April 2013 eNews: InterNetzo
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director
Walden Events in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore
Donate to Walden through eBay Giving Works
Upcoming Application Deadline For 2013 Young Musicians Program
Did You Know?
Community News & Goods
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
Now Hear This! Work by 2012 Walden Participants
Message from the Executive Director
I hope that this message finds you well and enjoying the beginning of the spring season. We here at Walden are busily preparing ourselves for Summer 2013 and the start of the Young Musicians Program on June 29. We are in the midst of finalizing our faculty and staff team for this coming summer, and we are still accepting applications for the Young Musicians Program.
Our next application deadline is April 19. I would appreciate your spreading the word about this summer’s program, so please tell your friends, colleagues, students and contacts about Walden. Here’s a link to information on Walden’s website:
waldenschool.org/young-musicians-program
or contact our office with any additional questions about the application process or our unique program for creative young musicians! And in case you are wondering, some limited financial aid is still available for qualified families.
We have a wonderful lineup of guest artists planned for summer 2013, including the pianist and composer Phyllis Chen; trombonist, composer and scholar George Lewis; and members of Dal Niente, a Chicago-based ensemble that will perform a concert of world premieres written by Walden faculty members for Dal Niente’s residency in July. In addition, The Walden School Players will return for another electric two-week residency, performing a concert of their own music and many compositions written by Walden students. A more comprehensive listing of this summer’s concert series and guest artists is forthcoming, but I wanted you to know about these incredible artists who will bring their inspiration to Walden’s program this summer.
This summer’s faculty and staff will be led by Academic Deans Sam Pluta and Caroline Mallonée, Dean of Students and Director of Operations Marguerite Ladd, and yours truly. We will be joined by our nurse from 2012, Ann Goehe, along with a nearly-finalized roster of stellar music teachers, performers, composers and scholars.
On Sunday, April 7, I will be with many Board members, Baltimore-area supporters and friends of Walden at an exciting benefit performance given by cellist, composer, and Walden visiting artist Dave Eggar and friends at the home of one of our board members. I hope to see you there! It’s not too late to join – simply contact us at events AT waldenschool DOT org for details!
Stay tuned for additional updates about Summer 2013, which we will be announcing over the coming weeks. In the meantime, thanks to you for the many ways in which you support Walden and help to further the School’s Mission and help us to make progress toward Walden’s Vision:
The Walden School envisions a world with a higher concentration of people who approach life creatively, collaboratively, and with conviction; support music and the arts; and understand and respect each other’s differences.
Yours truly,
Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
sbrenzel AT waldenschool DOT org
(415) 648-4710
Walden Events in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore
In spite of a cloud-obstructed exterior view (that’s what happens sometimes when you live on the 70th floor!), guests enjoyed the interior view of Walden board member Chad Shampine and Jeffrey Ferrell’s art-filled home in Manhattan at a February event to honor and support Walden’s programs. Food and good cheer were aplenty and a door prize drawing provided suspense.
A clear evening in Philadelphia afforded guests a great view of the historic parts of Center City at a fundraiser in March. Numerous board members were present, after having just attended meetings in the earlier part of the day. Violinist Jane Chung and cellist Julia Bruskin performed an exhilarating program, including Young Musicians Program alumna Freya Waley-Cohen’s work, Sinai.
A wonderful afternoon event is planned for Baltimore on April 7th. The musical program will feature the incomparable Dave Eggar, cello, and collaborators, singer/songwriter Amber Rubarthand hammer dulcimer virtuoso Max ZT. In addition to fantastic music, there will be wonderful food and beverages catered by Walden’s own chef/board member Laura Mehiel, and of course, delightful conversation. If you’re interested in receiving an invitation or you know someone who should attend, just let us know and we’ll send you the details!
Donate to Walden through eBay Giving Works
Hey there eBay sellers! Did you know that you can donate 10-100% of your eBay listing proceeds to Walden using eBay Giving Works? Any eBay seller who has an account in good standing can create an eBay Giving Works listing. Also, eBay will then give you, the seller, back your insertion fee and final sale value fee! (Example here.) The Walden School is registered with the PayPal Giving Fund (eBay’s nonprofit partner) – simply follow this link, choose a gift percentage, and start listing your items!
Upcoming Application Deadline For 2013 Young Musicians Program
We encourage applicants to submit their Young Musicians Program applications in our third round of Admissions (deadline April 19). Click here to download new studentapplication materials — returning students, contact us if you need yours. We look forward to another wonderful summer — the Young Musicians Program will run from Saturday, June 29 to Sunday, August 4, 2013.
Did you know?
Did you know that The Walden School awards financial aid to 50% of its students each year? This is a remarkable statistic for a summer music program. If Walden had no financial aid budget, we would only be able to enroll 25 students – that’s half the number of voices in chorus, half the number of pieces on Composers Forums. Won’t you support Walden’s financial aid with a generous contribution today? A Walden student is counting on you.
Community News and Goods
The Walden School welcomes news and information from members of the Junior Conservatory Camp and Walden School communities to include in our print and online newsletters. News may be sent via mail or email. We will publish your contact information only if you specifically request that we do so. Please contact us on-line or send info to The Walden School, 31A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110. We reserve the right to edit submissions and regret we cannot publish all information provided. For upcoming event listings, go to the Walden and JCC alumni website, handoverhand.org. (Note: YMP=Young Musicians Program; TTI=Teacher Training Institute; CMR=Creative Musicians Retreat; JCC=Junior Conservatory Camp).
A faculty recital of works by David Conte (Visiting Composer ’99, ’02) was performed at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on March 17.
Ear Heart Music Series, curated by Amelia Lukas (TTI ’05-’06, YMP Visiting Artist ’10, Administration ’05-’07), welcomed Nicholas DeMaison (Faculty ’04-07) to the podium on March 19 for a concert collaboration with New Chamber Ballet. Nick’s recent piece, Le Labyrinthe de Chartres, received a preview performance by the Sinopia Trio at Southern New Hampshire State University on March 21.
The Da Capo Chamber Players, which includes clarinetist Meighan Stoops (Walden School Players ’04-’11) and pianist Blair McMillen(Visiting Artist ’01-’02), kicked off Black History Month on January 29 at Merkin Hall in New York City with a program of works by living African-American composers. Among the guest artists was Matthew Gold (Visiting Artist ’06, ’10-’12).
Clogs (Visiting Artist ’03) performed in New York on February 6 at Merkin Hall in New York City, and on March 7 in Adelaide Town Hall in Australia as part of the 2013 Adelaide Festival.
Mary Fineman (JCC ’68) performed her own songs at a concert of the Contra Costa Performing Arts Society on March 1 in Walnut Creek, California.
Joel Friedman (TTI ’07) is currently working on a commissioned set of solo string pieces for the upcoming 2013 Irving M. Klein International String Competition.
Flight of Icarus by Stacy Garrop (YMP ’87-’88, YMP Faculty ’96) was given its world premiere by the Capitol Saxophone Quartet at the North American Saxophone Alliance Region 5 Conference in Bowling Green, Ohio on March 3. Her Songs of Joy and Refugewas given its world premiere by Ecco of the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir in Berkeley, California on March 23.
Esther Landau (TTI ’09, Administration ’05-present) will perform in two concerts, one on April 22 at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM Faculty member David Garner‘s Viñetas Flamencas for tenor, wind quintet, and piano), and one on May 4 (French music with other SFCM colleagues) as part of Trinity Chamber Concerts in Berkeley.
The Learning Center, a two-man act that includes Leo Liebeskind (YMP ’08-’11), toured throughout the country from January 4 to February 3 during his winter term at Oberlin College, where he is a sophomore.
While travelling recently on business in Singapore, Noël Theodosiou (Board of Directors ’09-’13) had dinner with Tony Makarome (YMP Faculty ’09-’12). For the past 3 years, Tony has been studying carnatic music with his mridangam teacher T.R. Sundaresan. In December 2013, his teacher invited him to participate in a month-long carnatic music festival in Chennai, India. Watch a video of Tony performing a solo on his mridangam (south Indian drum). Tony writes, “I have found that the knowledge I acquired through studying carnatic music has reinforced my skills as a jazz musician and musicianship teacher. This performance opportunity was a great chance for me to push myself up a notch. In the end, I found that the experience really allowed me to grow as a musician. The form of the solo involves several sections, each with a main motif that gets developed. At first the basic subdivision is in 16th notes, then it modulates to a section that follows a triplet subdivision; finally returning to 16th notes before the final section.”
The musikFabrik performed Tools by Ned McGowan (Visiting Artist ’01-’04, ’10) in Cologne, Germany on March 4.
Noah Mlotek (YMP ’03-’04, YMP staff ’08-’11) performed in the choir for Barack Obama’s pre-inauguration church service at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. on January 21.
The week of March 18 was a good one for the Walden community on Composer’s Datebook, a daily program presented by the American Composers Forum and American Public Media. The March 18 program featured the Piano Concerto of Jim Mobberley (YMP Visiting Composer ’01, CMR Visiting Composer ’12, Board of Directors ’03-’05). Click here to listen! Three days later, on March 21, Passacaglia: Homage on B-A-C-H for wind band by Ron Nelson (JCC Composer-in-Residence) was featured. Click here to listen!
The Blizzard Voices by Paul Moravec (YMP Composer-in-Residence ’11) was given its New York City premiere on March 5 in Carnegie Hall by the Oratorio Society of New York. Paul’s geographical inspiration for his cello concerto was also featured on the NPR blog Deceptive Cadence on January 22.
Nat Osborn (YMP ’00-’03) and his eponymous band released a new album, King And The Clown, at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on March 28, and the band has shows on April 5 (Washington, D.C.), April 12 (Rehoboth Beach, Delaware), and May 2 (Wilmington, Delaware).
Salt Lake City and the University of Utah welcomed Alicia Jo Rabins (YMP ’88-’93) and her band, Girls in Trouble, for a duo performance and question and answer session on February 26. The band’s upcoming performances are in Portland, Oregon (April 6 & 14) and Washington, D.C. (May 4). Visit Alicia’s website for more details.
Freya Waley-Cohen (YMP ’00-’07) organized a “Pop-Up” concert of new music, including her own work, among sculptor Josie Spencer’s exhibition “Low Entropy: The Archaeology of our Time” at Arch 402 Gallery in London, England on March 21. More information may be had at http://listenpony.com/.
Tamsin Waley-Cohen (Visiting Artist ’10) was featured February 18 on the BBC Radio 3 program In Tune, where she was interviewed about two lesser-known Mendelssohn concerti that she has performed with pianist Huw Watkins and Orchestra of the Swan, and her upcoming recording of these works on Signum Records.
Transitions
Lynn Taylor Hebden, one of The Walden School’s co-founders, died at her home on February 3. Lynn served as Walden’s business manager, treasurer and secretary at various times from the School’s founding until 1994. In more recent years, she was an Emerita Director of Walden’s Board of Directors and a member of Walden’s Advisory Council. All of us whose lives were touched by Lynn have suffered a great loss, and The Walden School has lost one of its staunchest supporters and fiercest advocates. Click here to read Lynn’s obituary in the Baltimore Sun.
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
An opportunities listing for composers of multiple levels and age ranges, as well as organizations that provide services to composers, performers, music teachers, improvisers, and experimental musicians, is available here.
Now Hear This! Works by 2012 Walden Participants
The 2012 Young Musicians Program saw the world premieres of more than 100 student works, including We Evolve as Lines by Maija Lindaas, Walden’s first Festival Forum composition for iPad. Click here to listen to the performance by Jane Chung, violin; Jane Cords-O’Hara, cello; Alex Christie, electronics; and Maija Lindaas herself on iPad!
December 2012 eNews: InterNetzo
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director
Read the latest issue of Recitative
Walden Holiday Parties in New York, San Francisco, and Baltimore
Upcoming Application Deadline For 2013 Young Musicians Program
Ring out 2012 with a Gift to Walden!
Community News & Goods
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
Now Hear This! Work by 2012 Walden Participants
Message from the Executive Director
Greetings from San Francisco and Happy Winter Solstice! This is a busy time of year here at The Walden School, as we close down the year, request the financial support of our many loyal friends, supporters and donors, and turn our attention in earnest to plans for Summer 2013. Applications for the Young Musicians Program are already coming in, and we have some exciting guest artists lined up for the 2013 summer season in New Hampshire, which we will begin announcing over the next several months.
In the past month, Walden and HandOverHand (JCC and Walden’s alumni organization) presented two Alumni Composers Forums. The first was held on Sunday, November 18 in New York City. 45 people attended an event featuring composers from across Walden’s many decades and alumni from all three of Walden’s programs. Faculty members Sky Macklay and Tamar Bloch moderated the engaging discussion, and performances featured the composers, as well as Steve Beck, Tierney O’Brien and Sharon Park. Audience members were treated to the musical creations of Matt Siffert, Sky Macklay, John Hennecken, Steve Kaplan, Ian Munro, Robert Karpay, Kevin Becker and Solomon Hoffman.
On December 2, more than 50 Walden alumni and friends gathered in San Francisco for another Alumni Composers Forum, this time moderated by faculty members Alex Christie and Dana Jessen. Performers included the composers as well as Katy Luo, and our composers included members of the Junior Conservatory and Walden alumni community, including Nick Benavides, Mary Fineman, Niko Korolog, Ann Callaway, Claire Haas, Loretta Notareschi, Julianne Parayo and Alejandro Poler. Many thanks to Marguerite Ladd for all of her event organizing, and to the many volunteers and assistants who helped make both of these events so successful – and the most well-attended Alumni Composers Forums to date! Stay tuned, too, as we are hoping to offer Composers Forums again in SF and NYC in the spring.
I wanted to let everyone know that Walden’s board and administration has decided not to offer the Creative Musicians Retreat and the Teacher Training Institute programs in 2013, but plans are afoot to bring them back in 2014. We know that this decision may disappoint some who may have been hoping to attend one of these programs this coming summer. We do hope that your interest and enthusiasm will sustain you over the coming year, and that you will want to be apart of these excellent programs in 2014. Stay tuned for more information in the months ahead, and of course, should you have any questions, please be in touch with us.
In late breaking news, if you are near your radio this weekend, tune into A Prairie Home Companion. On Saturday, December 22, the DiGiallonardo Sisters and the All-Star Shoe Band will premiere Caroline (Carrie) Mallonée’s new Christmas piece. Carrie is the director of Walden’s Creative Musicians Retreat and a Walden alumna and long-time faculty member. Congratulations, Carrie!
Finally, Walden is hosting two holiday potluck events in Baltimore and San Francisco. New Yorkers already enjoyed their festive gathering at the home of Matt Siffert on December 9, where approximately 20 faculty members, staff, alumni, students and parents gathered to celebrate the holiday season. While I will not be able to join the Baltimore event (December 29) this year, I will be attending the San Francisco event (December 28), and I look forward to seeing many of you there.
On behalf of all of us here at Walden, I send you the warmest holiday greetings and best wishes for a joyous and peaceful New Year. I look forward to seeing you in 2013!
Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
sbrenzel AT waldenschool DOT org
(415) 648-4710
Read the latest issue of Recitative
Walden’s annual print newsletter is now available in electronic form. Your print copy is on its way to you (or may already have reached you), but for a sneak preview PDF, click here. This year’s issue profiles alumni who’ve pursued a broad range of occupational and personal paths since their time at Walden. You’ll enjoy reading about them!
Holiday Parties in New York, San Francisco, and Baltimore
Walden had a wonderful holiday gathering in New York City on Sunday, December 9, at the home of Matt Siffert (CMR ’11-’12). In attendance: Meade Bernard, Tamar Bloch, Charlotte Cadieux, Solomon Hoffman, Steve and Karen Kaplan, Peter Krag, Marguerite Ladd, Sky Macklay, Tierney O’Brien, Marie Palmquist, Neffie Pinock, and Alice Volfson. There was much merriment and delicious food! It was great to catch up with everyone and share holiday cheer.
There are two other upcoming holiday parties: December 28th, 6-8:30 PM in San Francisco and December 29th, 3-5 PM in Baltimore! Please let us know by e-mail if you would like more information or would like to join us at one or both of these festive gatherings – Or you can join our Facebook group where we list all of our events! Hope to see you there.
Upcoming Application Deadline For 2013 Young Musicians Program
We encourage those applicants who didn’t submit their Young Musicians Program applications in our Early Round of Admissions (deadline December 14) to get them in for our 1st round of Winter admissions (deadline January 18). Click here to download new student application materials — returning students, contact us if you haven’t received yours. We look forward to another wonderful summer — the Young Musicians Program will run from Saturday, June 29 to Sunday, August 4, 2013.
How Are Walden Students Like Radishes?
Or Why Creativity Needs Your Support
If you live in an area where people are passionate about their produce, you’ve probably heard of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), a subscription which promises the weekly delivery of a box of seasonal organic farm fresh produce to your door or nearby. It looks something like this:
Ever wonder what Community Supported Creativity (CSC) looks like? Like this!
Every summer at Walden, young musicians learn to express themselves through music and feel the support of the community throughout the process. You can be a part of that support system by making a donation today. Every dollar of your donation will enrich the experience for a young musician, whether it funds her challenging classes, his ear-opening choral training, or engaging discussions with guest composers like Jim Matheson, above, at a Composers Forum.
While we can’t promise you a box of radishes delivered to your doorstep, if you make your donation by December 31st, we can offer you a tasty morsel of creativity: a recording of a first composition by a 2012 Walden student.
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Community News and Goods
The Walden School welcomes news and information from members of the Junior Conservatory Camp and Walden School communities to include in our print and online newsletters. News may be sent via mail or email. We will publish your contact information only if you specifically request that we do so. Please contact us on-line or send info to The Walden School, 31A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110. We reserve the right to edit submissions and regret we cannot publish all information provided. For upcoming event listings, go to the Walden and JCC alumni website, handoverhand.org. (Note: YMP=Young Musicians Program; TTI=Teacher Training Institute; CMR=Creative Musicians Retreat; JCC=Junior Conservatory Camp).
Rieko Aizawa and Jesse Mills (Visiting Artists ’12 as Duo Prism) have joined forces with Raman Makrishnan to form the Horszowski Trio. 2013 brings performances by the trio in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Texas, California, Illinois, and New York, as well as the group’s first tour to India.
Erica Ball (YMP ’06-‘07, YMP Faculty ’12) premiered blurred lines, for viola and piano, in Philadelphia on November 30 as part of a concert of new works by graduate composers at the University of Pennsylvania.
David Boyden (YMP ’08) gave his senior violin recital at San Francisco State University on November 27.
