FANFARE OCTOBER 2021
MUSIC ACADEMY OF THE WEST
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA
visit to Santa Barbara by sharing great music with audiences of all ages. I have heard so much about the wonderful community there that loves symphonic music.” – Sir Simon Rattle, Music Director, London Symphony Orchestra Oliver Helbig
75th Anniversary launches in March with London Symphony Orchestra Residency
“The LSO will have a rewarding
Mark your calendars now for the kickoff of our 75th anniversary in March 2022. The Music Academy of the West is generating headlines with the return of the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) to Santa Barbara in a residency that serves as the pinnacle of a five-year partnership. Three concerts, each with a different program, will all be led by Sir Simon Rattle – marking his first appearance in Santa Barbara in decades. The opening concert will feature the LSO exclusively, co-presented by the Community Arts Music Association (CAMA). The second program is a speciallydesigned LSO Family Concert for all ages. And to top it off: a joint 75th Anniversary Community Concert as a gift to the community featuring Keston MAX (Music Academy Exchange) fellow All-Stars from 2018-2021. The All-Stars will perform alongside the LSO for a once-in-a-lifetime alliance of over 150 musicians. • LSO Concert Thursday, March 24, 7:30 pm, Granada Theatre CAMA subscription tickets now on sale.
The lead sponsors of the London Symphony Orchestra and Music Academy partnership are Linda and Michael Keston and Mary Lynn and Warren Staley. Additional support has been provided in remembrance of Léni Fé Bland.
• LSO Family Concert Saturday, March 26, 4 pm, Granada Theatre All adults $10, 7-17s free with a ticketed adult •
75th Anniversary Community Concert LSO and Keston MAX All-Stars Sunday, March 27, 7 pm, Granada Theatre All adults $10, 7-17s free with a ticketed adult
Individual tickets for all three concerts will be available on Tuesday, January 18 at Noon. More details to be announced in the new year!
2021 Summer Festival Winners Announced! Over $50,000 in prizes for auditions and competitions were awarded to 20 fellows The Music Academy is committed to offering career-advancing pathways for fellows through competitions in solo performance, musical collaboration, and innovation. Instrumental fellows auditioned to participate in the 2022 Keston MAX (Music Academy Exchange), a 10-day residency in London performing with the LSO. Each of the 12 winners also received a cash award of $1,500. Instrumentalists and singers took part in the 2021 Solo Piano, Duo, and Marilyn Horne Song competitions, as well as the Digital Challenge. Each winner received a cash award of $5,000. The winners of the competitions will receive commissions from composers Tyshawn Sorey, Conrad Tao, and Carlos Simon to be premiered in a Winners Recital Series at Hahn Hall in April 2022. Nine finalists shared ideas for new ventures in the Fast Pitch Awards, of which three were awarded $1,500 to encourage their innovation and creativity. They will receive additional training when they attend Music Academy’s 2022 Innovation Residential & Alumni Showcase. Learn more about each competition and the winners HERE.
2022 KESTON MAX WINNERS Rodion Belousov oboe Aaron Blick bass Keoni Bolding viola Elissa Brown flute Cristina Cutts Dougherty tuba Carlos Jiménez Fernández trombone Sean Juhl viola Emma Lee cello Ka Long Lee cello Javier Morales-Martinez clarinet Kipras Mazeika bassoon Jonathan Wisner percussion
LEFT TO RIGHT: 1. Marilyn Horne Song Competition Winners: Alexander Soloway, vocal piano; Shawn Roth, tenor. 2. Digital Challenge
Winner Gabrielle Pho, horn, playing in her video submission “Essay on Craft.” 3. Fast Pitch Awardees (pictured left to right): Rachel Martin, double bass; Byron J. Mayes, baritone; Anush Avetisyan, soprano. 4. Duo Competition Winners Keoni Bolding, viola; Melivia Raharjo, collaborative piano. 5. 2021 Solo Piano Competition Winner Hsin-Hao Yang. (photos by Phil Channing)
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IN THE MEDIA
ADMINISTRATION NEWS
Summer Festival in the News
Isabel Dickinson received her new title as Director of Student Services and Alumni Programs.
The media celebrated the return of the in-person Festival in cover stories and features. See highlights below and read more online at musicacademy.org/in-the-news
Nicole Singer, Director of Financial and Database Analysis, brought a baby girl into the world on April 18 – welcome Claire Elaine Singer!
