the blossoms and the longer days of sun!

As we prepare for another incredible summer of creative music-making, we are continuing our series of benefit concerts to raise funds for Walden’s 2024 season. This month, we enjoyed a wonderful celebration and fundraiser in New York City, featuring pianist Pedja Mužijević. And I invite you to save the date for an upcoming fundraiser on Sunday, May 5, in Washington, DC, from 3 to 5 pm.

The final, Spring deadline for our 2024 Young Musicians Program (YMP) and Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) is Monday, April 1. See below for information about program dates and locations. We hope you will apply to join us!

Please read on for more news and updates from the Walden community. I hope our paths cross at a Walden event or program soon. Summer is coming!

Sincerely,

Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
415-587-8157

Apply for Walden 2024

The final application deadline for Walden’s 2024 programs is April 1.

The final application deadline for The Walden School Young Musicians Program (YMP) and Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) is on Monday, April 1—and we’re not fooling when we say that we hope you’ll apply to make music at Walden this summer!

Walden’s 2024 programs:

• Creative Musicians Retreat: June 15 – June 23, 2024, Dublin School, Dublin, New Hampshire (for musicians ages 18-98)

• Young Musicians Program: June 29 – August 4, 2024, Dublin School, Dublin, New Hampshire (for pre-college musicians, ages 9-18)

To be considered in the spring admissions round, please submit your application by 11:59pm (Pacific Time) on Monday, April 1. Teacher recommendations for the Young Musicians Program can be submitted after the deadline. The non-refundable application fees for both programs may be paid up to a week after the deadline.

Application materials for both programs are available on our website.

Write to us at applicants@waldenschool.org or call the Walden office at (415) 587-8157 with any questions.

Write to us with any questions.

Apply Today

Fundraising Events

Event recap: A Walden School celebration and fundraiser in New York City

Thank you to all who joined us for The Walden School’s celebration and fundraiser in New York City on Saturday, March 16!

It was a wonderful evening of food, drink, conversation, and music held in the beautiful, art-filled Skylight Gallery at the Salmagundi Club in Greenwich Village. Pianist Pedja Mužijević, a former Walden faculty member and the Artistic Administrator of Baryshnikov Arts in New York, took us on a fascinating musical journey with his program “Homage to Mixtapes.”

We are so grateful to our host committee and all of our event donors for your generosity. With your help, we have raised more than $10,400—and counting! Thank you! Your support brings Walden 2024 that much closer.

If you would like to show your support to Walden, contributions are warmly appreciated at any time. You are welcome to donate online or send a check to The Walden School at 7 Joost Avenue, Suite 204, San Francisco, CA 94131.

Upcoming fundraising event

Washington, DC

Sunday, May 5

3 to 5 pm

Join us for an afternoon of music, community, and refreshments at the historic DACOR Bacon House in Washington, DC!

This reception and concert will celebrate Walden’s mission of inspiring artistic expression and personal growth through experiential music programs. Contributions to Walden’s Annual Fund will underwrite critical student scholarships and world-class artist residences at Walden’s 2024 summer programs.

For more information or to RSVP, email donors@waldenschool.org or call (415) 587-8157.

Walden is Hiring!

Join our summer team.

Walden is hiring for 2024 summer positions at our Young Musicians Program (YMP) in Dublin, New Hampshire. We are seeking new teammates to join our creative community, and we hope that you might help spread the word about these opportunities to your friends and colleagues.

The positions currently open are:

• Staff Member—Young Musicians Program (June–August 2024; Dublin, NH)

Please contact us with any questions and inquiries. All positions are open until filled.

Young Musicians Program (YMP) Online Information Sessions

Join us to learn more about the music camp that changes lives.

Do you know a student who writes songs or arranges music? Or a young improviser who wants to strengthen their musicianship and meet like-minded peers? Or a music teacher who might like to learn about Walden’s unique curriculum?

Join us at one of our online interactive information sessions, featuring presentations and Q&A with Walden’s Executive Director, Seth Brenzel, alongside YMP leadership, faculty, staff, and students.

All YMP Info Sessions are held on Zoom and begin at 7 pm Eastern / 4 pm Pacific.

These events are open to prospective students, music teachers, and anyone else who would like to learn about Walden’s flagship program for musicians ages 9 to 18.

Call for Memories and Photos

Attention alumni! We are renewing a call for treasured memories and photos from your time at Walden or the Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC), to be included in a 50th/70th-Anniversary memory book.

Please aim to keep your reflections to a maximum of 250 words.

Alumni are also invited to share up to five treasured photos with the community to be included in the memory book.