The poetry collection Winter News by Alaskan poet John Haines inspired Alan Chan(TTI ’04, ’06, YMP Faculty ’10-‘11) to create a one-hour show which will be performed in New York City on December 21. His Jazz Orchestra will perform Rancho Calaveras – A Musical Farm on March 3, 2013, as part of the Gateway Performance Series in western Los Angeles. The concert features his compositions and arrangements for big band orchestra.
On the December 16 Holiday Salon in Philadelphia hosted by Andrea Clearfield(Composer-in-Residence, ’06), Nigel Armstrong (YMP ’00) was one of the featured artists. Andrea will be in residence at Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, NY, serving as Special Assistant to the President during January and February 2013.
On December 7 and 8, in San Francisco and Berkeley, Volti performed Garden of Paradise by Shawn Crouch (YMP ’93-’96, TTI ’08, YMP Faculty ’99-’07, CMR Faculty ’12), and Songs of Lowly Life by Stacy Garrop (YMP ’87-’88, YMP Faculty ’96).
Due to the hurricane in New York, the previously announced December events surrounding the release of a new CD of Luigi Nono works performed by Miranda Cuckson (Visiting Artist ’08, ’11) have been postponed to January 4 and 5 at Spectrum in downtown Manhattan. Please visit her website (http://www.mirandacuckson.com/) to learn more about her many upcoming performances.
Rebekah Griffin Greene (TTI ’10, YMP Faculty ’99 and ’10-’11) performed a solo recital for the MacDowell Society in Denville, New Jersey, on Sunday, December 16. She was joined by Terry Greene (her husband) on trombone and Dana Pielet at the piano.
Melody of China (Visiting Artist ’08) joined forces with Earplay to present a performance of works by Joan Huang and Eric Myers in San Francisco on December 7.
Soprano Marie Palmquist (TTI ’07) performed at Lincoln Center in New York City with Manhattan Concert Productions (mcp.us) on December 19.
The American Modern Ensemble and Talujon presented “The End of the World” on Friday, December 21, in New York City, featuring work by Robert Paterson (Visiting Artist ’97, YMP Faculty ’98), and performers Benjamin Fingland (Visiting Artist ’01-’02), Robert Burkhart (Visiting Artist ’11), Blair McMillen (Visiting Artist ’01-’02), and Matthew Gold (Visiting Artist ’06, ’10-’12), among others.
The PRISM Saxophone Quartet (Visiting Artists ’93, ’99, ’05) performed a composer portrait of Terry Riley in New York City at the Tenri Cultural Institute on December 15 and in Philadelphia at the Philadelphia Art Alliance on December 16. In C was not on the program, by the way!
Matt Siffert (CMR ’11-’12) released his 2nd EP on December 11. The title is “Cold Songs”, and the EP features a new batch of tunes he arranged for voice (with Matt singing) and string quartet.
Kate Soper (Visiting Artist ’09, ’12 as part of Wet Ink) will premiere her vocal monodrama at Zankel Hall in New York City on January 18. Ably assisted by her Wet Ink colleagues, composer/singer/actor/performance artist Kate will bring Madame Bovary, Clytemnestra, and Daisy from The Great Gatsby to life.
Tamsin Waley-Cohen (Visiting Artist ’10) maintains an active concert schedule throughout England, with concerts in London, Oxford, Bath, and Liecester in December and January.
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
An opportunities listing for composers of multiple levels and age ranges, as well as organizations that provide services to composers, performers, music teachers, improvisers, and experimental musicians, is available here.
Now Hear This! Works by 2012 Walden Participants
The 2012 Young Musicians Program saw the world premieres of more than 100 student works, including Bleed by Aditya Ranganathan. Click here to listen to the performance by Luke Poeppel, guitar; Tony Makarome, double bass; and Matthew Gold, percussion, with fixed electronics.
November 2012 eNews: Internetzo
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director
Lexington Symphony World Premieres Walden Alumna Sky Macklay’s Dissolving Bands
What a Weekend! Walden/JCC Reunion Recap
Art Song in August; Upcoming Alumni Composers Forums
Applications Now Being Accepted For 2013 Young Musicians Program
Walden Board of Directors Transitions
Community News & Goods
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
Now Hear This! Work by 2012 Walden Participants
Message from the Executive Director
Greetings from San Francisco! All of us here at Walden are excited to share this edition of InterNetzo with you, chock full of information about your favorite summer music school, festival and camp: a round-up of recent and upcoming events, News and Goods regarding Walden and Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC) alumni, a wrap-up of our 40th Anniversary Reunion celebration in June, and much more.
Speaking of the Reunion, what a terrific celebration of Walden and JCC history, friendships and camaraderie took place on the campus of the Dublin School in June! Many thanks to Bob Weaver, Tamar Bloch and Erin Quist for being our Reunion Co-Chairs, and to staff members Esther Landau, Brendon Randall-Myers, Marguerite Ladd and Jefferson Packer for all of their great work in organizing the Reunion, as well as to Carol Thomas Downing, Sam Pluta, Caroline Mallonée-Huebner, Marguerite Ladd and Marshall Bessières for their leading of musical workshops. While at the moment we are not planning to have another on-campus reunion until 2017, we hope to see you at the many holiday parties, Alumni Composers Forums, and other events later this year and in the years to come. It’s always wonderful to gather with fellow JCC and Walden School participants, no matter what the occasion!
Also in June, Walden’s Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) ran for the second time. This inspiring weeklong workshop for adult musicians attracted 22 participants from around the country to participate in a week of musicianship, chorus, composition and camaraderie. Directed by senior Walden faculty member Caroline (Carrie) Mallonée-Huebner, the Retreat featured classes in the morning, chorus before lunch, afternoon lessons, composition time, rehearsals, evening Composers Forums, and a concert by resident ensemble Wet Ink. James Mobberley, former member of Walden’s Board of Directors and past Visiting Composer at the Young Musicians Program, was CMR’s Composer-in-Residence. In addition to Carrie, faculty and staff at the program included Ian Munro, Sky Macklay, Loretta Notareschi, Marguerite Ladd, Bill Stevens, Shawn Crouch and Sam Pluta. By our participants’ accounts, it was a successful week, and I know I speak on behalf of all of the faculty and staff of the program in saying how wonderful it was to have our participants with us in 2012!
The Young Musicians Program had a tremendously successful year in 2012. 49 students from 17 states, Canada, India, Japan, Lithuania, and South Sudan joined 19 faculty and staff for a wonderful summer of creative music making. Classes included courses on Beethoven symphonies, musicianship, John Cage, AudioVision, Folk Traditions/String Quartets, computer musicianship, Score Reading and more! We had wonderful guest artists, including faculty member Aurora Nealand and her band The Royal Roses, composers Jim Matheson and Eve Beglarian, Duo Prism, Yarn/Wire, Michael Poll and the amazing septet of performers that are The Walden School Players. For John Cage’s 100th Birthday, Sky Macklay and members of The Walden School Players organized a “Happening” that was a wonderful and unique event. Walden’s choral concert was held at the Peterborough Town House and featured music written exclusively by female composers, including our own Festival Forum Moderator Eve Beglarian. Midway through the Program, we held our first-annual Open House, welcoming members of the surrounding Monadnock region onto campus to learn about The Walden School. This promises to be a terrific annual event.
Pat Plude, who for the last eight years led Walden’s Teacher Training Institute, has transitioned out of her role to pursue other professional opportunities. Pat was the person who first introduced me to Walden; she also preceded me as Walden’s Executive Director and served on the Young Musicians Program faculty prior to that. Her contributions to the School have been numerous and significant, and I look forward to sharing more of the impact that she has made on Walden in a future newsletter article. In the meantime, we at Walden are sending her our best wishes for many future successes.
Be sure to read all about faculty member Sky Macklay’s tremendously successful orchestral world premiere with the Lexington Symphony. We were so fortunate to have the opportunity to select a young Walden alumna to represent Walden in the Lexington Symphony’s yearlong celebration of their town’s 300th Anniversary. I want to offer special thanks to Jonathan McPhee and Rebecca Hawkins for their vision and support of this collaboration between Walden and the Lexington Symphony.
I want to acknowledge the members of our Board of Directors — you can read more about changes on the Board in the article below. Suffice it to say, this group of super volunteers and exemplary donors does a great job in stewarding The Walden School. The entire Walden community thanks them for their tremendous efforts.
And speaking of thanks, I would like to take this moment to add a special thanks to the members of Walden’s faculty, staff and administration, who work (in some cases year-round) diligently and with passion to make Walden happen each year. All are wonderful musicians, across such a variety of fields and interests, and each brings special talents to their work, in administration, teaching and program leadership. Walden is fortunate to have such a group working on its behalf.
Applications are now available for the Young Musicians Program 2013. I hope you’ll spread the word about Walden’s unique 5-week summer program for young, creative musicians, and I hope to see many of you at the upcoming New York and San Francisco Alumni Composers Forums (November 18 and December 2, respectively), or at one of the upcoming holiday parties. For information about Walden’s year-round gatherings and events, please contact us.
Hooray for 40 years of creativity and community, and here’s to another 40 years of Walden!
With warmest wishes,
Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
sbrenzel AT waldenschool DOT org
(415) 648-4710
Lexington Symphony Performs World Premiere of Walden Alumna Sky Macklay’s Dissolving Bands
The Lexington Symphony commissioned Sky Macklay (TTI ’09, CMR ’11, YMP Faculty ’10-’12) to compose a piece commemorating the 300th Anniversary of the town’s founding. On September 23, Dissolving Bands was premiered to warm audience reception in Lexington. Walden alumni, faculty, and staff (including Seth Brenzel, Emil Margolis, Wesley Levers, Sarah Riskind, Will Hawkins, Sam Pluta, Marguerite Ladd, among others) gathered to hear the world premiere and participated in the Lexington Symphony’s post-concert reception with patrons, performers, and the composer herself. Find out more about the project by reading this article on the Lexington Symphony’s website.
What a weekend! Walden/JCC Reunion Recap
From the arrival of the first alumnus on June 22 to the departure of the last car to the Manchester airport on June 25, the spirit of the Walden and Junior Conservatory Camp communities shone bright on the campus of Dublin School. 64 alumni/ae, spouses and children gathered for a weekend in June to reminisce and make music together, to dance and hike, and share memories. Here were some highlights:
- The weekend schedule included a rambunctious dance led by Sam Pluta (YMP Faculty ’03-’12, CMR Faculty ’11-’12), with music by Cross Country and several alumni
- We took a hike up Mount Monadnock (the thunderstorm waited until we were all back down!)
- Chorus and workshops led by Walden faculty on musicianship, film scoring, computer music and symmetry in music were a big hit
- 16 alumni performed in a recital with repertoire ranging from Chopin to American folk music
- A slide show included photos from every decade of The Walden School and Junior Conservatory Camp; we viewed the video Ron Nelson sent us for the last reunion in 2007.
- 9 alumni had works presented in a Composers Forum with Tamar Bloch (JCC ’69-’72, TTI ’08) and Marshall Bessières (TTI ’08, CMR ’12, YMP Faculty ’03-’11, TTI Faculty ’09-’10, CMR Faculty ’11) moderating
- JCC alumni spoke with Flora Cushman, daughter of Grace Cushman, via Skype
- Here are more photos from the event. For additional treats (sound files and programs from the Alumni Recital and Composers Forum) go to handoverhand.org, the website for alumni of The Walden School and Junior Conservatory Camp. If you haven’t registered yet, it’s easy to sign up!
- And if you attended the Reunion, we still want to hear your feedback. Please complete the survey at this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HMR5CBJ
Art Song and New Hampshire Thunderstorms in August; New York and San Francisco Composers Forums This Fall
On August 4th, in spite of the thunderclouds looming on the horizon, Walden parents, friends and supporters gathered at the beautiful home of Susie and Loring Catlin, Sr., in Dublin, New Hampshire, for a glorious afternoon of food, friendship and music. Soprano Serena Benedetti and pianist Timothy Myers regaled guests with songs and operatic arias by various Italian composers in a brief and engaging recital; Serena also spoke eloquently about the value of programs like Walden’s Young Musicians Program and the importance of supporting financial aid. The storm – and its accompanying power failure! – held off until most guests had departed.
For those of you in or near New York (November 18) or San Francisco (December 2) this fall, Walden will once again present an Alumni Composers Forum in each city. These regional events afford area alumni and friends the chance to gather for an informal presentation of original music and lively discussion, and depending on interest, may be followed by dinner at an area restaurant. For more information, or if you are a Walden or Junior Conservatory Camp alumnus/alumna interested in submitting work or offering their services as a performer, please contact us. We hope to see you soon!
Applications Now Being Accepted For 2013 Young Musicians Program
With the 2012 Young Musicians Program still fresh in our memory, we are moving full speed ahead towards 2013! Click here to download new student application materials — returning students will receive abbreviated application materials in the mail soon! We look forward to another wonderful summer — the Young Musicians Program will run from Saturday, June 29 to Sunday, August 4, 2013.
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Walden Board of Directors Transitions
The Walden School is guided and led by an all-volunteer Board of Directors that ensures the School furthers its mission and vision, accomplishes its goals, and continues to provide the inspiring and rigorous music training that has been a hallmark of Walden since its founding in 1972.
For the past several years, the Board has been ably led by John O’Meara, a Walden parent (his daughter Caroline attended the Young Musicians Program), donor, and husband of Junior Conservatory Camp alumna Mary Anne O’Meara, herself a former Walden Board member. During John’s just-completed tenure as Board Chair, Walden launched its third program, the Creative Musicians Retreat, and completed Walden’s second strategic plan. Fortunately for Walden and the Board, John is remaining on the Board and now serves as the organization’s Treasurer.
Taking over as Chair of the Board of Directors is Andrew Jacobs, a Walden alumnus, who had previously served Walden’s Board as Vice-Chair. Andrew lives in New York City with his wife, Kathy Park, and their children, Sabine and Julian. All of us at Walden are looking forward to Andrew’s leadership as Walden moves into its next phase of development and growth. Rounding out the leadership of the Board for its 2012-2013 year are Vice-Chairs Noël Theodosiou and Corty Fengler, and Laura Mehiel, who continues as Secretary.
Joining Walden’s Board in 2012 is Jeff Nick, father of Walden alumna Julia Nick. As President of Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Jeff serves as the school’s chief executive officer, with oversight for the school’s personnel, budget, business affairs, and strategic planning, as well as educational and development programs.
Finally, in July the school and Board bid farewell to three outstanding directors: David Callan, Arno Drucker and Leslie Stephens. While we’ll miss their presence on the Board, we trust that they won’t be too far away. We are grateful for their service; Walden is the better for each of their service to Walden’s Board of Directors. Thank you, all!
Community News and Goods
The Walden School welcomes news and information from members of the Junior Conservatory Camp and Walden School communities to include in our print and online newsletters. News may be sent via mail or email. We will publish your contact information only if you specifically request that we do so. Please contact us on-line or send info to The Walden School, 31A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110. We reserve the right to edit submissions and regret we cannot publish all information provided. For upcoming event listings, go to the Walden and JCC alumni website, handoverhand.org. (Note: YMP=Young Musicians Program; TTI=Teacher Training Institute; CMR=Creative Musicians Retreat; JCC=Junior Conservatory Camp).
Duo Fado, comprising singer Melinda Becker (TTI ’04) and guitarist Thomas Walsh, has released a new promotional recording in preparation for a recording project in Spain during 2013.
Eve Beglarian (YMP Composer-in-Residence ’12) had her work In and Out of the Game performed in the Bang on a Can Marathon on June 17. Eve’s 60-second piece, My Heart is Trembling, was selected to be in the 60X60 Athena Mix to be performed at the 2013 Women Composers Festival of Hartford.
A recital by soprano Madeline Bersamina (Biddle) (TTI ’04-’05, ’08, ’10, YMP Faculty ’06-’07) and pianist Melissa Lin (TTI ’07) at Santa Clara University on October 14 included the world premiere of a work by Marshall Bessières (TTI ’08, CMR ’12, YMP Faculty ’03-’11, TTI Faculty ’09-’10, CMR Faculty ’11).
On November 4, the Nassau Presbyterian Church in Princeton, New Jersey, featured a setting of the 23rd Psalm by Christianne Bessières Lane (YMP ’92-’96, TTI ’04-’05 and ’10-’11, CMR ’12) in their Sunday morning worship services.
Speak to me, my love and Ballade, two new works by Ann Callaway (JCC ’65-’67) was performed as part of the Sonic Harvest festival at the Hillside Club in Berkeley, California on October 21.
Nansi Carroll (JCC ’72, YMP Faculty ’77-’96, Advisory Council ’02-present) was profiled in an article in the July 2012 issue of Senior Times Magazine.
Claire Chase (YMP Visiting Artist ’05-’09, CMR Visiting Artist ’11) has been named a 2012 MacArthur Fellow. Read more about Claire and the other Fellows in the New York Times announcement.
Cyrus Chestnut (YMP ’77, Visiting Artist ’06) collaborates at the keyboard with Michael Feinstein on the CD that accompanies Feinstein’s new book, The Gershwins and Me: A Personal History in Twelve Songs, which Simon & Schusterhas just published.
Shawn CrouchGarden of Paradise, a choral setting of Rumi and Brian Turner poetry by Shawn Crouch (YMP ’93-’96, TTI ’08, YMP Faculty ’99-’07, CMR Faculty ’12) was performed by Volti on September 30 as part of the Soundwave(5) Festival. In southern Florida, Seraphic Fire performed Shawn’s The Light of Common Day on concerts from October 17 to 21 in the greater Miami area.
Miranda Cuckson (Visiting Artist ’08, ’11) celebrated the release of a new CD on November 2 and 3 at Spectrum in New York City. The recording features a performance of Luigi Nono’s la lontananza nostalgica utopica futura for violin and eight-channel electronics (the latter performed by Christopher Burns).
Mary Fineman (JCC ’68) performed her new work, “I Thought I Saw You” in a concert on June 15 in Walnut Creek, California, presented by the Piano Composers Group of the Contra Costa Performing Arts Society.
Clarinetist Benjamin Fingland (Visiting Artist ’01-’02) has joined the Dorian Wind Quintet.
Stacy Garrop (YMP ’87-’88, YMP Faculty ’96) will have new works premiered by the Capitol Saxophone Quartet and the Piedmont East Bay Children’s Choir during the 2012-13 season.
The Virginia Symphony has released “An American Port of Call”, a recording featuring the work of Adolphus Hailstork (Composer-in-Residence ’03), under the Naxoslabel. The project is a co-presentation with the Virginia Arts Festival.