The Miracle at Miraflores
Henry Michaels was recognized with the new title of Director of Audience Experience and Engagement. In addition, he and his wife Bridget welcomed the arrival of their baby boy Josiah Edward “Jed” Michaels on March 5.
“After a strikingly effective pivot season in which faculty and fellows beamed in their performances from all over the world, 2021 will forever be remembered as the summer that the Music Academy of the West returned the restorative power of live music to Santa Barbara.” – Charles Donelan
Living Voices “All 11 of the composers whose work was featured in this dazzling recital are women, and seven of them were born in or after 1980… these artists push the boundaries of 21st-century music. The combination of great singers like Shawn Roth, Joshua Berg, Katherine Lerner Lee, Kaileigh Riess, and Lorenzo Zapata with this wealth of fascinating new material made this an afternoon to remember.” – Charles Donelan
The Artistic Operations department grew by two this month. The Music Academy brought summer staff members Indigo Fischer and Jonathan Lee Chan on full time into the respective roles of Artistic Operations Coordinator and Manager of Production and Technology. We welcome them in these new roles. Brooklyn Snyder joined the Music Academy in February in the role of Advancement Associate and in August was promoted to the title of Advancement Operations Coordinator. Naomi Merer joined the Music Academy in June as the new Office Manager and Administrative Assistant. She is also an accomplished singer and teaches voice locally.
Festival Closes with Spectacular Online Vocal Event “The Music Academy of the West’s 2021 Summer Festival, which has been a robust success, achieved under trying circumstances, will conclude with a sensational streamed event from the Vocal Institute: “Mirrorflores — Cinematic Opera.” – Gerald Carpenter
Festival opens with panache and not a few tears “The Academy Chamber Orchestra, under the continually astonishing baton of conductor Larry Rachleff, gave back to an experience-deprived audience, music that bathed hungry souls in the multiple nimbuses of youth, life, energy, camaraderie, sound itself, and the joy of people being with one another once again. The city’s too long shrouded venue breathed anew, pulsed with the energy of human artistic endeavor, and rekindled creative spirit. It’s been a long time coming, and it was epic.”– Daniel Kepl
An Amazing Summer Season ends in Triumph “In the annals of the Music Academy of the West, 2021 will be remembered as one of the most important artistic renewals in the institution’s 74-year history. The Music Academy’s dynamic programs for young professionals jump-started with a roar… Alsop was a marvel of fabulous musicianship and subtle conductorial handicraft. The 2022 summer season, it can safely be predicted, will be blockbuster. Bravi tutti!” – Daniel Kepl 3
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Donating a vehicle in support of the Music Academy’s full-scholarship program has never been easier. Our partner, CARS (Charitable Auto Resources Inc.), handles all of the details associated with your tax-deductible donation, and will even accept non-running vehicles. Donations are accepted throughout the United States.
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Ralph Sauer retires after 14 years as faculty artist “Mr. Sauer’s musicianship and teaching left a profound impact on all of us. He impressed on us a rare sense of practicality, informed by his decades-long career. To young students embarking on this path, it was an invaluable lesson that can hardly be taught in a classroom.”
Phil Channing
– Shachar Israel (’06, ’07), assistant principal trombone, The Cleveland Orchestra
T
rombone faculty artist Ralph Sauer has been a familiar face at the Music Academy since 2007, guiding trombone fellows on their musical journeys. 2021 marked his final Summer Festival with us as he transitions into retirement. Ralph recently shared, “My greatest joy during my 14 years at the Music Academy has been watching the careers of the fellows as they enter the musical world.” The former principal trombonist of the LA Phil (for 32 years) and
Toronto Symphony (for six years) is regarded as one of the premier orchestral trombonists of any generation whose recordings have set the industry standard in playing and musicianship for decades. Ralph has shared his wisdom and artistry with our young musicians, many of whom have gone on to remarkable careers in premiere orchestras across the country and internationally. His legacy leaves a permanent mark on the Academy’s community and family of artists.
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launches fourth season in partnership with YPC National The Music Academy’s Sing! Children’s Chorus is an initiative offered free of charge to all students ages 7-11 in Santa Barbara County. The program moved online in 2020 as a result of school closings during the pandemic. Nearly 100 young choristers representing 27 elementary schools participated in rehearsals and performances, continuing musical growth and connection. This year, Sing! entered into a partnership with the Young People’s Chorus of New York City through a granting program of YPC National, Inc.; an independent non-profit organization founded by MacArthur Fellow Francisco Nuñez. This new bi-coastal collaboration will inspire Sing! to flourish in Santa Barbara when it restarts on January 10, 2022, and will provide performance opportunities with other young choristers nationwide.