Please send your memories and photos to us at alumni@waldenschool.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

Photo courtesy of Jane Dugdale, showing Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC) students in the late 1950s

Community News

Cara Haxo’s compositions performed

YMP alumna and faculty member Cara Haxo (who will return on faculty at the 2024 Young Musicians Program) had multiple compositions performed this month, including several premieres. On March 9, the ensemble Synergy 78 premiered Haxo’s The Weft and Weave Between Us and the flute and clarinet version of her composition Ripple at the Music by Women Festival at the Mississippi University for Women. On March 16, Forward Motion performed Haxo’s A Few Figs from Thistles (originally commissioned by The Walden School as part of the 2021 Faculty Commissioning Project for Hub New Music) at the Ball State University Festival of New Music in Muncie, Indiana. And on March 22, Stories, Secrets, and Forgotten Wisdom for tenor saxophone was premiered by Andrew Hosler in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as part of the Local 4 Music Fund concert series. Congratulations, Cara!

Recognition for Osnat Netzer’s Dot : Line : Sigh

Veteran CMR and YMP faculty member Osnat Netzer released her debut recording in February of this year, featuring performances of her compositions by Ensemble Dal Niente, Geoffrey Landman, Mivos Quartet, Eric Lamb, Michael Hall, Marianne Parker, and the ~Nois saxophone quartet. Osnat’s new release, Dot : Line : Sigh, was selected by Bandcamp Daily as one of the best contemporary classical releases in February 2024. Osnat spoke about her new release on the Relevant Tones podcast with Matthew Dosland, discussing how she chose compositions from her catalog for the album, and the common thread that connects them: “Though the pieces differ in musical language and aesthetics, they all share the tropes of a punctuated sustain (Dot-Line) and many forms of pitch bends, glissandi, and stylized portamenti (Sigh).” Congratulations, Osnat!

Nicole Mitchell at SF Jazz with Brandee Younger

Creative flautist, improviser, and YMP 2023 visiting composer Nicole Mitchell performed at SF Jazz on March 9-10, in a musical tribute to Alice Coltrane led by jazz harpist Brandee Younger. Nicole joined Younger’s quartet as a special guest, along with saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and a string ensemble led by De’Sean Jones. Nicole shared some audio and reflected on the performance in a social media post, which you can view here. We are grateful that Nicole is part of the Walden community!

Alicia Jo Rabins announces Girls in Trouble: The Series 

YMP Alumna Alicia Jo Rabins is a musician, poet, Torah teacher, and the creator of Girls in Trouble, a project which explores the complex stories of women in the Bible through music, visual art, and a Torah teaching curriculum created by Alicia. This year, Alicia is collaborating with filmmaker Alicia J. Rose to create Girls in Trouble: The Series. In each episode of this new web series, Rabins takes the viewer on a journey into a Biblical woman’s story and visits scholars and artists to get their take on the story. You can watch the pilot episode here.

Ruth Hertzman-Miller first-ever orchestra piece premiere

CMR alumna Ruth Hertzman-Miller is a physician, pianist, and composer. Ruth’s first-ever composition for orchestra, The Activity of Sound, was premiered by the Boston Conservatory Composers Orchestra on March 7. You can watch a video of the performance here. A hearty congratulations to Ruth on this achievement!

Eliza Brown’s music responds to climate change

A work by YMP alum and veteran faculty member Eliza Brown was performed as part of a climate change-inspired concert by the Juventas New Music Ensemble in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on March 23. Eliza’s work, In the Age of the Rise: Three Songs Imagining Life in the Age of Climate Change deals with both the immense grief and the glimmers of hope (through the power of collective action) that are contained within our possible climate futures. Eliza spoke about the work in a short video, which can be viewed here. The livestream of the March 23 concert is available for viewing here.

Updates from Anne Deane Berman

Anne Deane Berman, a Walden alumna and past board member, gave a talk in March at UCLA on her interactive immersive environments with her co-creator and spouse, Dr. Steve Berman. Together, they are planning to host their residential and nonresidential day STEM+ARTS+HUMANITIES Academies at Cornell University in July and UCLA in August. They brought a small Model United Nations high school delegation to Yale University in January and plan to go to Yale MUN LATAM in São Paulo in late summer.

We Want to Hear from You!

What’s been going on? If you have a recent or upcoming premiere, publication, award, new job or program, or a celebratory life event, please share the news at waldenschool.org/contact.

Stay in Touch

You can like The Walden School page on Facebook and join The Walden School private group to hear about events and opportunities throughout the year. You can also find us on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, bandcamp, and at waldenschool.org.