Wild Rumpus, the new music collective whose founding members include Sophie Huet (TTI ’09), performed their second concert on June 8 at the Oberlin Dance Collective (ODC) Studio Commons in San Francisco, California.
Michael Johanson (YMP ’79-’86, YMP Faculty ’89, ’93, ’95-’96) was one of several composers commissioned by the International Beethoven Project to write a work for piano in some way based on a theme from the Eroica Symphony. The works were performed in concert in order of the appearance of their thematic material in the original symphony. Learn more about the festival, which included 60 events in nine days, at internationalbeethovenproject.com. Michael has also been commissioned by the Northwest Horn Orchestra— stay tuned for more details!
An article on music licensing by Amelia Lukas (TTI ’05-’06, YMP Visiting Artist ’10) was published on the Dance USA website. In other news, Amelia’s chamber music series, Ear Heart Music has found a new home venue, Roulette in Brooklyn, New York.
On September 14, Charlie MacVeagh (Board of Directors ’99-’04, Board of Directors Emeriti ’07-present) was honored as the 2012 recipient of Antioch University Graduate School’s Horace Mann Community Service Award at a ceremony in Keene, New Hampshire. Several hundred Antioch faculty, alumni and friends enjoyed a dinner at the Keene Country Club prior to the award presentation, which recognized Charlie’s many years of providing financial consultation and oversight to a wide range of non-profit organizations in the Monadnock region of New Hampshire.Robin Kenney (Board of Directors ’04-’07, ’10-present) and his wife Leslie were also in attendance.
Caroline Mallonée (YMP ’87-92, TTI ’07, YMP Faculty ’98-’12, CMR Faculty ’11-’12) won 2nd prize in the 2012 Iron Composers Competition at Baldwin-Wallace College in Ohio on September 7. Carrie was one of five finalist composers invited to compete in person. On the morning of the event, the finalists were assigned an instrumentation (prepared piano, tuba, and clarinet) and a secret musical ingredient (8 seconds of silence, not to be used at the beginning or end of the piece). They had five hours to write a piece of music that incorporates those two elements. The results of their efforts, including Carrie’s brand-new work, For John Cage on His 100th Birthday, was performed and judged on a public concert that same evening, broadcast on Cleveland classical radio. Trevor Ward (YMP ’08-’10) was in the audience.
Emil Margolis (YMP ’99-’04, TTI ’09, YMP Staff ’06-’09, YMP Faculty ’12) invites the Walden community to his Masters in Composition Recital on November 18. Thomas Carr(YMP ’03-’05, YMP Staff ’08) will be among the performers. Check it out!
Pianist Teresa McCollough (TTI ’05, Visiting Artist ’01) performed works by John Cage and others on October 27 as part of the Musical Mavericks Series at Santa Clara University. The concert commemorated Cage’s 100th birthday.
Six Pièces Mécaniques, a new work by Ned McGowan(Visiting Artist ’01-’04, ’10) was performed in Utrecht, The Netherlands, on October 12, having been premiered in Amsterdam and Rotterdam in September. His Concerto for iPad and Orchestra was performed October 18 in Rotterdam and October 19 in Amsterdam, with soloist Susanna Borschon iPad.
Walden, a composition by Jesse Mills (Visiting Artist ’12 as part of Duo Prism), was given its world premiere at Trinity Church in New York City on October 4 by the North Sky Cello Ensemble, which includes Jane Cords O’Hara(Visiting Artist ’08, ’10, ’12) and Robert Burkhart (Visiting Artist ’11). For more information, click here.
The Wondrous Woman Within, an opera by composer/librettist Osnat Netzer (TTI ’07-’08, YMP Faculty ’08-’11) was one of six operas chosen to be performed on Thursday, November 8 at the Skirball Center of New York University as part of the New York City Opera‘s VOX Contemporary American Opera Lab.
Nat Osborn’s (YMP ’00-03) band, fresh off of an East Coast tour in August that extended from Maine to Washington, D.C., performed at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City on September 14 and 23.
Carrier Records, the label started and run by Sam Pluta(YMP Faculty ’01-’12, CMR Faculty ’11-’12) has released a new album of his electro-acoustic compositions/improvisations entitled Machine Language. Wet Ink (CMR Ensemble-in-Residence ’12), Ian Antonio(Visiting Artist ’12), and, of course, Sam himself are among the performers.
“A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff”, a “solo-show-with-backing-band” developed by Alicia Jo Rabins (YMP ’88-’93) will be premiered at Joe’s Pub in New York City on November 8 and 15. Alicia’s band, Girls in Trouble, performed on October 27 at Hevreh of Southern Berkshire in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
An article by Ruth Rainero (TTI ’08, YMP Faculty ’10) entitled “Practicing Vocal Music Efficiently and Effectively: Applying ‘Deliberate Practice’ to a New Piece of Music” was published by the National Association of Teachers of Singers (NATS) in the November 2012 issue of the Journal of Singing.
Dylan Sherry (YMP ’99-’01) is in his 2nd year at Case Western Reserve Medical School in Cleveland, Ohio.
Composer and guitarist D. J. Sparr collaborated with conductor Timothy Myers (YMP Visiting Artist ’12) and other musicians in a concert of D. J.’s work presented by New Music Raleigh in North Carolina on September 16. On September 26, the California Symphony read his Violet Bond: Concerto for electric guitar and orchestra, with D. J. as soloist. Violet Bond was commissioned as part of his composer residency with the group, and will be premiered during their May 2013 subscription concerts.
Alex Torra‘s (CMR ’12) insightful and funny travel diary from a research trip to Japan can be read in three parts here: Tokyo, Kumamoto, and Beppu.
Joan Tower (YMP Composer-in-Residence ’09) was feted for her birthday with a performance of her work in honor of the occasion at SymphonySpace in New York City on September 6 as part of the New York Chamber Music Festival. Happy Birthday, Joan!
Media installations by Pamela Z (Visiting Artist ’11) were on display until November 3 at the McColl Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Transitions:
Kayden Lukas Greene, Terry Greene, and Rebekah Griffin Greene
Rebekah Griffin Greene (TTI ’10, YMP Faculty ’99-’11) and her husband Terry Greene welcomed their son Kayden Lukas Greene to the world on August 11 at 3:59 am. The accompanying photo is from Kayden’s first foray into a jazz club (surprisingly late in life, given his parents’ work and passion!)
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
An opportunities listing for composers of multiple levels and age ranges, as well as organizations that provide services to composers, performers, music teachers, improvisers, and experimental musicians, is available here.
Now Hear This! Works by 2012 Walden Participants
The 2012 Young Musicians Program saw the world premieres of more than 100 student works, including Circumstance: for piano trio and percussion by Katya Richardson. Click here to listen to the performance by Jane Chung, violin; Jane Cords-O’Hara, cello; Aaron Wunsch, piano; and Matthew Gold, percussion, members of The Walden School Players.
May 2012 eNews: InterNetzo
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director
Applications Still Being Accepted For This Summer’s Programs
Calling All Superheroes: the Music-a-thon is Underway
Walden/JCC Reunion: Register Today!
PRISM Quartet to Premiere Work by Walden Alumnus at Upcoming Concerts
Walden Announces 2012 Concert Series
Alumni Composers Forums in New York and San Francisco
Love Walden? Let the World Know
Community News & Goods
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
Now Hear This! Work by 2011 Walden Participants
Message from the Executive Director
Greetings from 37,000 feet! I am currently speeding my way across the country, moving east for an annual summer migration to New England. Today begins 10 weeks for me on the east coast as Walden 2012 ramps up. I am so excited about the coming summer of Walden programs and events. There is a palpable energy amongst the staff, faculty and administration as we gear up for Walden’s 40th season, and we cannot wait to greet our program participants in the coming days and weeks!
I look forward to two PRISM Saxophone Quartet concerts – one tonight, Thursday, in New York City and the other on Saturday, June 2, in Philadelphia. Sam Phillips-Corwin, Walden alumnus, is having a brand new piece for the quartet premiered, continuing a more than 10-year close partnership between Walden and PRISM.
I am excited to see many Baltimore area donors, alumni and supporters on June 3 at Jack and Lucy Henningfield’s home. Seth Knopp, former artist-in-residence at Walden and current artistic director of Yellow Barn, will perform a benefit concert. It’s still not too late to join us, and I hope you will – it promises to be a fantastic afternoon of music and food catered by Walden’s very own Laura Mehiel (board member, alumna and chef extraordinaire!).
More than 15 alumni, faculty and staff are engaged in fun and interesting projects to help raise funds for Walden’s financial aid programs. This year’s Music-a-Thon has already raised more than $5,000 toward a goal of $10,000, which will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $10,000. Projects include daily improvisation, writing music, orchestrating pieces, new mobile phone ring tones, practicing instruments, blogging about musical activities and more. I can’t wait to see the fruits of these endeavors, and I hope you will join me in supporting the work of these diligent musicians!
I look forward to the reprise of Walden’s Creative Musicians Retreat (for which there remain a few additional spots!) at Smith College. Last year’s inaugural season was a great success, and this year’s participants include alumni from all three of Walden’s programs as well as many musicians new to Walden. James Mobberley, former board member and composer-in-residence, will join us this year as the composer-in-residence at the Creative Musicians Retreat. Alumni visiting artists Wet Ink, co-led by Walden’s own Sam Pluta, will be the ensemble-in-residence, and they will rehearse, workshop and perform new works by many of the program’s participants. The program’s faculty and staff this year, enthusiastically led by program director Caroline Mallonée, is composed of Shawn Crouch, Marguerite Ladd, Sky Macklay, Ian Munro, Loretta Notareschi, Sam Pluta, and Bill Stevens.
I eagerly anticipate the Walden and Junior Conservatory Camp Alumni Reunion, June 22-25 on the campus of the Dublin School. More than 60 alumni have already signed up for a weekend of fun and reminiscing: an alumni concert, a Composers Forum, a hike up Monadnock, a dance, a ‘slide’ show, Goodnight Music, and plenty of time for catching up with old friends and making new ones. “With a moonbeam or star for light…”
And of course, I can’t wait for June 30th, the day students arrive from around the world for the 40th season of Walden’s Young Musicians Program! This year’s team of faculty and staff comprises Erica Ball, Meade Bernard, Alex Christie, Carol Thomas Downing, Renée Favand-See, Ann Goehe, Dana Jessen, Marguerite Ladd, Sky Macklay, Tony Makarome, Emil Margolis, Ted Moore, Ian Munro, Tierney O’Brien, Sam Pluta, Sarah Riskind, Peter Thompson, Leo Wanenchak, and Marie Whiteford. The aforementioned include 10 alumni of Walden’s Young Musicians Program, 10 alumni of our Teacher Training Institute summer intensive workshops and 1 alumna of our Creative Musicians Retreat. 10 of this year’s 13 teaching faculty have taught at Walden before, and 5 of this year’s staff have worked on staff at Walden before. Cumulatively and collectively, this year’s faculty & staff have at least 175 summers at Walden under their belts. The group, when not in Dublin, New Hampshire, lives in Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Virginia, Singapore, California, Georgia, New York, Maryland, Tennessee, Connecticut, Louisiana, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Wisconsin. No matter where we come from, we cannot wait to greet our students for a summer of musicianship, composition, choral singing and community!
Our summer Concert Series, which begins June 10 with a concert by Wet Ink Ensemble on the campus of Smith College and concludes with the annual choral concert on August 3 at the Peterborough Town House, features a solo guitar recital by Michael Poll; Aurora Nealand, bandleader, and her Royal Roses; Duo Prism; Yarn/Wire performing nine brand new works by Walden faculty composers; and The Walden School Players (Jane Cords-O’Hara, Jane Chung, Matt Gold, Rane Moore, Tawnya Popoff, Jessi Rosinski, and Aaron Wunsch) performing a concert as well as in three Festival Week Composers Forums, where they will showcase brand new works by Walden students. Eve Beglarian will be our composer-in-residence. All in all, the series features more than 20 Composers Forums, concerts, open rehearsals, presentations and Community Connections events. All of these events are free and open to the public, so please tell your friends, family and colleagues about Walden’s exciting musical offerings this summer.
None of what Walden is planning for the coming summer could happen without the tireless efforts of our board of directors, year-round administrative team and program leadership and our hundreds of financial supporters. I want to take this opportunity to say a special thanks to Brendon Randall-Myers, who departs Walden’s year-round administration at the end of June as he pursues an advanced degree in composition at Yale University. He’s been an integral part of improvements to Walden’s online presence, newsletters and development efforts over the past three years. Thank you, Brendon – you will be missed!
I also want to thank three board members whose terms end in July. David Callan, Arno Drucker and Leslie Stephens have had a great impact on Walden during their years of service on Walden’s board. In numerous small and big ways, they each brought something unique to the ever-important work of Walden’s dedicated board of directors, and they will be sorely missed. Thank you David, Arno and Leslie!
Finally, I want to thank our hundreds of loyal and generous donors. Without your support, we could not conduct our programs and plan for Walden’s bright future. You provide financial aid; you help defray operating costs so as help keep program tuition from rising faster; you underwrite our artist residency and concert series programs. Thank you for leading the way.
There is much to look forward to over the next 10 weeks of Walden 2012. I hope to see you along the way, and if not, we will keep you posted of the summer’s goings on via event announcements and additional issues of InterNetzo. Please enjoy the rest of this installment of Walden’s newsletter, and as always, please contact me with any questions, comments, suggestions, rants and/or raves.
With warmest wishes for a terrific summer,
Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
Applications Still Being Accepted For This Summer’s Programs
There are still a few remaining places in both of Walden’s 2012 programs, the Creative Musicians Retreat and the Young Musicians Program. If you or someone you know is a musician between the ages of 9 and 999 who seeks a fun and fulfilling creative experience this summer, now is the time to let us know! Just fill out our on-line contact form to request application materials for either program. We look forward to hearing from you!
Walden’s Music-a-thon: Pow! Blam!
Picture this:
Scene: A city street. The sky is full of dark clouds rolling in. Ominous music rises.
WOMAN ON STREET: (hand to forehead) Gadzooks! Walden needs to raise an additional $20,000 by June 15 to make it possible for deserving students to attend this summer. But how???
WALDEN SUPERHERO: (clutching pencil and manuscript paper) Never fear: The Music-a-Thon is here! From now through June 15, participants in Walden’s Music-a-thon will be doing projects that will challenge them as creative people – composing, improvising, performing, singing, writing about music – even building instruments! – and you can support their creativity and hard work by visiting their fundraising pages and making a donation to Walden. All proceeds will benefit financial aid for the Young Musicians Program.
WOMAN ON STREET: (looking anguished) But can the Music-a-thon alone close that $20,000 fundraising gap?
WALDEN SUPERHERO: (exhilarated) Yes! Super-Donors to the rescue! A group of mystery donors has stepped forward to match every Music-a-thon donation dollar for dollar, up to $10,000. But we can’t do it without the help of every citizen, including you, Formerly Panicky Woman. Will you do it right now?
WOMAN ON STREET: (considerably calmer) Yes! Where do I click?
WALDEN SUPERHERO: Right here on this “Blam! Pow!!”
Scene closes as ominous music fades and is replaced by the sound of keyboard drills. Clouds part, birds chirp. Crisis averted.
I hope you will join Walden Superhero, Walden Super-Donors and Formerly Panicky Woman to help students who need financial aid at Walden this summer.
Visit the Music-a-thon site, browse the projects and pick one to support. Your donation of any size will make an immediate difference.
As of the end of day 16 of the Music-a-thon, the event has already raised $6,495. Walden Super-donors to the rescue!
Calling all alumni of The Walden School & Junior Conservatory Camp!
If you were a student, teacher, staff member, or visiting artist/composer at either Walden or JCC you’re invited to the upcoming Reunion in June! It runs from Friday, June 22 through Monday, June 25 in beautiful Dublin, New Hampshire.
Friday night we’ll have a dance with live music. Saturday morning the intrepid will leave to hike Monadnock (singing at the top, of course!), returning for optional workshops and more singing, a festive dinner, a concert featuring stellar Walden and JCC alumni, and a slide show. Sunday will include a Composers Forum, more workshops, a barbecue, and Evening Music. Every evening will conclude with the singing of Shari Fleming’s Good Night Music, followed by socializing. Those staying overnight on Sunday can enjoy Monday breakfast before hitting the road.
Bring your family! If your spouse doesn’t know what makes Walden so special, now you can show them. This is also a great opportunity for a future Walden student to experience life on campus and get a taste of what happens at camp. Children are welcome at all reunion activities. There will also be activities arranged especially for children.
For more details, including information on housing options, the weekend schedule, and to see a list of who’s already registered, go to waldenshool.org/reunion. We don’t have these every year, so don’t miss your opportunity for music, fun and camaraderie in 2012!
Walden Alumnus to Premiere Work at Upcoming PRISM Concerts
A long partnership between Walden and the PRISM Saxophone Quartet has resulted in the annual commission of a new work by a graduating Walden student. This year the winning composer is Sam Phillips-Corwin. Sam, from Seattle, attended Walden’s Young Musician’s Program from 2008 through 2011. His work will share the program with minimalist masters Terry Riley and Philip Glass, as well as John Adams and Michael Torke. Join Sam, as well as Executive Director Seth Brenzel and local friends of Walden and PRISM at either of these two performances, one on May 31 in New York, the other on June 2 in Philadelphia. For more information and to buy tickets, go to PRISM’s website.
Walden Announces its 2012 Concert Series
The Walden School has gained increasing attention for the eclectic array of concerts offered free of charge to the music-loving public throughout the summer. In fact, we received the 2011 Adventurous Programming award from Chamber Music America/ASCAP! The 2012 Concert Series will be no exception, and we hope you’ll join us for as many of the events — world premiere performances, solo and ensemble recitals, Composers Forums, open rehearsals — as possible.
Something for Everyone: Alumni Composers Forums on Two Coasts
New York and San Francisco were host cities this spring to two Alumni Composers Forums. Works by a total of 15 alumni of Walden and the Junior Conservatory Camp ran the gamut from electronic works to string quartet. Read on for details about each event.
New York City
On April 29th about forty alumni and guests gathered at the Ann Goodman Recital Hall near Lincoln Center to listen to a program of new music, four of the pieces being world premieres. Co-moderators Tamar Bloch (JCC ’69-’72, YMP Faculty ’87-’04, TTI ’08) and Rebekah Griffin-Greene (YMP Faculty ’99-’11, TTI ’10) led insightful discussion that was enhanced by thoughtful and appreciative comments from audience members. To give you a taste of the evening, composers Matt Siffert (CMR ’11) and Nicole Gutman(YMP ’11) worked with the members of Trio KAVAK (flute, viola and cello) to prepare terrific world premiere performances of their works. Aaron Krerowicz (TTI ’11) performed his own work for solo mandolin and electronics, and Carolyn Gollance (TTI ’10) performed her piece for solo piano built solely on fourths, a creative exercise with which many Walden and JCC alumni are familiar!