THREE UPCOMING SING! EVENTS: Spooky Sing! / Oct 30
Sing! choristers will be in costume ready to sing!
Harvest Sing! / Nov 11
Young People’s Chorus’ Francisco J. Nuñez will lead participants in song.
Holiday Sing! / Dec 11
A guest star will perform for Sing! and join everyone in holiday favorites.
Learn more and register your child at musicacademy.org/sing
Women’s Auxiliary Grows as Online Auction Returns Dec 2-18 The newly established Special Envoy program welcomed prospective members by matching them with current members to: • network and build friendship • engage in creative fundraising events • serve as the core volunteer resource for the Academy
Nick Ouellette
Monthly meetings feature live performances, such as a recent performance by alumni cellist Joshua Roman (’02) and faculty artist pianist Natasha Kislenko (‘01).
Auxiliary members Kathy Thrash and Judy Astbury with Music Academy President and CEO Scott Reed
Learn more, view Auxiliary members, and sign up to join at musicacademy.org/volunteer/womens-auxiliary.
The Auxiliary’s latest venture launches December 2 with an Online Auction. Unique and exclusive items – including artwork inspired by the Music Academy gardens, commissioned especially for this event – will be offered in support of the Academy’s full-scholarship program and year-round engagement initiatives such as the Sing! Children’s Chorus, Alumni Enterprise Awards, and Innovation Residential & Alumni Showcase. On December 18, the auction will be capped off with an allages holiday event at the Music Academy for everyone to enjoy. Please bid and attend the event to help music thrive in our community and beyond! 5
Phil Channing
Lynn Lane
Marilyn Horne Song Competition Winners in Recital | THU, NOV 18, 7 PM |
Mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce (’19, ’20, ‘21) and pianist Chien-Lin Lu (’14, ’15, ‘19), both three-year Music Academy alumni, won the esteemed Song Competition in 2019 but the pandemic put their recital on hold. The duo returns to Hahn Hall for the world premiere of three-time Grammy Award-winning Jennifer Higdon’s song cycle, Wise Moon. Higdon will be present in Santa Barbara for the premiere. Get tickets now at musicacademy.org/song
PUBLIC MARKET
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“Shortly after returning from my residency at the Music Academy, I was walking one evening in Philadelphia, and looked up to see a very bright moon gazing down on me. I thought about how that celestial body has always been present, watching silently, and inspiring everyone from poets penning lines to astronauts pushing the boundaries of space. And for this composer, it felt like a noble starting point for creating songs for these talented performers.” – Jennifer Higdon on composing Wise Moon for the competition winners
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Hahn Hall expands capabilities with 21st Century upgrades
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n furthering its mission to create transformative experiences for musicians and audiences, the Music Academy is boosting its premiere recital hall’s production and technology capabilities. Through the generosity of the Hind Foundation, Hahn Hall is undergoing a $1.65 million upgrade to enhance its recording technology, both audio and video, as well lighting and projection setups. A three-phase plan has launched, spearheaded by the Academy’s Innovation Institute in partnership with consultants renowned for their work on performing arts centers worldwide. Once the upgrade is completed, producers and artists will be able to take advantage of more complex lighting design and utilize robotic cameras for video recording.
THREE-PHASE UPGRADE PLAN 1: Summer 2021 System design and piloting of best-in-class microphones and robotic cameras in a flexible, “future-leaning” setup for audio/video capture and post-production. These features were used during the 2021 Festival for online programming and expanded distance learning for fellows.
2: Fall & Winter 2021-2022 Permanent mounting of equipment and wiring; including control systems, expanding upstage lighting, and LED integration.
3: Early 2022 New projection capabilities installed and integrated with recording setup to allow for enhanced audiovideo capabilities and multimedia performances. 2021 Summer Festival recording project in Hahn Hall
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Return to Miraflores: Opening Night Gala
Montana Dennis
On July 10, 300 guests returned to the Academy for the 2021 Summer Festival’s Opening Night Gala, dedicated to Mary Lynn and Warren Staley. The all-outdoor benefit event featured alumnus Ben Bliss (‘12) and faculty artists Jeremy Denk, Conor Hanick, Takács Quartet, and Nino Sanikidze (’01, ‘02). Violist Richard O’Neill (’98,’99) received the Academy’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Enormous thanks to everyone who supported this extraordinary event, especially Gala Co-Chairs Michele Brustin, Stephanie Shuman, and Fred Shuman.