San Francisco
Walden alumni and friends gathered in San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood for our fourth annual SF Bay Area Alumni Composers Forum, which featured the huge range of styles and moods that has become a hallmark of these events. Moderated by YMP faculty members Alex Christie (YMP ’02-04, TTI ’10-11, Staff ’09, Faculty ’10-11) and Ruth Rainero (Visiting Artist ’07, Faculty ’10), the Composers Forum began with three pieces for string quartet plus or minus a member, performed by the young, enthusiastic group Friction.
Nico Samanez’s (TTI ’10) trio Stuffed started the concert with a bang, with the members of Friction dashing off imaginative passages of extended techniques and tricky rhythms, to impressive effect. Nick Benavides’ (TTI ’09-10 , CMR ’11) s.f.i.f. followed, with gorgeous harmonies and expressive melodic lines, realized beautifully by the group. The third piece, Cole Porter Fantasy (full title What if Cole Porter got the blues, heard some gospel music, met an Angel, learned to tango, and then wrote Night & Day?), by Ellen Hoffmann (JCC ’60-67), added flutist and Development Director extraordinaire Esther Landau to the quartet. The piece was by turns colorful, jazzy, lush, and a lot of fun.
The second half of the concert featured composer/performers. First up were two beautifully constructed and emotionally resonant songs by Mary Fineman (JCC Alumna), followed by a virtuosic Rondo from Victor Xie (YMP ’11). Hernando Buitrago(TTI ’11) brought an almost Andean flavor to an arrangement of his song Love Disaster for classical guitar and double bass, originally written for a full rock band. And finally, Gabriel Kyne (YMP ’11) presented an electronic score he had composed for a filmed modern dance piece. All told, the forum was a varied, stimulating experience, and we look forward to the next one!
Love Walden? Tell the World!
You have an exciting opportunity to help The Walden School make even more of a difference in the world. GreatNonprofits – a site like Amazon Book Reviews or TripAdvisor – is a website where people can share their stories about nonprofits that have touched their lives. Won’t you help us raise visibility and support for our work by posting a review of your experience at Walden? All reviews will be visible to potential donors and volunteers. Go to: greatnonprofits.org/reviews/the-walden-school — it’s easy, and only takes 3 minutes. Many thanks for your help!
Community News and Goods
The Walden School welcomes news and information from members of the Junior Conservatory Camp and Walden School communities to include in our print and online newsletters. News may be sent via mail or email. We will publish your contact information only if you specifically request that we do so. Please contact us on-line or send info to The Walden School, 31A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110. We reserve the right to edit submissions and regret we cannot publish all information provided. For upcoming event listings, go to www.handoverhand.org. (Note: YMP=Young Musicians Program; TTI=Teacher Training Institute; CMR=Creative Musicians Retreat; JCC=Junior Conservatory Camp).
Carol Prochazka Battye (JCC ’72) just completed a Master of Arts in Spiritual and Pastoral Care from Loyola University.
Shawn Crouch (YMP ’93-95,’96, TTI ’08, Staff ’97, Faculty ’99-00,’02,’05-07) reports that Chanticleer performed his piece The Garden of Paradise, composed for Chanticleer in 2008, in the San Francisco Bay Area on their multimedia concert “What Do You Think I Fought For?” (March 31- April 4). On April 27, the Texas A&M Century Singers performed A Kind Goodbye, a setting of a moving early poem by Mark Twain, on their American Word concert.
This spring was an eventful one for former Walden board member Ruth Franklin, (YMP ‘84-89) who is a 2012 Guggenheim fellow in the Biography category, a 2012 recipient of The Center for Fiction’s Roger Shattuck Prize for Criticism, given to annually to support and encourage emerging critics, and finally a Fellow at The New York Public Library’s Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers.
Cara Haxo (YMP ’04-09) was awarded second prize at the 2012 statewide Ohio Federation of Music Clubs Student/Collegiate Composers Composition Contest in March for her piece “The Giving Tree” after Shel Silverstein’s children’s book of the same name, which was composed for the PRISM Quartet (Visiting Artist ‘05).
Caroline Mallonée (YMP ’87-92, TTI ’07, YMP Faculty ’98-’11, CMR Faculty ’11) had two exciting performances in May – first, the Da Capo Chamber Players performed Unless Acted Upon: Manifestations of Newton’s First Law in Carnegie hall’s Weill Recital Hall.
This quintet was commissioned last summer by The Walden School for the Firebird Ensemble. Second, The Florilegium Chamber Choir, conducted by Nicholas DeMaison (Faculty ’04-07), premiered her new choral work, Da Pacem Domine in late May. Works by Erica Ball (YMP ’06-07) and Nick himself were also premiered on the same concert.
Danielle Oberdier (YMP ’04-07) has founded AK Kerani, a fashion company that uses fashion to make a positive change in the current media and world.
Nat Osborn’s (YMP ’00-03) band went on a miniature east coast tour this May, playing in Maryland, Delaware, New York and Washington, D.C.
The PRISM Quartet (Visiting Artist ‘05) is the first saxophone ensemble to conduct a residency at the Curtis Institute of Music. The residency culminated in PRISM concerts on May 9 and 10 in Philadelphia and New York City, respectively, featuring compositions by two Curtis faculty members and five extraordinary student artists from Curtis’s composition department.
In May, Alicia Rabins (YMP ’88-93) had a work-in-progress showing of A Kaddish for Bernie Madoff, a musical meditation on themes of money, communal responsibility, and the intersection of mysticism and finance, supported by the Six Points Fellowship and the LABA fellowship.
Nico Samanez’s (TTI ’10) Senior Composition Recital, Organic Abnormality, was on Sunday, May 20th in the Recital Hall at Santa Clara University.
John (Faculty ‘51-68, Visiting Composer ’97, Advisory Council ’02-11) and Marianne (JCC ’66-68) Weaver were honored in April at an American Guild of Organists event at Kimmel Verizon Hall in Philadelphia.
Transitions:
Alicia Rabins (YMP ’88-93) and her husband Aaron are overjoyed to announce the birth of their baby girl, Sylvia Tallulah Hartman, born April 15 2012 at 8:03 pm. Her band Girls in Trouble’s first post-baby show to welcome Sylvia Tallulah, was on May 23 in Park Slope.
Margaret (“Marge”) Wanenchak, long-time Walden donor/supporter and mother of Leo Wanenchak (Faculty ’77-84, ’89-11, Admin ’99-11, Board ’04-09) passed away in April 2012. You can read an obituary here.
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
An opportunities listing for composers of multiple levels and age ranges, as well as organizations that provide services to composers, improvisers, and experimental musicians, is available here.
Now Hear This! Works by 2011 Walden Participants
In Arvind Ranganathan’s Colors, the composer explores his self-diagnosed synesthesia — in other words, he sees different colors when hearing certain sounds. Active visual imagination encouraged while you listen to this performance by Walden School Players Jessi Rosinski, flute; Jane Chung, violin; Steven Beck, piano; and Matthew Gold, percussion. Click here to listen.
March 2012 eNews: InterNetzo
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director
Upcoming Events: Walden/JCC Reunion, Music-a-thon
Announcing the 2012 Creative Musicians Retreat
Walden Seeks Nurse for Young Musicians Program
Upcoming April 6 Deadline for Young Musicians Program Applications
Walden Faculty Appear in Pre-concert Event at San Francisco Symphony
Walden Honored at CMA/ASCAP Award Ceremony
Walden/JCC Alumni Composers Forums in New York and San Francisco This Spring
Alumni – We Need Your Input!
Community News & Goods
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
Now Hear This! Works by 2011 Walden Participants
Message from the Executive Director
Happy Spring! With the change of seasons from winter to spring and with the days getting longer, The Walden School’s high season is now within sight. Planning and preparations for this summer’s programs are definitely in high gear. Walden will be kicking off its 40th Anniversary celebrations in June with an alumni reunion, June 22-25, 2012. A reunion committee, comprising alumni from each of our three programs along with Junior Conservatory Camp alumni, is busy at work planning the festivities and spreading the word. I hope you will join us for what is sure to be a fun weekend! Read more about it here.
Walden will also be reprising the highly successful Creative Musicians Retreat in June, again on the campus of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Former Walden board member and past guest composer James Mobberley will be the Composer-in-Residence at this year’s Retreat, and Wet Ink Ensemble, co-directed by Walden’s Sam Pluta, will be the ensemble-in-residence, workshopping participants’ compositions and works in progress. Please spread the word among your friends and colleagues and learn more about this year’s Creative Musicians Retreat at www.waldenschool.org/creative-musicians-retreat.
Applications for this summer’s Young Musicians Program are still being accepted, with a spring application deadline of April 6 (after which we will consider applications on a rolling basis, space permitting). The faculty and staff team is being finalized, and we will make further announcements about the team in next month’s InterNetzo. Guitarist Michael Poll, the percussion/piano quartet Yarn Wire and Duo Prism, among others, will perform on this summer’s concert series. For more information, visit waldenschool.org/young-musicians-program.
There is much more to read in this month’s InterNetzo, including reviews of the ASCAP/CMA awards program in January, alumni News and Goods, opportunities for musicians, information about our upcoming Music-a-thon and much more! I look forward to seeing you at one of the upcoming Alumni Composers Forums in San Francisco and New York City, or at our spring Baltimore event on June 3. And if not there, perhaps I will see you at one of our summer programs or at our Alumni Reunion Weekend in Dublin, New Hampshire!
Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
Upcoming Events: Walden/JCC Reunion,
Music-a-thon
Marshall Bessières, Tamar Bloch, and Kendra Holmgren at the 2007 reunion
Walden/JCC Reunion
It’s been five years since the last reunion, and it’s time to see your old friends again! Come share music, memories, hike, dance up a storm, and have a mini-Walden/JCC experience.
Friday night we’ll have a dance with live music. Saturday morning the intrepid will leave to hike Monadnock (singing at the top, of course!), returning for optional workshops and more singing, a festive dinner, a concert featuring stellar Walden and JCC alumni, and a slide show. Sunday will include a morning and afternoon Composers Forum, more workshops, a barbecue, and Evening Music. Every evening will conclude with the singing of Shari Fleming’s Good Night Music, followed by socializing in one of the new lounges at the Dublin School.
Bring your family! If your spouse doesn’t know what makes Walden so special, now you can show them. This is also a great opportunity for a future Walden student to experience life on campus and get a taste of what happens at camp. Children are welcome at all reunion activities that their parents deem appropriate for the particular child’s age and maturity level. There will also be activities arranged especially for children. For more information, including how to register, click here.
If you have questions, please contact us at (415) 648-4710 or alumni@waldenschool.org.
Reunion Committee:
Nick Benavides
Marshall Bessières
Tamar Bloch
Seth Brenzel
David Drucker
Ruth Franklin
JoEllen Gaines
Malcolm Gaines
Nadia Gardner
Cindy Harkum
Cara Haxo
Marguerite Ladd
Esther Landau
Carrie Mallonee
Ian Munro
Noah Mlotek
Mary Anne Polk O’Meara
Jefferson Packer
Bob Passmore
Molly Pindell
Pam Quist
Erin Quist
Brendon Randall-Myers
Alan Shewmon
Hamilton Sims
Bob Weaver
Asa Williams
John Yankee
Music-A-Thon: A Creative Musicianship Marathon to Support The Walden School
May 15 through June 15, 2012
Dust off your manuscript paper. Put your improvising hat on. Dig out your books of etudes and your Walden musicianship manual. It’s almost time for the Music-a-thon, the spiritual successor to 2010’s Compose-a-thon! This is a great opportunity to set yourself a musical goal: to get composing again, to practice cello 90 minutes a day, to improvise fearlessly, even to blog about your favorite recordings and performances. Friends and family can demonstrate their support of your efforts by making a donation to Walden. All funds raised will support financial aid. Donations may be solicited from April 9 through the conclusion of the marathon. Participants raising at least $100 are eligible for prizes, and every dollar they raise above that amount will be matched dollar for dollar by a group of anonymous donors, up to $10,000! You can support Walden by donating towards the efforts of the participants, and you can participate yourself.
Learn more at waldenschool.org/mat.
Announcing the 2012 Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR)
We are thrilled that The Walden School Creative Musicians Retreat will return to Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, for its second season. We hope you’ll consider joining us for an inspirational week of creative music-making this June. The Retreat is designed for a diverse group of musicians (composers, improvisers, performers, choristers, teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, amateur and professional musicians) and includes many of the elements of a Walden summer: composing, singing, improvising, master classes, composition lessons, musicianship, computer music classes, a Saturday hike, communing with fellow musicians, and chances to hear your music performed (and have it recorded) by professional performers!
You can see the planned schedule for the Retreat here.
This summer, our Ensemble-in-Residence at CMR is the Wet Ink Ensemble (the Faculty Commissioning Ensemble of the 2009 Young Musicians Program). They’ll give a concert and play pieces by participants on two composers forums. Our Composer-in-Residence is James Mobberley (YMP Festival Moderator, 2001). The CMR faculty and administration is made up of Sam Pluta, Loretta Notareschi, Marshall Bessières, Shawn Crouch, Carrie Mallonée, Seth Brenzel and Marguerite Ladd.
Please join us in June!
Walden Seeks Nurse for its Young Musicians Program (YMP)
If you or someone you know is a Registered Nurse and would like to be an integral part of a creative, musical residential community this summer, we are seeking a full-time nurse for our Young Musicians Program. Dates of engagement are June 25 through August 6. Please read our job description for more information, and help us in the search by forwarding this pdf version to people you know who may be interested or who know of someone else who is. Thank you!
Upcoming April 6 Deadline for Young Musicians Program (YMP) Applications
There are just a few spots left in our Young Musicians Program (YMP), and April 6 is the deadline to submit your application to be considered in our Spring round of admissions. Any applications received after April 6 will be considered on a rolling basis, if space permits. Don’t let yourself or the musically gifted child(ren) in your life be relegated to our waiting list! Download a YMP applicationtoday.
Walden Faculty Appear in Pre-concert Event at San Francisco Symphony
On March 10 and 14, the San Francisco Symphonywelcomed Pamela Quist and Patricia Plude, Walden faculty members, to the stage of Davies Symphony Hall as part of the orchestra’s Mavericks Festival! The idea for the collaboration came from Susan Key, Special Projects Director in the Artistic Planning department of the Symphony. Susan attended the Teacher Training Institute in the summer of 2010 and was struck by Pam’s improv session entitled “The Happening”.
Fast-forward to 2012, when the Symphony has programmed selections from John Cage’s Song Books, and Susan made the connection: why not have a pre-concert event that was interactive, where symphony patrons would learn not just by listening, but by doing? The result was a performance of “The Happening” guided by Pam and Pat, supplemented with additional introductory improv activities which were designed to offer a first hand experience of various compositional techniques and musical elements that patrons would encounter in that evening’s concert. At approximately 500 attendees, this was decidedly the largest group Walden faculty have ever led in such activities, and Pat and Pam were happy to find the participants eager, willing, and even hungry to step out and try something new. Read the glowing review in the San Francisco Examiner.
Eliza Brown, Walden alumna and past Young Musicians Program (YMP) faculty member, just led a similarly successful evening at the University of Michigan when the Symphony travelled there on tour with the Cage program on March 23. Congratulations to all involved on a magnificent opportunity for Walden’s reach to extend beyond New England.
Walden Honored at CMA/ASCAP Award Ceremony
The Walden School received the 2012 Adventurous Programming Award for Small Contemporary Presenter/Festival in an awards ceremony on January 15 at the Westin New York in Times Square. Chamber Music America and ASCAP have collaborated for the past 24 years to honor innovative chamber music and jazz ensembles, festivals and presenters. This year’s annual awards recognized a total of eight U.S.-based professional ensembles and presenters, including Symphony Space, for distinctive performances of new music composed in the past 25 years. John O’Meara, Chair of Walden’s Board of Directors, received the award on behalf of The Walden School, and other Walden community members in attendance were Mary Anne O’Meara, Meade Bernard, Marguerite Ladd and Amelia Lukas. The morning was an opportunity for the entire American chamber music and new music communities to celebrate their endeavors.
Walden/JCC Alumni Composers Forums in New York and San Francisco This Spring
Hand Over Hand, the alumni association of The Walden School/Junior Conservatory Camp (JCC) is pleased to announce two Alumni Composers Forums this spring: one on April 29th in New York, moderated by Rebekah Griffin Greene and Ian Munro, and the other on May 6th in San Francisco, moderated by Alex Christie and Ruth Rainero. Walden students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends will gather for an afternoon of music, discussion, reuniting with old friends, and making new ones. Both forums are FREE and open to the public, and will be followed by a small reception for participants and attendees, so between new music, great people and delicious food, there are plenty of reasons to join us. For more information about the New York Composers Forum, click here, and for the San Francisco Composers Forum, click here.
We could also use your help at either of these events! If you’d be willing to help out, please let us know. We hope to see you soon!
Alumni – We Need Your Input!
Walden is evaluating the use of our alumni website, handoverhand.org, and we want to hear about what you use the site for, how often you go there, as well as possible alternatives to our current service. We’ve created a short (5 minute) survey and will very much appreciate your input.
Community News and Goods
The Walden School welcomes news and information from members of the Junior Conservatory Camp and Walden School communities to include in our print and online newsletters. News may be sent via mail or email. We will publish your contact information only if you specifically request that we do so. Please contact us on-line or send info to The Walden School, 31A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110. We reserve the right to edit submissions and regret we cannot publish all information provided. For upcoming event listings, go to www.handoverhand.org. (Note: YMP=Young Musicians Program; TTI=Teacher Training Institute; CMR=Creative Musicians Retreat; JCC=Junior Conservatory Camp).
Elizabeth Rhudy Austin’s (JCC ’52-56) Wilderness Symphony was featured on In Praise of Women, an annual event on WPRB 103.3’s program Classical Discoveries that focuses on music written by women.
Steve Beck (Visiting Artist ’09-11) received a nice reviewfrom the New York Times about his performance on Bargemusic Here and Now Series.
Duo Fado, which features Melinda Becker (TTI ’04) played a concert at the Music at Noon series at Santa Clara University in January.
Ethan Borshansky (YMP ’98-01, Staff ’05) was featured in a recent podcast for Thoughtless Music, a Toronto based electronic label that he signed with last year. His EP for the label is coming out in April with remixes and will be available through Beatport, Zero, Juno, Whatpeopleplay, and others. You can listen to the podcast here or here.
George Brandon (CMR ’11) and the Blue Unity Orchestra recently received a grant from the City University of New York’s Diversity Projects Development Fund to stage a series of participatory events as part of The City College of New York Black Studies Program’s Black History Month events. These events, which will include workshops and open rehearsals, culminated in a Blue Unity Orchestra Legacy concert at CCNY’s Harlem campus in February.
Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy’s (JCC ’61-65, Faculty ’63-65) film, From Africa to India: Sidi Music in the Indian Ocean Diaspora was screened as part of an all-day mini-symposium on theoretical issues of advocacy in ethnomusicology in March at UC Berkeley.
Alex Christie (YMP ’02-04, TTI ’10-11, Staff ’09, Faculty ’10-11) played an improv set with Brendon Randall-Myers’ (TTI ’10, Admin ’09-12) band Grains at a laundromat/café in San Francisco. Also in attendance were Gabe Kyne (YMP ’11) and Morgan Kusmer(YMP ’03-11).
Seamus Conley (YMP ‘09) is attending Warren Wilson College in North Carolina.
The two-time Grammy-nominated choral ensemble Seraphic Fire performed Shawn Crouch’s (YMP ’93-95,’96, TTI ’08, Staff ’97, Faculty ’99-00,’02,’05-07) Pie Jesu from The Road from Hiroshima, A Requiem on their 10th anniversary concert in January.
The Del Sol String Quartet (Visiting Artists ‘06) played a great set at Yoshi’s in Oakland in January, featuring music by Mason Bates, Gabriela Lena Frank, Lou Harrison, and others.
Ensemble Pamplemousse released RAANA JEDAKU, a collection of 7 works by the members of the ensemble, including Natacha Diels (TTI ’09). The album is out on Carrier Records, Sam Pluta’s (Staff ’01-02, Faculty ’03-11) label. Carrier also announced the release of Nominal/Noumenal by Alexander Sigman, which unites three of the world’s foremost contemporary music ensembles and seven edgy, engaging, and interconnected works in Sigman’s first portrait recording.
David Dueñas (TTI ’04, ’07, Visiting Artist ’10) performed in a program at Santa Clara University called Jazz Has A Dream, commemorating the life and contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Renée Favand-See (YMP ’85,’87-90, TTI ’08, Faculty ’93-97,’99,’05-07) had a number of items of interest in January, including participating in several performances with Cappella Romana of Rachmaninoff’s “Vespers”, the Manhattan premiere of her piece Looking West on a Humid Summer Evening on the Five Boroughs Music Festival, the release of the same piece on the Five Boroughs Songbook studio album, and the premiere of her piece Lighting the leaves by The Julians.
Corty Fengler (TTI ’11, Board of Directors ’09-11) sang in three concerts in the San Francisco Bay Area this spring, featuring works by Morten Lauridsen, Francis Poulenc, and David Conte.
Stacy Garrop (YMP ’87-88, Faculty ’96) had a wonderful crop of performances and commissions. Her String Quartet No. 4: Illuminations was premiered by the Cecelia Quartet, and her pieces Helios, Silver Dagger, and The Book of American Poetry were all performed several times throughout the winter.
Jennifer Higdon (Visiting Artist ’99, Advisory Council ’02-12) received a commission awarded jointly by the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress; the Koussevitzky Music Foundation, Inc.; and the Cypress String Quartet.
The International Contemporary Ensemble (Visiting Artists ‘11) played simultaneous gigs in their two home cities of Chicago and New York. Claire Chase (Visiting Artist ’05-09) played a solo show at the Art Institute of Chicago, while ICE played at ISSUE Project Room’s Gaudeamus Muziekweek New York.
Caroline Mallonée (YMP ’87-92, TTI ’07, YMP Faculty ’98-’11, CMR Faculty ’11) will have her piece Unless Acted Upon: Manifestations of Newton’s First Law performed in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall on May 2, 2012 by the Da Capo Chamber Players. The piece was written for the Firebird Ensemble as part of the Walden Faculty Commissioning Project in 2011. Da Capo includes Meighan Stoops (Walden School Players ’04-’11) and Blair McMillen (Visiting Artist ’01-’02).
Kaeli Mogg (YMP ‘08-11) is in her first year at Oberlin’s TIMARA program.
Nat Osborn (YMP ’00-03) and The Nat Osborn Band played a series of shows on the East Coast in January.
The PRISM Quartet (Visiting Artist ‘05) will perform two concerts this spring of music by Minimalist composers and those influenced by them, including Samuel Phillips-Corwin (YMP ‘08-11), winner of the 2011 PRISM Quartet/Walden School Commissioning Award. Along with Music from China, PRISM also presented the world premiere performances of four new works for saxophones, traditional Chinese instruments (erhu, sheng, pipa, and yanqin), and percussion, by celebrated Chinese-born American composers.
Alicia Jo Rabins’ (YMP ’88-83) band Girls in Trouble played a battery of shows this winter, including a Chanukah concert in Manhattan, a UK/Italy tour, and a visit to the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. She was also featured on two podcasts, one for the Contemporary Jewish Museum where she talks about how she went from attending Towson Presbyterian Nursery School to studying Torah and writing songs about Biblical women, and another talking about music by the Kapnik sisters.
A piece by Jessica Rudman (CMR ’11), “The Man Who Wants You”, was performed on the New Voices at Catholic University of America Festival in Washington, DC.
The Orchestra of St. John’s, with Ronald Mutchnik conducting, will perform Vivian Adelberg Rudow‘s (JCC ’50-51) Spirit of America on April 1 in Owings Mills, Maryland.
Trio Tritticalli, which features Helen Yee (TTI ‘09) continued their residency at Linger Cafe and Lounge in New York, performing their signature blend of styles and moods, including pieces such as the African-inspired Issue #2, Piazzolla’s Libertango, and the Arabic pop favorite, Azizah.
Pamela Z (Visiting Artist ’11) is part of a new Meredith Monk CD project “MONK MIX” which had its official release at Joe’s Pub in New York City. Z performed her version of Monk’s Scared Song along with one of her own compositions in the CD release celebration/concert. She also performed solo concerts at the Telfair Museum in Savannah, Georgia, and Meridian Gallery in San Francisco.
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
An opportunities listing for composers of multiple levels and age ranges, as well as organizations that provide services to composers, improvisers, and experimental musicians, is available here.
Now Hear This! Works by 2011 Walden Participants
Walden collaborated with the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music to commission three Young Musicians Program students to write works to be performed by Apple Hill’s students. Both communities came together in the Louise Shonk Kelley Barn at Apple Hill on July 12, 2011 to listen to the world premieres! Ariel Kent’s V’la l’bon ventwas performed by Gabe Shoglow-Rubenstein and Miranda Weinberg, violins; Dario McConnie-Saad, viola; and Eddie Pogossian, cello. Click here to listen.
December 2011 eNews: InterNetzo
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director
waldenschool.org: Gateway to News and Features
Walden Honored with Prestigious Award from CMA/ASCAP
Now’s the Time to Apply for the 2012 Young Musicians Program
Walden Events to Warm the Heart and Spirit
Interested in Working at Walden’s Young Musicians Program in 2012?
Give to Walden Without Even Trying!
Acoustics: Music’s Empty Reason (by Alex Ness)
Community News and Goods
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
Now Hear This! Works by 2011 Walden Participants
Message from the Executive Director
Today, December 22, 2011, marks the Winter solstice. It seems like a particularly appropriate day to be sending you Walden’s next installment of InterNetzo, our newsletter. The solstice marks the beginning of the days getting progressively longer, as we move toward those long summer days and anticipate another season of magic at Walden’s programs.
I am pleased to share that The Walden School was selected for a 2012 Adventurous Programming Award from Chamber Music America/ASCAP for our concert series and artist residency programs, and will receive this award at a ceremony in New York City on January 15. This is exciting recognition of an important aspect of all of our programs: outstanding visiting artists who share the highest quality, innovative music with our program participants. I send along my many thanks to our dozens of visiting guest artists in 2011 who indeed enriched the experience at each of our programs and who helped make the Walden magic happen!
In this issue of InterNetzo, we also announce our redesign of waldenschool.org, Walden’s website. This was a project that we launched at the end of last spring and are now so pleased to share with the entire Walden community. We hope you like it, and we look forward to your comments and feedback.
There are lots of other features and content to peruse, including a reprint of Alex Ness’ fascinating article that appeared in the Fall 2011 issue of Recitative. There are links to our job postings, music opportunities, upcoming Young Musicians Program deadlines, and of course, news and goods from alumni & friends, where you can learn about your friends and colleagues and the goings on in their lives, both musical and otherwise.
I wanted to also take this opportunity to thank all of you who help make Walden happen each year: faculty, staff, and administration; volunteer board members and alumni association leaders; the many event hosts and volunteers; our hundreds of generous donors; alumni; partners; and of course, our parents and students and program participants, on behalf of whom we all work through the winter and spring in eager anticipation for your arrival, whether for your first or third or seventh Walden summer!
I hope you enjoy this installment of InterNetzo, and as always, I look forward to hearing from you, and hopefully seeing you at an event or program soon!
Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a prosperous, peaceful New Year. Thanks for reading.
Seth Brenzel
Executive Director
waldenschool.org: Gateway to News and Features
waldenschool.org has always been the place to explore, learn and share news about The Walden School. Now it’s even better. Our enhanced website, which launched in December, offers fresh images, better navigation and all the latest news about our exciting musicians, innovative programs, concerts and events, and the most recent news about awards and honors. Improved SEO (search engine optimization) will make it easier for you to find us, and enhanced integration of social media will make it easy for everyone to link, like, share and follow.
We hope you’ll find rich rewards on our new site. Please bookmark it and visit it often. If you miss a press release, newsletter, or announcement, no worry: our archives will provide access, at any time, from anywhere in the world.
Many thanks to our partner Xiik, Jefferson Packer, Brendon Randall-Myers, and numerous others for their project management, design, photography, copy editing and content contributions.
Sign up for Walden’s e-newsletter, bookmark our site and visit waldenschool.org often! And if you have any feedback that you’d like to give us about the new site, now or anytime in the future, please write to us at contact us.
Walden Receives Prestigious Award from CMA/ASCAP
Chamber Music America (CMA) and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) have chosen The Walden School receive a 2012 CMA/ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award. Read the complete press release to learn more. “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.
Now’s the Time to Apply for the 2012 Young Musicans Program
Applications are being accepted for the 2012 Young Musicians Program (YMP). New and returning applicants should submit their materials by Friday, January 6, 2012, to be considered in the early round of admissions decisions. Learn more and download application materials here.
Walden Events to Warm the Heart and Spirit
On November 11, friends gathered at the home of board member and alumnus Andrew Jacobs and his wife, Kathy Park, to celebrate and support The Walden School. Lucky guests were treated to a performance by flutist Claire Chasewho wowed the crowd with Steve Reich’s Vermont Counterpoint and her own arrangement of Paganini’s legendary variations, complete with virtuosic extended techniques.
We are closing out the year with a series of regional holiday potlucks for alumni from Walden and the Junior Conservatory Camp. We have already had two such events with family and friends gathering to chat, sing, share food and good company.
In attendance on December 18 at a party in New York were: Matt Siffert (our event host), Marguerite Ladd, Christianne (Bessières) and John Lane, Kate Ettinger, Carolyn Gollance, Maria Marsalis, Meade Bernard, Tierney O’Brien, Ita Giventer, and Ilya Mayzus.
A December 19 gathering in the Bay Area included Corty and Alf Fengler (our event hosts), Ariel and Jill Kent, Carlos and Lucas Shimizu, Walter and Daphne Saul, Esther Landau and Caroline Pincus, Ruby Landau-Pincus, Seth Brenzel and Malcolm Gaines, Cora Brenzel Gaines, Brendon Randall-Myers and Ricki Schecter, Nick Benavides, Sophie Huet, Dina (Glendening) and Jim Keller, Ruth Rainero and Pieter de Haan, Ilana Rainero-de Haan, Steve Kusmer, Leland Kusmer, Jefferson Packer and Marcel Gemperli, and Marshall Bessières.
If you will be in the Baltimore area on Thursday evening, December 29, please join us for the last holiday gathering of the year! For details, contact Marguerite Ladd, Director of Operations and Development Assistant, at (603) 933-0150.
Interested in Working at Walden’s Young Musicians Program in 2012?
Are you interested in serving as a member of the faculty or a member of the summer staff? The Walden School is building its team for the 2012 season of its flagship Young Musicians Program. 2012 marks the 40th session of Walden, and as always, we seek to build a vibrant, talented team. Submit your materials by January 20, 2012, to be considered for a position. Learn more and review the faculty, staff and nurse job announcements here. And if you’re not interested, but know of someone who might be, we would appreciate your passing along these position announcements to interested applicants.
Give to Walden Without Even Trying!
By Marguerite Ladd
Last night I bought and shared a broccoli and mushroom pizza with friends. As we were all enjoying its greasy goodness, I smiled knowing that I had just made a donation to The Walden School. You can, too! All you need is an appetite and a web browser.
FREE and Easy Ways to Support The Walden School Every Day:
Here is how you can help:
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Acoustics: Music’s Empty Reason
By Alex Ness (YMP Faculty ’05-07; YMP Staff ’03)
“You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche
Please note: This article is drawn from Alex’s doctoral dissertation, and was published previously in our print newsletter, Recitative, which you may view on-line as well.
The simplest, most common musical assumptions have profound consequences. Consider, for example, the layout and tuning of the keys on a keyboard. Most of us take for granted a repeating pattern of seven white and five black keys. We also generally presume that each key should be tuned one-twelfth of an octave higher than the key below it. Patterns like these are, in a sense, the glue holding together the Western musical tradition—a point of agreement between composers as diverse as Bach, Beethoven, and Messiaen, to choose three famous names among thousands. If we choose, we too can spend a lifetime exploring the depths of these conventions. There is no shortage of musical discoveries to make, or material to exhaust.
Of course, we can also spend a lifetime working against the assumptions of Western art music and exploring alternatives. Like Harry Partch, we may want to compose music for uniquely-tuned instruments that we design ourselves. Perhaps we don’t even care about tuning at all, and are happy to let the musicians decide for themselves, as Louis Andriessen did in Workers Union. Or, we may simply be more interested in the conventions of the TR-808 drum machine than those of the piano.
During a period of deep depression, the philosopher John Stuart Mill was “seriously tormented by the thought of the exhaustibility of musical combinations.” Those of us who see the bigger musical picture, however, might be tormented by the opposite thought: that music is utterly inexhaustible; that each musical style, practice, convention, or decision has countless alternatives. This is hard enough to deal with as composers and performers, but it makes things especially difficult for music teachers. Put simply: out of all these possibilities, which music should we teach, and why?
Certainly, one can answer that no music is well-suited to an education, at least an education that concerns itself with truth and correct reasoning. Musical preferences are, at root, a matter of personal taste (or bias) rather than of universal truth. Any musical decision is as valid as any other; fundamentally, it doesn’t matter whether you make music with a conventional piano, a randomly-tuned homemade marimba, or an 808. From this perspective, “musical logic” is an oxymoron, because music has no logos, no essential principle that guarantees its validity. This, however, has not been the opinion of philosophers, music theorists, and pedagogues from the dawn of music theory to the present day. They have argued, to the contrary, that some music can be justified by reason—more specifically, by the mathematically rationality of acoustics, the science of sound. For two-and-a-half millennia, music instructors in the West have relied on “the nature of sound” to distinguish the good musical assumptions and decisions from the bad, and the teachable music from the unteachable.
We can trace the link between music education, acoustics, and “good music” to the mythical foundations of Western music theory itself. According to legend, once upon a time in ancient Greece the philosopher Pythagoras was daydreaming about a way to measure sounds. In his reverie, he heard, by chance, a concord of blacksmith’s hammers as they beat a piece of iron on an anvil. Seduced by the beauty of the harmony, he tried to reproduce it on the strings of a lyre. His experiments led him to discover the integer ratios of the perfect consonances: 2:1 for the octave, 3:2 for the fifth, and 4:3 for the fourth. With this discovery, Pythagoras invented a technique of acoustic music notation that remains in use to this day. But this notation interested him less as a tool to transcribe new and unusual sounds, than as an intellectual weapon to justify the consonances that he preferred, and to impose them on his students as divine law. Pythagoras devised an entire religion, educational system, and way of life around the integers 1 through 4; the students of his cult learned to worship the consonances as sacred sounds. No student dared challenge Pythagoras’ conception of good music, since to do so would mean challenging nature itself.
Acoustics, however, is a double-edged sword for musical education: insofar as it can justify a musical preference and make it educationally viable, it can also justify its alternative. It doesn’t take much imagination to invent an anti-Pythagorean religion in which the small numbers are the most profane, and the consonances therefore the leastdesirable intervals. In such a religion, we might worship the tritone instead of the octave. This too has its precedent. A different legend relates the fate of Pythagoras’ student Hippasus, who showed that the consonances were nothing special because there was nothing special about the integers themselves. Hippasus used his master’s famous theorem to construct the irrational ratio √2:1 from the hypotenuse of a right isosceles triangle and its edge. Hippasus argued that this ratio is as mathematically, metaphysically, and acoustically valid as any small-integer ratio: it too makes sound, even if that sound is the diabolical discord of an octave split into two equal halves. For the insolence of his reasoning, the gods drowned Hippasus at sea, but not before his argument had spread through the Pythagorean cult, splitting it in two as well: on one side, the acusmatici, who would continue adhering to the values of Pythagoras himself; on the other, the mathematici, who, following Hippasus’ lead, would spurn their master’s religion, devise their own mathematics and discover their own sounds.
Pythagoras was not wrong to love the sound of the octave. He was not even wrong to teach the octave; what better way to teach music than by sharing the sounds that you love? His error was, rather, to call on acoustics to explain how music should work, and to force this explanation on his students. Acoustics explains nothing about music; although it can describe sound relationships, it cannot prove which of these relationships are musical and which are not. No logic can bridge the gap between acoustic information and musical decision-making. It is the responsibility of every musician, young or old, to make their own sense of that gap. They must each decide which acoustic tools to use for their music—if any at all—and how to use them. No music teacher can do this work for them.
Nor can any logic bridge the gap between the music of the world and the music of the classroom. It is the music teacher’s responsibility to decide what to teach; but this, again, must be their own decision. Whether they choose to teach the conventional musical patterns or the exceptional ones is less important than understanding that their choice is ultimately their own, and not the necessary consequence of an inviolable musical nature. As for the right curriculum, the correct curriculum, and the only curriculum, it does not exist.
Alex Ness is a doctoral student in the music department of New York University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. As a historian of music theory, he focuses on eighteenth-century harmonic treatises, the institutionalization of music pedagogy, and heterodox musical logic. He is also an active composer, having written extensively for new music groups in New York.
Alumni: What do you think about Alex’s conclusions? Share your reactions to this article on the Community Blog at www.handoverhand.org, the alumni community site. If you’re not a member, go ahead and register. Some responses may be selected for publication in future newsletter issues.
Community News and Goods
The Walden School welcomes news and information from members of the Junior Conservatory Camp and Walden School communities to include in our print and online newsletters. News may be sent via mail or email. We will publish your contact information only if you specifically request that we do so. Please contact us on-line or send info to The Walden School, 31A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110. We reserve the right to edit submissions and regret we cannot publish all information provided. For upcoming event listings, go to www.handoverhand.org. (Note: YMP=Young Musicians Program; TTI=Teacher Training Institute; CMR=Creative Musicians Retreat; JCC=Junior Conservatory Camp).
A new solo cello suite by Erica Ball (YMP ’06-07), dedications, was performed by Michal Schmidt on a concert of new works by UPenn graduate composers in Philadelphia in November.
A chamber opera by Ann Callaway (JCC ’65-67, Faculty ’74-76, ’78-84, ‘99), Vladimir in Butterfly Country, had its concert version premiere at the 11th Annual Sonic Harvest concert this October in Berkeley.
The premiere performance of Alan Chan’s (TTI ’04, ’06, Faculty ’10-’11) Erhu Concerto “Rock-Paper-Scissors”, commissioned by St. Matthew’s Music Guild / Los Angeles County Arts with Wang Hong (Visiting Artist ’08) on Erhu is viewable on YouTube.
Shawn Crouch (YMP ’93-94, ’96; TTI ’08; YMP faculty ’99-00, ’02, ’05-07) has a slew of performances this season, including The Garden of Paradise by Chanticleer on March 30-April 4, Pie Jesu from The Road from Hiroshima, A Requiem on Seraphic Fire’s 10th anniversary concert series January 11-15 in South Florida.
Nick DeMaison (Faculty ’04-07) was the Musical Director for two big productions this fall: The Ticket That Exploded, a multi-media opera by James Ilgenfritz, which was performed at the Issue Project Room in Brooklyn, and Le Pauvre Matelot (The Poor Sailor) by Darius Milhaud, at Fraunces Tavern in New York.
A song by Renée Favand-See (YMP ’85, ’87-90, TTI ’08, Faculty ’93-97, ’99, ’06-07, ’09), Looking West on a Humid Summer Evening (poem by Corin See) was commissioned by the Five Boroughs Music Festival, and saw a premiere in October and a second performance in November. It will be performed in each of the five boroughs throughout the year.
Stacy Garrop (YMP ’87-88, Faculty ’96) reports that Chicago a cappella, Chicago’s premiere nine-voice choir, has released its “Days of Awe and Rejoicing” CD, including her piece Hava Nagila, which was commissioned by the ensemble. This fall also saw several premieres of new works, including The Book of American Poetry, Volumes III and IV by The Stony Brook Contemporary Chamber Players at Stony Brook University, Songs of Lowly Life by Volti in San Francisco, Jubilation by the Lincoln Trio in Chicago, and the upcoming Helios by Gaudete Brass on December 28 in Chicago.
Livia Gho’s (CMR ’11) choir in Vancouver, the Essonance Chamber Choir, held a joint concert series this Christmas with Ablaze Chamber Orchestra to put on Vivaldi’s Gloria in D major, which was Livia’s first instrumental conducting gig. The choir also performed works by Lauridsen and Hyokki.
Carrie Mallonée’s (YMP ’87-92, TTI ’07, Staff ’96, Faculty ’98-00, ’02-09, 11, Admin ’10-11) Carolers for chorus and orchestra (written when she was 14) was on WYPR 88.1 FM in Baltimore in November, and the San Francisco-based new music collective Wild Rumpus, which features Sophie Huet (TTI ’09) performed her piece Shadow Rings.
Teresa McCollough (Visiting Artist ’01, TTI ’05) and Wet Ink Ensemble (Visiting Artists ’09) performed a program at Santa Clara University in November featuring premieres by Sam Pluta (Staff ’01-02, Faculty ’02-08, ’10-11), Alex Shapiro (Visiting Composer ’04), and Sally Mitchell (YMP ’00-04, TTI ’11, Staff ’10).
Ned McGowan’s (Visting Artist ’01-04, ’10) concert series Karnatic Lab featured two performances in December, and Ned had a work in 31-tone tuning performed at MicroFest Amsterdam 2011.
The Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco and Melody of China (Visiting Artists ’08) presented a concert celebrating the legacy of the Qin, an ancient seven-string zither, featuring performances by the Melody of China ensemble with guests Qin virtuoso Liu Li and Flutist Chen Tao, including a world premiere by Gang Situ.
Nat Osborn’s (YMP ’00-03) band Hawthorne performed at the legendary Joe’s Pub in New York in November, followed quickly by Nat’s west coast debut in San Francisco. He also performed with a new band in early December at the Rockwood Music Hall.
The duo edition of Alicia Jo Rabins’ (YMP ’88-93) band Girls in Trouble (GIT) did a month-long US tour this fall, including a residency at the San Francisco Contemporary Jewish Museum which culminated in a concert featuring a panel discussion on creative midrash with Biblical scholars. Alumni Will Rees (YMP ’86-90) and Brendon Randall-Myers (TTI ’10) made it to the show in San Francisco. GIT also performed at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park City in December, will be at the LIMMUD Conference in Warwick, UK, from December 23-29, and will tour Italy in January.
D. J. Sparr (YMP ’91, Faculty ’09-10) will appear at The Atlas in Washington, D.C. on January 6. Learn more here.
The Bill Stevens Jazz Ensemble (Visiting Artists ’10) performed an evening of jazz at Ruggero Piano in Raleigh, NC this November.
The Da Capo Chamber Players, which feature Meighan Stoops (Walden School Players ’04, ’06-11, TTI ’06-07) gave two performances of a program called Cool Britannia this October, once at Bard College and again at Merkin Concert Hall in New York.
An anthem by Bob Weaver (JCC ’57-63, CMR ‘11) and his friend Bill Pasch was published by St. James Music Press You can see and hear it by going to www.sjmp.com.
Pamela Z (Visiting Artist ’11) has too many events coming up to list here, but they include a performance at the Berkeley Arts Festival, a shared concert at Le Poisson Rouge with Meredith Monk in New York on January 20, and solo sets at San Francisco State University on February 21, the Pulse Art & Technology Festival in Savannah, GA, on February 28, and Meridian Gallery in San Francisco on March 14.
Transitions:
Carrie Mallonée’s and Eric Huebner’s (Visiting Artist ’04-08, ’11) son Henry Ericsson Huebner was born October 27, 2011 at 4:10 a.m. He weighed 8 pounds and 4 ounces. He spent his first summer (in utero) at Walden in 2011.
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
An opportunities listing for composers of multiple levels and age ranges, as well as organizations that provide services to composers, improvisers, and experimental musicians, is available here.
Now Hear This! Works by 2011 Walden Participants
More than 100 world premieres had their genesis in 2011 at Walden’s Young Musicians Program on one of seven Composers Forums that occurred throughout the five week experience. One of these pieces was first-time student Gen Tanaka’s A Brief Return of Calm, performed by Walden School Players Jane Chung, Tawnya Popoff, and Robert Burkhart, and Walden Faculty Member Alan Chan. Gen lives during the year in Tokyo, Japan. Click here to listen.
October 2011 eNews: InterNetzo
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director
Hilary Kole and Friends at Birdland
Creative Musicians Retreat a great success
Lexington Symphony/Walden School Commission
Event review: Jazz in New Hampshire, and our on-line auction
Help Students Take a Bite Out of Music – Make Your Donation to Walden!
Start the school year off with Walden merchandise
Community News and Goods
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
Now Hear This! Works by 2011 Walden Participants
Message from the Executive Director
What a summer! What a year! How can one measure Walden’s success in 2011?
If the measure of a program were the number of people it deeply affected, Walden would impress for 2011. 24 participants from around the world, aged 19 to 69, attended Walden’s brand new Creative Musicians Retreat in June in Northampton, Massachusetts, on the stunning campus of Smith College; 56 students from everywhere from Vilnius to Tokyo, Peterborough to Seattle attended the 39th season of what has now been named the Young Musicians Program (aka ‘camp’) on the beautiful campus of the Dublin School, enjoying numerous Composers Forums, classes, chorus, hikes, open mics and swim trips; 31 music teachers from throughout the United States attended our 7th weeklong Teacher Training Institute intensive in New Hampshire; and nine students in Oberlin’s Masters in Music Teaching program attended a week of Walden-style teacher training in Ohio. Indeed, a record number of participants – more than 110 – participated in a Walden program during 2011.
If the value of Walden could be determined by the number of engaging events we presented, the School would merit high marks for its 2011 season. Over the course of the summer, we presented more than 25 public performances, community engagement concerts, composers forums and open rehearsals during June, July and August, with artists ranging in style from the Windborne Trio and Pamela Z to the International Contemporary Ensemble and Miranda Cuckson, to name but a few. More than 50 faculty, staff, administration, guest performers and composers-in-residence collaborated and combined forces to produce for our participants what we all hope was an amazing and inspiring experience of creativity, community and music.
If the strength of Walden could be measured by the number of partnerships it builds and sustains, 2011 would indicate great strength. This year we continued forging links with other outstanding arts and education organizations, both local to our summer homes and across the United States. These included partnerships with The MacDowell Colony, Monadnock Music, Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, Oberlin College Conservatory, Community MusicWorks in Providence, The Juilliard School’s MAP program, Music National Service, the PRISM Saxophone Quartet, the Lexington Symphony, Duke University, among many others. This was the second year that Walden was in residence as part of the music program at Dublin School. This spring, Walden faculty member Marshall Bessières taught courses in creative musicianship, composition and computer music. In 2011, Boston-based Firebird Ensemble performed world premieres by Walden faculty members and then helped coach participants in the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music’s summer performance program, who premiered works by three Walden students: Evan Johnson, Ariel Kent, and Wesley Levers.
If we were to calculate Walden’s value by the number of friends and supporters it has, we would find Walden to be rich, indeed. In order to serve the more than 110 program participants, present the more than 25 events, and nurture its myriad partnerships, Walden needed – and continues to need – the help of many friends. During Walden’s 2011, which just ended on September 30, more than 370 of you, along with more than 25 foundations and corporations, combined to provide more than $385,000 in support for our annual fund. These monies supported 100% of our financial aid program, 100% of our guest artist and composer residency programs, 100% of our alumni Composers Forums and regional gatherings, and these monies – importantly – helped defray the costs of basic operations so that we can keep our programs small, individually attentive and, as much as possible, reasonably priced. Did you know that in 2011 more than 50% of our program participants received financial aid and that Walden distributed approximately $100,000 in aid to deserving participants and families? We could not do what we do without our supporters, and I thank each of you for the role you played in making 2011 such a successful year.
We also needed – and continue to need – the help of many friends who volunteer hundreds of hours in making Walden happen. From our dedicated 20+ member board of directors, our invaluable office volunteers in San Francisco, numerous individuals who volunteered at our programs and fundraiser and events, and our volunteer alumni who help guide our HandOverHand Executive Committee, the leadership group of Walden’s alumni association, we simply could not operate without such assistance. Thank you to all of you who give time, that most precious of commodities, to Walden!
If public recognition were the indicator of Walden’s success, our grades would be off the charts for 2011. As we have mentioned before, Walden was the recipient this past year of numerous accolades. Walden was awarded the 2011 New Music Educator Award from the American Music Center (now New Music USA) and earned a spot as one of 50 finalists nationally for the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, a program sponsored by the White House. We also received notice of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts which will support our Young Musicians Program in 2012. And Walden was featured in two news articles appearing in the Monadnock Region’s Keene Sentinel and Monadnock Ledger-Transcript.
But numbers – of participants, events, partnerships, donors, awards – don’t tell the real story of Walden’s value. None of these numbers can represent the incredible and thorough musicianship training that Walden participants receive. No award or trophy can accomplish Walden’s mission to, among other things, “nurture a life-long commitment to creative expression, all resulting in the development of individuals who are capable of effecting positive change in the world around them.” Only Walden’s unique programs led by its outstanding faculty, staff and artists, do this.
So what is the true measure of Walden’s impact? Here are just a few examples:
- The smile on the face of a Walden student after the premiere and ensuing discussion of her composition on a Composers Forum.
- The feeling that a student has when summiting Mt. Monadnock for the first time with his newfound Walden friends.
- And comments like this one from a Young Musicians Program participant from 2011 – “I didn’t believe in heaven before I went to Walden.”
I hope you enjoy this issue of InterNetzo. Be sure to check out News & Goods for updates on the doings of your old friends, read Carrie Mallonee’s report on Walden’s newest program, learn about the co-commissioning project with the Lexington Symphony in Massachusetts, and review our listing of additional musical opportunities. Happy reading!
All best,
Seth Brenzel
Director, Young Musicians Program
Executive Director
sbrenzel@waldenschool.org
(415) 648-4710
Hilary Kole and Friends at Birdland
Alumni, faculty, parents and friends of Walden gathered for a festive evening with Hilary Kole and her outstanding band, who performed a spectacular set of greater- and lesser-known works from the jazz repertoire. She also performed her own arrangement of that Walden chestunut, “Do you love an apple?”. Proceeds from the event will go towards Walden’s financial aid programs in 2012.
Creative Musicians Retreat a great success
by Caroline Mallonée
The Walden School has a new kind of alumnus/a! From June 11-19, participants from 10 states across the country, Washington D.C., Canada, Japan, Belarus, and Portugal came together on the campus of Smith College for the first Walden School Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR). For over a week, the 24 musicians immersed themselves in the creative process, and the results were astounding – 35 new works were given their world premieres at two Composers Forums, moderated by Composer-In-Residence, Russell Pinkston. Participants praised the members of the International Contemporary Ensemble, who presented a concert of works by both living and historical composers on Sunday, June 12, as a kick-off to the week’s events. Classes and workshops in computer music, contemporary music, improvisation, sound painting, chorus and musicianship were offered by the faculty (Marshall Bessières, Caroline Mallonée, Loretta Notareschi, Sam Pluta and Leo Wanenchak). One participant said he had been waiting half his life for the experience CMR provided. It was an inspirational festival, and a wonderful new way for musicians to experience Walden!
The Walden School plans to offer the Creative Musicians Retreat again in June 2012. Contact us for more details.
Lexington Symphony/Walden School Commission
The Lexington Symphony, in celebration of the 300th Anniversary of the founding of Lexington, Massachusetts, approached The Walden School to help it identify a young composer (under 25 years of age) from among Walden program alumni to write a 10-15 minute orchestral work to be premiered in September 2012. The commission was announced in the spring, and over the summer, many Walden alumni composers submitted applications to be considered. A selection committee, comprising Caroline Mallonée, Marshall Bessières, Marguerite Ladd and Seth Brenzel, was formed, and late in August, the committee chose Teacher Training Institute and Creative Musicians Retreat alumna Sky Macklay as the commissioned composer for this exciting project. Sky, who is a music composition graduate student at the University of Memphis, is now hard at work on her new piece, which needs to be completed by the spring, in time for the orchestra to begin working with the score and readying it for its premiere on September 22, 2012.
Young Musicians Program and Teacher Training Institute alumna Kate Ettinger and Young Musicians Program alumnus Michael Rosen were named finalists in the commission contest. Both of these composers made outstanding applications as well, and in the end, a difficult choice to select simply one of the three finalists was made. This commission project also coincides with Walden’s 40th Anniversary celebration, which takes place throughout 2012 and 2013, and the score of the piece will include a dedication to both the town of Lexington and to The Walden School. Walden is grateful to the Lexington Symphony, its staff and board, and its music director, Jonathan McPhee, for partnering with The Walden School on what is sure to be a wonderful project.
Event review: Jazz in New Hampshire, and our on-line auction
Walden’s Online Auction Closes with a Bang
What do custom compositions, catered dinners, and eye exams have in common? They were all items won by bidders in this year’s online auction. Dozens of lucky bidders won lessons, vacations, consulting, and concert tickets in this fun – and successful! – fundraiser for Walden. The auction raised nearly $5,000 to support financial aid at Walden, and introduced the School to some new supporters in the process.
Saturday Afternoon at the Silitches
Jazz, sunshine, food, good friends – what more could you ask for? A summer fundraiser at the beautiful home of Nick and Regina Silitch in New Hampshire featured pianist Bill Stevens and bassist Tony Makarome, both aso Walden faculty members. In addition to performing, Bill also spoke to the gathered crowd from the perspective of both an alumnus and faculty member about the importance of what Walden offers to its program participants. The event raised more than $11,500 for financial aid at Walden – a stunning achievement! Many thanks to all who made the event such a rousing success.
Help Students Take a Bite Out of Music – Make Your Donation to Walden!
Imagine that you’d never had chocolate cake before – you don’t even know what it is. Feeling sorry for you, a friend tries to describe it to you and shows you a recipe, but you’re still unclear on the concept. But what if that friend gives you an actual piece of chocolate cake, tells you to turn it around in your hands, to taste it, what then? You now have a pretty good idea what chocolate cake is. And if your friend shows you how to bake one, you’ll be fluent in chocolate cake: a happy circumstance, indeed!
At most schools, students study music theory as if it were a conceptual chocolate cake. There’s a lot of lecturing and written work, but not enough direct experience – not enough cake eating – and not nearly enough baking. With every person it reaches, Walden transforms that model to one where students develop fluency and mastery through discovery, drill and creative work – composition and improvisation. Music is immediate and real and tangible at Walden, as tangible as chocolate cake should be.
Students deserve to learn music this way, but they need your help to make it happen. Have you made a gift recently? Your donation to Walden today will help make it possible for more musicians to master the creative skills they need to truly understand music, to make it as real – and delicious – as chocolate cake. Please make a contribution today.
And if you’ve already joined the more than 370 people who annually give to Walden, thank you!
Start the school year off with Walden merchandise
Though Autumn has begun, the Walden spirit carries us throughout the year. What better way to remind you and your loved ones of this great community than a sweatshirt to keep you warm all winter, a mug full of your favorite beverage, a snazzy wristband, a key chain, or any of the other items available on Merchandise Order Form available below. The perfect gift for someone whose life has been touched by The Walden School, our merchandise is of high quality and emblazoned with our distinctive logo.
Just print out our Merchandise Form and send in with your payment.
Community News and Goods
The Walden School welcomes news and information from members of the Junior Conservatory Camp and Walden School communities to include in our print and online newsletters. News may be sent via mail or email. We will publish your contact information only if you specifically request that we do so. Please send info to alumni@waldenschool.org or The Walden School, 31A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110. We reserve the right to edit submissions and regret we cannot publish all information provided. For upcoming event listings, go to www.handoverhand.org.
Nigel Armstrong (YMP ’00) was a finalist in the Tchaikovsky Competition. You can read articles about him here and here.
Whit Bernard (YMP ’00-02, TTI ’06, Faculty ’09) has begun his first year as an MBA candidate in social enterprise and international business at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
After 15 years in Hungary, Tamar Bloch (JCC ’69-71, YMP ’72, TTI ’08, Faculty ’75, ’77, ’87-92) is living in New Jersey, and taking care of her mother. She’s also doing translations (German and Hungarian) and just recorded her first voice-over demo CD. If you know of music making and/or teaching opportunities in the New York/New Jersey area (solfege, ear training, piano, musicianship, children’s choirs), she’d love to hear from you at solfatamar@yahoo.com.
The September 2011 edition of JazzInside Magazine featured an interview with George Brandon (CMR ’11), in which he discusses his early musical environment, the process of recording his recently released debut CD, Toward the Hill of Joy, and advice for musicians and bandleaders for coping with hassles and pressures!
Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy (JCC ’61-65) was present for a screening of her documentary film “FROM AFRICA TO INDIA: Sidi Music in the Indian Ocean Diaspora” at the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco in early September. Walden administration members Esther Landau (TTI ’09, Administration ’05-11) and Jefferson Packer (TTI ’10-11, Administration ’10-11) attended both this fascinating film and the ensuing discussion. Amy hopes to attend the reunion in 2012.
Alan Chan (TTI ’04, ’06, Faculty ’10-11) is the winner of this year’s ArtEZ Jazz Composition Contest (International Jazz Festival Enschede, Netherlands) with his composition To Be Continued for jazz big band. He is also the winner of the joint Los Angeles County Arts/St. Matthew’s Music Guild Commission Award in October 2010 and his commissioned work, a concerto for erhu entitled Rock-Paper-Scissors, was premiered in June, 2011, by Wang Hong and St. Matthew’s Chamber Orchestra in Pacific Palisades, California. In the same month, Bitter Melon for erhu and pipa received its Asia Premiere by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. Alan is currently the Artistic Director of Gateway Performance Series in Los Angeles.
Nicholas DeMaison (Faculty ’04-07) will serve as the Music Director for two upcoming productions of Pocket Opera NY, Le pauvre matelot by Darius Milhaud and The Ticket That Exploded by James Ilgenfritz. To view a , visit http://www.pocketoperany.org.
In July, Renée Favand-See (YMP ’85, ’87-90, TTI ’08, Faculty ’93-97, ’99, ’06-07, ’09)premiered a new work by Bonnie Miksch, Like water, like sound, like breath, in addition to performing two songs of her own, Driving a highway in Eastern Washington and Morning Mist. The concert took place at Old Church in Portland.
Walden board member Corty Fengler (TTI ’11, Board ’09-11) met up with Sarah Ye (YMP ’01-05) and her family last year while in Beijing.
Stephen Flynn (YMP ’01-04) started in July 2011 as the Emerging Technologies Librarian at the College of Wooster, and had his innovative cover letter website featured in Library Journal.
The music of Stacy Garrop (YMP ’87-88, Faculty ’96) has seen lots of action lately, with performances of Sonnets of Desire, Longing, and Whimsy by The Grant Park Chorus and SEVEN by the Lincoln Trio. Stacy also made an appearance at the Skaneateles Festival. SEVEN was featured on a CD by the Lincoln Trio called Notable Women, which includes the music of former festival week moderators Jennifer Higdon (Visiting Artist ’99, Advisory Council ’02-11) and Joan Tower (Visiting Artist ’09).
Tonya Ingersol (YMP ’78-80, ’83, Board of Directors ’98-01) had an exhibit of her paintings at the June Kelly Gallery in New York in September. Read more here.
In June, NPR’s All Things Considered ran a report on the week that music contributor Lara Pellegrinelli shadowed International Contemporary Ensemble (Guest Artists ’11)flutist and executive director Claire Chase (Guest Artists ’05-09). The ensembleperformed James Dillon’s symphonic cycle Nine Rivers September 14-17, 2001 at Miller Theater, Columbia University.
Alex Kazenoff (YMP ’05) graduated this summer from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Electronic Production & Design, and was offered a job as Assistant Engineer at Creative Group, an industry company in the Times Square area of Manhattan.
Aaron Krerowicz (TTI ’11) and his mandolin ensemble Syzygia performed a “Mandolin/Guitar Extravaganza” in Hartford, Connecticut on August 16, 2011. More information, including the concert program, can be found here.
Ned McGowan (Visting Artist ’01-04, ’10) reports that his ensemble Hexnut (Visting Artists ’10) has a new project, WRENCH, together with the photographs of Edward Burtynsky. The performance consists of new compositions performed in a tightly versed integration of sound and projected image, and its premiere last May had a big turnout and was a big success. Hexnut’s website has a trailer from the performance, along with photos, reviews, articles, videos, and info about upcoming concerts.
Loretta Notareschi (YMP ’95, TTI ’08, Faculty ’98-11) was awarded 2nd place in the IronWorks Percussion Duo competition for her piece This Is It; the work was performed in May 2011 in Long Beach, CA. She was also thrilled to write two cadenzas for Mozart’s Flute Concerto in D, performed by Esther Landau (TTI ’09, Administration ’05-11) in November 2010.
Anna Orias (TTI ’04-05) has opened Musically Minded Academy in Oakland, CA,with 11 teachers and more than 100 students. Nick Benavides (TTI ’09-10, CMR ’11) is teaching Creative Musicianship for the first time at the school!
Nat Osborn (YMP ’00-03) is keeping predictably busy with his bands Hawthorne and The Diamond Allegory, with several gigs early in the summer in the NYC area, and the rest of it spent finishing a record and touring Europe.
We dug up a great article by Sam Pluta (Staff ’01-02, Faculty ’02-08, ’10-11) about how to make successful live electronic music.
The PRISM Saxophone Quartet (Guest Artist ’05) made its Bang On A Can debut in June, at New York City’s World Financial Center in the Winter Garden.
Vivian Adelberg Rudow (JCC ’50-51) recently performed live dance to her piece John’s Song, at the Baltimore Museum of Art in July 2011. For the entire month of August, her No Rest Too! and The Bare Smooth Stone of Your Love were featured every two hours on NACUSA Web Radio.
Here is a great video of Kelly Smit (YMP ’93-95) doing Irish Sean-nós dance with her husband Dan Isaacson and his band Simple System.
Births and Weddings:
Mark A. Lackey (TTI ’04-05) and his wife Jennifer welcomed their new daughter Tabitha to the world in February 2011.
Danielle Schindler (YMP ’88-93) married Jason Cheung on August 27, 2011, at IslandWood, an environmental school on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Seth Brenzel (YMP ’85-90, TTI ’08, Staff/Administration ’94-11), Malcolm Gaines (CMR ’11, Administration ’99-11), Loretta Notareschi (YMP ’95, TTI ’08, Faculty ’98-11), David Drucker (YMP ’77-82, CMR’11, Faculty ’84-88, Board of Directors ’98-00), and Dede Ondishko (YMP ’74-77, Faculty/Staff ’79-85, Board of Directors ’99-02) were in attendance. The couple spent their honeymoon in Hong Kong and India.
Now Hear This! Works by 2011 Walden Participants
The Walden School 2011 Creative Musicians Retreat Composers Forums presented the world premieres of more than 25 pieces, including Nick Benavides’ Petrichor, performed by members of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE).
(Note: depending on your operating system, this link will either open your media player and play the track, or save the track to your computer.)
June 2011 eNews: InterNetzo
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director
Walden Receives Grant from National Endowment for the Arts
Lexington Symphony/Walden School Commission
Concert Series Preview
Walden’s Online Auction is starting soon!
Walden goes to Smith: Creative Musicians Retreat Preview
Events roundup
Walden receives New Music Educator Award from the American Music Center
Community News and Goods
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
Now Hear This! Works by 2010 Walden Participants
Message from the Executive Director
I send you greetings from Northampton, Massachusetts, where Walden’s first-ever Creative Musicians Retreat is about to begin. The program’s faculty and staff has gathered a few days prior to the program start and are readying Lawrence House here on Green Street at Smith College. The facilities are lovely, our contacts at Smith helpful, and so far the food is really good. The music building, Sage Hall, looks like it will be a perfect place for what promises to be an exciting week. On Saturday, we will welcome 24 participants from around the world, Russell Pinkston, our composer-in-residence, along with members of ICE, who will also be in residence with us for a concert on Monday night and two composers forums. Read more about the program here.
All of us at Walden are excited that a long-held vision at Walden, to offer a “mini-Walden” program for adult musicians is coming to fruition this year. As a result and for the first time ever, Walden will serve more than 100 participants during its three programs in summer 2011. We are excited about the future possibilities of our newest offering, and we believe the Creative Musicians Retreat will be a wonderful complement to our flagship Young Musicians Program and now nearly 10-year old Teacher Training Institute program.
On June 25, 56 young musicians, ages 9-18 from across the world will descend on Dublin School’s campus for the 39th season of our flagship Young Musicians Program. They include nearly 30 students who are returning for their 2nd or 5th or 10th summer of creativity and community; they include students from Peterborough and Lithuania and India and Los Angeles; they include drummers and singers and violinists and pianists and trumpeters and harpists. We can’t wait to welcome them in just two weeks. Our faculty and staff, comprising many alumni of both our Teacher Training Institute and Young Musicians Program, are a terrific group of mostly returning team members.
On August 3, 40 music teachers from around the world will join our stellar Teacher Training Institute faculty to participate in a weeklong intensive of courses in Walden pedagogy: musicianship, choral singing, computer music, jazz, solfege and rhythms and more. This program is a unique professional development opportunity for music teachers of all kinds, and there are still openings for this summer’s retreat. I hope you will join me in spreading the word!
Throughout the summer, The Walden School, in partnership with numerous ensembles and presenters, will offer 23 concerts, Composers Forums, open rehearsals and presentation, all of which open to the public, in Northampton, Massachusetts, as well as Keene, Dublin, Peterborough and Jaffrey, New Hampshire. The 2011 Concert Seriesbegins on June 12 at Smith College with the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and concludes on August 5 in Dublin, New Hampshire, with Dave Eggar. It is a wonderfully diverse, eclectic and exciting series, and I hope to see many of you at one or more of these events.
There is much to celebrate at Walden these days, with our School being honored with the 2011 American Music Center’s New Music Educator award, an NEA grant and our being named a finalist in the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program awards. All of these honors are built upon the incredibly hard work of Walden’s dedicated faculty, staff, board and administration. I want to offer my sincere appreciation to each of these individuals who work tirelessly during the summer and throughout the year to ensure Walden’s continued strength.
Finally, I want to draw your attention to an exciting commission opportunity for our alumni composers. The Lexington Symphony in Massachusetts has partnered with Walden in identifying an alumnus/alumna (of any of Walden’s programs!) to compose a piece in celebration of the city of Lexington’s 300th anniversary. This is a wonderful opportunity for Walden alumni who are young composers (under the age of 25). Please pass along the news.
Have a creative and musical summer! Hope to see you soon.
Seth Brenzel
Director, Young Musicians Program
Executive Director
sbrenzel@waldenschool.org
Walden Receives Grant from National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has recognized the vital importance of Walden’s Young Musician Program by awarding it a $35,000 grant. The 2011 grant marks the fourth NEA grant received by The Walden School in 10 years. The NEA is an independent agency of the federal government that advances artistic excellence, creativity and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The Walden School is one of 229 not-for-profit national, regional, state, and local organizations recommended for a grant as part of the federal agency’s Learning in the Arts for Children and Youth grant support program, providing more than $7.4 million in funding.
In other recent news, on May 5 The Walden School was named one of 50 finalists for the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award (NYHYP) by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and its partner agencies, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Out of 471 nominations from 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, Walden was named a finalist and is in contention for a $10,000 one-time grant and an invitation to attend the White House awards ceremony hosted by First Lady Michelle Obama.
Lexington Symphony/Walden School Commission Opportunity for Alumni
The Walden School has been selected by the Lexington Symphony (Massachusetts) to partner with it in selecting one of the School’s alumni to compose a new work for orchestra in celebration of the town of Lexington’s 300th Anniversary. This is a great honor, and we at Walden are excited about this exciting new collaboration. The performance of the new work, scheduled for September 2012, will also coincide with celebrations planned for Walden’s 40th Anniversary.
The Walden School invites alumni of its programs, under the age of 25 as of July 1, 2011, to apply for the commission. The selected composer will write a 10-15 minute work for orchestra (overture, tone poem, etc.) by January 1, 2012, and will receive a $1,000 commissioning prize, up to $500 reimbursed in travel and score preparation costs, a performance of the work on the Lexington Symphony’s concert season in September 2012, a professional recording of the performance of the work and opportunities to participate in the rehearsal and preparation of the work for performance. Travel to and from the performance and rehearsals will be at the expense of the selected composer, as will copying and score/parts preparation expenses.
To apply, please write to Seth Brenzel, Executive Director, The Walden School, with the following information no later than July 11, 2011:
Name:
Date of Birth:
Address / Phone / Email:
Year(s) attending The Walden School:
Walden School program(s) attended:
In addition, short answers to each of the following questions should be provided.
- Why do you want to receive this commission? How will it fit into your development as a composer?
- What are your plans for the commission? What is your intended project?
- What experiences do you have writing for orchestra and/or large chamber forces, if any?
Please include up to three (3) scores and recordings (if available) of representative works. These will NOT be returned to you. Please also include a resume or CV.
A committee of Walden faculty will select several finalists who will be recommended to the Lexington Symphony for final selection during July. We will notify all applicants of the results no later than July 31, 2011.
Concert Series Preview
Walden’s 2011 Concert Series will feature an eclectic and exciting mix of artists, including a concert of cutting edge contemporary music by the International Contemporary Ensemble, a performance and Q&A session with the acclaimed composer/performer/improvisor Pamela Z, student and faculty commissions by the fantastic Firebird Ensemble, and much more. As always, Walden’s Festival Week will see the world premieres of more than 50 new pieces by Young Musicians Program Participants, with this year’s Festival Forums moderated by composer Paul Morevec. The full concert schedule, along with more information about each performance, is available here.
Walden’s Online Auction is starting soon!
This summer, Walden is holding an Online Auction, seven weeks of musical period-themed shenanigans and community fun to support our programs. The auction will be held June 25 through August 14, 2011, with different items to bid on each week corresponding to a different musical period. We’ve got some great items already: tickets to the San Francisco Symphony; a painting by Mike Stevens; and a chance to meet Nora, the piano-playing cat!
We need many more items to make the auction fun and successful, so we hope you’ll consider donating – and soliciting – goods and services. Ask your favorite restaurant, spa, bookstore, or pottery painting studio if they ever donate gift certificates for nonprofit auctions. Or consider what you might donate yourself – a customized poem or musical composition; 3 hours of babysitting; two nights at a timeshare someplace warm? If you are interested in donating, you can use this form. We want to have all items in hand by June 15, if possible, so if you’ve got something to donate, let us know today!
In other news, Walden has been added to greatnonprofits.org, and it would be incredibly helpful if you could write a review of our organization. If you haven’t supported Walden yet this year, or if you would like to again, there are many ways to do so in the coming months: make a donation by check, make a donation by credit card by calling us at (415) 648-4710, or make a donation online at www.waldenschool.org/donate. Every gift, no matter the size, helps make Walden possible. Thank you!
Walden goes to Smith: Creative Musicians Retreat Preview
From June 11-19, Walden will present its first-ever Creative Musicians Retreat. Participants from 10 U.S. states, Japan, Portugal, Israel, and Canada will come together on the campus of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts for an inspirational week of creative music-making. Highlights of the week’s activities will be a concert by the acclaimed International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) and two Composers Forums, during which new works by participants will be performed by members of ICE. Our composer-in-residence, Russell Pinkston, will moderate the discussions with the composers, performers, participants and audience members following each piece.
The Creative Musicians Retreat (CMR) was conceived to offer training and development opportunities for the well-rounded musician (ages 18+). Caroline Mallonée, Director of the program, has been associated continuously with the Walden School since 1987, her first year as a student in Walden’s Young Musicians Program. Carrie writes, “I am thrilled to see come to fruition several years of planning efforts on the part of the many Walden community members who supported the creation of this program. I have already been in frequent touch with each of this year’s participants as we prepare for the week’s events – they are without exception a wonderful group of diverse, talented people – and I can’t wait to see how the community develops and learns from itself over the course of the Retreat. The CMR Faculty and Staff are eagerly awaiting the chance to work with them, and I know the week will be a rewarding and inspiring experience for all involved.”
To learn more about the Creative Musicians Retreat, please visit www.waldenschool.org/retreat/. If you missed the chance to participate in this year’s retreat, look out for future summers! If you are in New England, please join us for our concerts and forums in Earle Recital Hall, which are free and open to the public:
We’d love to see you there!
Events roundup
On a sunny spring day in the lovely Baltimore home of Lucy and Jack Henningfield, more than sixty friends of Walden gathered to celebrate the School and listen to a stunning piano recital by jazz great and Walden alumnus Cyrus Chestnut. Board member and YMP alumna Laura Mehiel, along with her mother and aunt, provided delicious food, and Cyrus performed a genre-bending program including a jazzy take on Chopin, a Joplin rag, and originals. He also walked the audience through an exercise he learned from YMP teacher Cindy Harkum, who just happened to be in attendance, and incorporated the sound of the ringing house phone into one of his improvisations. Cyrus also spoke to the importance of creativity and the influence that his Walden experience had on his own music-making.
Walden and JCC alumni had another chance to meet up at two performances by PRISM Saxophone Quartet (Visiting Ensemble ’93, ’94, ’99, ’05). On June 3 and 4 in New York and Philadelphia, the group performed a program of premieres, including “The Giving Tree,” a work by Cara Haxo (YMP ’04-09), most recent winner of the annual PRISM/Walden School Young Composer Commissioning Award.
Walden receives New Music Educator Award from the American Music Center
Dear Friends of Walden,
On May 2 we traveled to New York City to stand with Seth Brenzel, Walden’s Executive Director, as he accepted the American Music Center’s 2011 New Music Education Awardon behalf of the entire Walden community. It was a proud moment for everyone involved with Walden.
For nearly 40 years The Walden School has been advancing innovative, creative, and highly effective methods to help people of all ages express themselves through original improvisation and music composition. We have helped generations of students discover, develop, and fully claim their personal creative voices. In the last ten years we have published two texts documenting our activity-based methods and thorough curriculum, and we have developed a Teacher Training Institute, which serves a broad spectrum of the music education community.
Now the word is out. Walden is taking its place on the national stage!
In August music teachers from all over the country will once again converge in Dublin, New Hampshire, to engage in an experience that is part music immersion, part professional development, part refreshing retreat. There will be young teachers, just starting their careers. There will be seasoned college professors. There will be public and private school teachers, studio teachers, and composers who primarily teach through residency programs. It is always a highly eclectic group comprising some of the most forward thinking, creative musicians in the country.
We invite you to ride the tide of creativity, enthusiasm, and recognition! Please consider the musicians and music educators whom you know. Invite them to consider our 2011 Summer Teacher Training Intensive, August 3-10, in Dublin. We are still accepting applications and would love to work with YOUR friends and colleagues.
As Seth noted in his acceptance speech in New York, The Walden School envisions a world with a higher concentration of people who approach life creatively, collaboratively, and with conviction. Artists of all kinds lead the way in such an endeavor, and Walden has long specialized in offering educational tools that empower musicians to be leaders in the quest.
The word is out. Will you help us spread it?
Sincerely,
Patricia Plude
Director, The Walden School Teacher Training Institute
Pamela Quist
Co-Founder, The Walden School
Assistant Director, The Walden School Teacher Training Institute
Community News and Goods
The Walden School welcomes news and information from members of the Junior Conservatory Camp and Walden School communities to include in our print and online newsletters. News may be sent via mail or email. We will publish your contact information only if you specifically request that we do so. Please send info to alumni@waldenschool.org or The Walden School, 31A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110. We reserve the right to edit submissions and regret we cannot publish all information provided. For upcoming event listings, go to www.handoverhand.org.
Deena Ball, mother of Erica Ball (Young Musicians Program ’06-07) reports new artwork, festival participation, upcoming classes and more. Read more at www.deenasball.com.
Marshall Bessières’ (Faculty ’03-11, Teacher Training Institute ’08) new piece “Winter” was premiered by Choral Chameleon on Sunday May 22nd in New York City. Marshall performed the electronics with the group live on the iPad. Read more at marshallbessieres.com/music.
The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), directed by Claire Chase (Visiting Artist ’05-09), have a busy summer ahead of them, including a free ICElab concert at New York’s (le) Poisson Rouge featuring premieres from composer and percussionist Nathan Davis (Visiting Artist ’01-07, ’09), a residency at MCA Stage in Chicago, and two parties to benefit the ICElab program. Read more at iceorg.org.
Clogs (Visiting Artists ’03) returned to London in May for several shows celebrating Steve Reich’s 75th birthday at the Barbican Centre’s Reverberations Festival, performing with musicians including Shara Worden, Nico Muhly, Lisa Kaplan and the New London Children’s Choir. More details at clogsmusic.com.
Miranda Cuckson (Visiting Artist ’08, ’11) played several exciting concerts in May, including a performance of Perez Velasquez’s piece for violin and electronics, “Un ser con unas alas enormes”, and an appearance with her group counter)induction at Tenri Institute, featuring works using new electronics spatialization software from VRSonic. Concerts this summer include counter)induction performing at Bargemusic on June 3, and solo appearances at the Bard Festival and the quirkily named “Nono, MuchMore Warped” festival. For details, visit www.mirandacuckson.com.
Natacha Diels (Teacher Training Institute ’09) performed at the Cal Berkeley Center for New Music and Audio Technologies with Ensemble Pamplemousse on May 5. Read more about the event, and about Ensemble Pamplemousse.
Stacy Garrop (Young Musicians Program ’87-88, Faculty ’96) appeared on Cedille Records Day on WFMT 98.7 FM this month. Selections from The Book of American Poetry were performed at the DePaul Concert Hall in Chicago, and her new CD, “In Eleanor’s Words: Music of Stacy Garrop” was given a great review by critic Jay Harvey of the Indianapolis Star. Read the review here, and learn more about the cd here.
Evan Johnson (Young Musicians Program ’09-10) met 2011 Pulitzer Prize Winner Zhou Long at the Pulitzer ceremony, where Evan’s father, Mark Johnson, was also receiving a Pulitzer prize. Zhou Long and his wife Chen Yi, both composers, have long been supporters of Walden, and Zhou Long visited Walden with Chen Yi in 1997.
The Nief-Norf Summer Festival chose Caroline Mallonée (Young Musicians Program ’88-92, Teacher Training Institute ’07, Faculty ’96,’98-00,’02-’11) as a winner of its first annual call for scores. Her 2009 piece, North South East West, for four percussionists in four corners, was performed in June at Furman University in Greenville, SC. She was in residence during the festival to work with the performers. Here’s the press release.
An EP by Aimee Bayles produced by Nat Osborn (Young Musician Program ’00-03) has just been released. Nat is also finishing up a short film called “Maybe She Dies Like This” by a film-maker named Jo Henriquez , samples of which can be heard on his website, natosborn.com.
Kelli Pearson (Teacher Training Institute ’10) reports that she has a new website, www.smartfirstgraders.com, for parents, teachers, homeschoolers, grandparents, and anyone else who is helping to raise smart first graders. It has tips for helping with math and reading, learning games and activities, experiments, etc.
The PRISM Saxophone Quartet (Visiting Artists ‘05) recently presented number of concerts. First were two concerts celebrating the release of their new CD, Dedication, in Philadelphia and New York City. They followed this with two concerts of world premieres, including a work by Cara Haxo (Young Musicians Program ’04-09). Cara had a nice profile published in the Akron Beacon Journal.
Alicia Rabins’ (Young Musicians Program ’88-93) band Girls in Trouble has new tour dates up for June. This tour celebrates the release of their new album, Half You Half Me, which was released on May 17th.
Alan Shewmon (Junior Conservatory Camp ’63-69, Young Musicians Program ’72) presented a concert on May 28th featuring works by Bartók, Ginastera, Ravel and Stravinsky, including the Stravinsky-Shewmon transcription of excerpts from Pétrouchka that he performed this past winter at Walden’s San Francisco Alumni Composers Forum.
Transitions
Major Life Events in the Walden/JCC Family
The Rev. Joseph Lafayette Giles, former senior pastor of University Baptist Church and longtime Walden friend and supporter, passed away on May 2 at the Broadmead retirement community in Cockeysville, at 81. Here is a link to the Baltimore Sun obituary.
Now Hear This! Works by 2011 Walden Participants
The Walden School 2010 Young Musicians Program Festival Forums presented the world premieres of more than 50 pieces, including Lenny Kloser’s Medicine Bottle, performed by Lenny on guitar, with Sam Pluta on live electronics.
(note: depending on your operating system, this link will either open your media player and play the track, or save the track to your computer)
April 2011 eNews: InterNetzo
Table of Contents
Message from the Executive Director
Walden Honored with National Music Education Award
Apply to Participate in a Walden Program (or two!)
Join jazz luminary Cyrus Chestnut and help support Walden
Event Roundup and Preview: Spring 2011
Walden Profiled in San Francisco Classical Voice
Read Walden’s 2010 Annual Report Online!
Community News and Goods
Opportunities & Organizations Listing
Now Hear This! Works by 2010 Walden Participants
Message from the Executive Director
Greetings from Baltimore, where the leadership team for Walden’s Young Musicians Program has gathered to develop this summer’s curriculum and plan for our upcoming 39th season. In addition to planning for ‘camp’, we’re in the midst of reviewing applications for our Creative Musicians Retreat to be held for the first time at Smith College in June, and for our Teacher Training Institute to be held in Dublin in August. There are still spaces available in each of our programs. I hope you’ll consider joining us and telling your friends, family and colleagues about our unique program offerings.
This issue of InterNetzo touches on many areas of interest to Walden supporters and alumni: a prestigious award bestowed on Walden by the American Music Center at an awards ceremony in New York on May 2, an exciting concert and support opportunity in Baltimore on May 1, a musical offering from one of our 2010 Composers Forums, updates from alumni, faculty and supporters, and much more.
This is an exciting time of year for all of us at Walden, as we ready our programs to welcome participants from around the world. Walden is so fortunate to have the support of hundreds of dedicated supporters who help make all of what we do possible. Without such support, we would not be able to provide any financial aid to deserving students and music teachers, or offer the rich and diverse concert series that we do. Thank you to those of you who have already made a gift to our annual fund this year. We really appreciate it. In 2010, more than 450 supporters invested in Walden and made all of it possible. Read about it here. I hope you’ll consider joining them in making 2011 our best year ever!
In next month’s InterNetzo, we will preview our Concert Series, which begins this year in Northampton with a concert by the International Contemporary Ensemble on June 12. We will also give you information about our faculty and staff, and tell you a bit about some of this year’s program participants. In the meantime, I hope that your spring is off to a great start.
Seth Brenzel
Director, Young Musicians Program
Executive Director
sbrenzel@waldenschool.org
Walden Honored with National Music Education Award
The Walden School will receive the 2011 New Music Educators Award from the American Music Center on May 2, 2011, at an awards ceremony in New York City.
The New Music Educator Award was established by the American Music Center’s Board of Directors in 2006. This award is open to conductors, professors, lecturers, academics, and others who have made important contributions in the realm of education, but might not always be well known to the rest of the new music community. Previous winners include musicologist Charles Hamm and the New World Symphony.
The Walden School is the recipient of our New Music Educator Award, honoring their creative philosophy and curriculum, as well as their contribution toward motivating and mentoring decades of successful students.”
– Joanne Hubbard Cossa, President and CEO of the
American Music Center
Also being honored at the awards ceremony will be preeminent composers William Bolcom and John Harbison, the Copland House and So Percussion, a fantastic quartet of percussionists dedicated to the performance of contemporary music. Many congratulations to everyone involved with Walden, whether since 1972 or since last month! This is a terrific acknowledgement of the great work that we all do together.
Read more about the award here.
Apply to Participate in a Walden Program (or two!)
Applications are still being accepted for each of our programs — it is certainly not too late to plan to spend part of your summer with Walden! And if you can’t attend one of Walden’s programs this summer, we hope you will tell your friends and family and colleagues about what a terrific experience they will have if they do! Limited need-based financial aid is available for all programs.
Creative Musicians Retreat – NEW!
June 11-June 19, 2011 on the campus of Smith College
For more information and to download application materials, visit: www.waldenschool.org/creative-musicians-retreat/
Any adult (18+) musician is invited to join Walden faculty, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), and Composer-in-Residence Russell Pinkston for a weeklong workshop in musicianship, composition, choral singing, improvisation, and more! Space is limited to 25 participants.
Young Musicians Program (aka YMP)
June 25-July 31, 2011 on the campus of the Dublin School
For more information and to download application materials, visit: waldenschool.org/young-musicians-program
Join Walden’s top-notch faculty and staff for a 5-week summer music immersion experience of musicianship, composition, choral singing and many other enriching activities. Open to young musicians ages 9-18. Guest artists will include Paul Moravec, Pamela Z, Eric Huebner, and the Firebird Ensemble, among others.
Teacher Training Institute’s Developing Creative Expression (aka TTI)
August 3-August 10, 2011 on the campus of the Dublin School
For more information and to download application materials, visit: waldenschool.org/teacher-training-institute
Walden’s master teaching faculty will lead a group of 40 like-minded music educators through a professional development experience like no other, and provide pedagogy instruction in musicianship, solfege, rhythms, improvisation, composition, choral singing, computer music,and jazz musicianship. Grammy-nominated Dave Eggar will appear in concert as part of the workshop!
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Join jazz luminary Cyrus Chestnut and help support Walden
We hope you’ll join us for a musical afternoon with jazz great and Walden alumnus Cyrus Chestnut. Hailed as “the best jazz pianist of his generation” by Time Magazine, Chestnut will perform a program of standards and original works in this intimate house concert. We hope you can join us for hors d’oeuvres, drinks, conversation and spectacular music to benefit Walden.
Date: Sunday, May 1, 2011
Time: 3-5:30 p.m.
Location: A private home in Baltimore, Maryland
Please contact us for details
$100 per person suggested donation.
Smaller and larger contributions also welcome.
All donations go towards financial aid for Walden’s programs.
RSVP now by email or call (415) 648-4710.
There are still a few prime seats left!
Can’t attend, but still want to make a gift? Click below.
Your gift of any size makes it possible for creative young people and music teachers to have the experience of a lifetime at Walden. Thank you!
Event Roundup and Preview: Spring 2011
On a sunny Sunday afternoon, April 10, 2011, to be exact, over 30 Walden and JCC alumni and friends gathered for the annual New York Alumni Composers Forum at Ann Goodman Recital Hall in the Lincoln Center neighborhood of Manhattan. Works by Alex Ness (Staff ’03, Faculty ’06-08), Evie Grainger (YMP ‘09-10), Michael Johanson (YMP ’79-86, Faculty ’89, ’93, ’95-96), and Steven Jon Kaplan (YMP ’74) were performed. Bassist Rebekah Griffin Greene (TTI ’10, Faculty ’99, ’01, ’10) and her trombonist husband Terry Greene performed their own improvisation. Other performers included baritone Jefferson Packer (TTI ’10; Administration ’10-present), violinist Jane Chung (Visiting Artist ’04, ’09-10), cellist Jane Cords O’Hara (Visiting Artist ’08, ’10), and guest pianist Solon Gordon. Forum moderators Marguerite Ladd and Michael Johanson engaged the composers, performers, and audience in lively discussion about the works being presented. Afterwards, a reception at the hall flowed into a group dinner around the corner at a local restaurant, where 14 of the participants continued the conversation well into the evening.
If you missed the New York Forum for reasons of timing or geography, you’ll have another chance to meet up with other Walden and JCC alumni at two upcoming performances by PRISM Saxophone Quartet (Visiting Ensemble ’93, ’94, ’99, ’05). On June 3 and 4 in New York and Philadelphia, the group will be performing a program of premieres, including “The Giving Tree,” a work by Cara Haxo (YMP ’04-09), most recent winner of the annual PRISM/Walden School Young Composer Commissioning Award. PRISM’s programs are electrifying – outstanding works performed brilliantly by committed performers.
Click here for details and for ticket information.
Read Walden’s 2010 Annual Report Online!
2010 was an outstanding year at Walden, thanks to our wonderful supporters. Click hereto see who contributed to The Walden School last year and what their giving accomplished. If you haven’t already made your 2011 donation to The Walden School, you can do so online by clicking below. Thank you!
Community News and Goods
The Walden School welcomes news and information from members of the Junior Conservatory Camp and Walden School communities to include in our print and online newsletters. News may be sent via mail or email. We will publish your contact information only if you specifically request that we do so. Please send info to alumni@waldenschool.org or The Walden School, 31A 29th St., San Francisco, CA 94110. We reserve the right to edit submissions and regret we cannot publish all information provided. For upcoming event listings, go to www.handoverhand.org.
Jim Altieri (Faculty ’02,’06-07, Teacher Training Institute ’06) recently collaborated with the band Pearl and the Beard on their new album, Killing the Darlings. He played violin several tracks, and composed a French horn quartet for a track that was performed by the acclaimed quartet Genghis Barbie. More information is available here. Jim also played accordion in Elevation Maps, a piece by Tristan Perich for five accordions and five channel one-bit audio, in a tour this month which includes several East Coast cities, as well as Santa Fe, New Mexico. After a mini-tour with Peter Evans (Guest Artist ’07-08)and Sam Pluta (Staff ’01-02, Faculty ’03-10), they’ve been getting lots of great feedback about “Sum and Difference”, their album of laptop / acoustic instrument duets. You can check the album out on Carrier Records’ website. Finally, he’s been at work with singer-songwriter Matt Singer on his new album, contributing accordion parts to several songs, and playing with his band live and on tape. See tweeg.net for more details.
Erica Ball (Young Musicians Program ’06-07) had a piece featured on a concert by the Arneis Quartet, along with a composer-audience discussion, at the public library in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Kate Ettinger’s (Young Musicians Program ’03-05) orchestra piece Caedo, Caedere (2011) was recently premiered at Oberlin by the Oberlin Chamber Orchestra. You can read more here.
Jane Lange (Young Musicians Program ’09-10)was named a recipient of 2011 ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composers Award. The winning piece is Moments, which was composed last year at Walden. Read the article about her in the San Francisco Classical Voice.
Aurora Nealand (Faculty ’03-07, Visiting Artist ’09-10)is a featured artist on the HBO show Treme. Read more about the show here.
This has been a big month for Nat Osborn (Young Musicians Program ’00-03), who appeared multiple times with groups Hawthorne, Nat Osborn and the Diamond Allegory, and also accompanying Aimee Bayles, whose album he recently produced.
Alica Rabins’s (Young Musicians Program ’88-93) band Girls in Trouble has a new album, “HALF YOU HALF ME”, which will be released by Jdub Records on May 17 (and available at shows starting in April). The album features ten new songs and beautiful design by the band’s artist-musician-designer friend David Pokrivnak. A tour of California, the Southeast, the Northeast, and a big NYC show at Joe’s Pub on May 19th will follow. More information about that show is available here. Alicia also had some poems on the back cover of the March/April American Poetry Review.
A small but vibrant group of Los Angeles-based Waldenites got together this April, with alumni Alan Shewmon, (Junior Conservatory Camp ’63-60, Young Musicians Program ’72)Ted Masur (Teacher Training Institute ’04-07, Faculty ’08), Alan Chan (Teacher Training Institute ’04, ’06, Faculty ’10), Julian van Eyken (Teacher Training Institute ’08), and donor and designer Chris Maikish joining Seth Brenzel (Young Musicians Program ’85-90, Teacher Training Institute ’08, Staff ’94, ’96-97, Admin ’94-11) and Esther Landau (Teacher Training Institute ’08, Admin ’05-11).
Now Hear This! Works by 2011 Walden Participants
The Walden School 2010 Young Musicians Program Festival Forums presented the world premieres of over 50 pieces, including Kaeli Mogg’s ROUGH, performed by Amelia Lukas, flute, Meighan Stoops, clarinet, Jake Tejada, trumpet, Steve Parker, trombone, and Nadia Sirota, viola.
(note: depending on your operating system, this link will either open your media player and play the track, or save the track to your computer)