A LEGACY THAT STANDS THE TEST OF TIME There are many remarkable things you can do today to make a lasting impact. If you have any of the following, then you have a great opportunity to leave a legacy with the Music Academy:
IRA, 401(k) or 403(b) retirement accounts Life Insurance you no longer need Investment accounts Checking, savings or CD account In addition, there is still time to create a new gift. From a bequest or will, to a charitable trust or gift annuity, we are here to help you find ways to bring comfort to your loved ones and support the nonprofits that you care about. As 2021 closes, many of these gifts may have the additional benefit of a tax-deduction.
The Music Academy celebrated its legacy donors at its annual recognition supper on September 9, featuring a sunset performance by cello alumna Emma Lee (’17, ’18, ’20, ‘21) and harp alumna Anya Garipoli (’19, ’20, ‘21).
You can find resources to assist you in your legacy gift planning on our website at musicacademylegacy.org. Or please contact Jill Rode, Director of Legacy Gifts, at jrode@musicacademy.org or 805-695-7911.
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international series at the Granada Theatre Presenting the world’s finest classical artists since 1919
2022 SEASON
103rd CONCERT SEASON
Welcome Back to Live Classical Music with CAMA!
ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Vasily Petrenko, Music Director Olga Kern, piano
CAMA and Music Academy of the West co-present the London Symphony Orchestra in concert in celebration of the Music Academy’s 75th anniversary
FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2022, 7:30PM
THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022, 7:30PM
LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC
LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Sir Simon Rattle, Music Director
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2022, 7:30PM
TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2022, 7:30PM
Kirill Karabits, conductor Mikhail Pletnev, piano
Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Music Director
RUSSIAN NATIONAL ORCHESTRA
ENGLISH BAROQUE SOLOISTS
masterseries at the Lobero Theatre Sir Simon Rattle
Mikhail Pletnev
Isabel Bayrakdarian
SEASON SPONSOR:
ESPERIA FOUNDATION
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2022, 7:30PM
SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2022, 7:30PM
Jordi Savall, Director & bass viol
MARK FEWER, violin JAMIE PARKER, piano
FRIDAY, MARCH 18, 2022, 7:30PM
TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2022, 7:30PM
JORDI SAVALL AND LE CONCERT DES NATIONS
BENJAMIN GROSVENOR, piano Benjamin Grosvenor
SAGE PUBLICATIONS
TUESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2022, 7:30PM
Elim Chan, conductor Igor Levit, piano
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ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN, soprano
JAMES EHNES, violin ORION WEISS, piano
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COMMUNITY ARTS MUSIC ASSOCIATION OF SANTA BARBARA
Compeers Friends Among Friends
JOIN US AS A 2022 COMPEER
For 24 years the Compeer Program has been at the heart of the Music Academy community. No other summer festival rivals the Music Academy’s commitment to ensuring audiences and musicians connect in meaningful ways and enjoy their shared passion for music and its impact on society. Enrich your Music Academy experience by becoming a 2022 Compeer and get to know the extraordinary fellows who will be joining us from around the world next summer. We hope you will also encourage other community members to consider this rewarding opportunity. 2022 Compeer signups begin in January. For preliminary sign-ups and/or questions, email compeer@musicacademy.org Council of Contributor members receive prioritized studio preference as a membership benefit. musicacademy.org/compeer | 805-695-7923 compeer@musicacademy.org
Flute studio Compeers and fellows with faculty artist Tim Day
“Being able to give back musically to the people who support us financially and be able to discuss things with them and spend time with them has shown me how important it is to engage with your audience and benefactors, and has made me connections spanning from coast to coast” – 2021 Academy Fellow
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LEGACY GIVING SPOTLIGHT
Phil Channing
Academy Alumnus Pays it Forward concertmaster in the orchestra – were transformative experiences. “Music Academy was this beautiful combination of hard work, lots of fun, and very interesting relationships with new people. There was this melding of experiences from students from all over. It was really eye opening and inspiring on many levels, not just musically.”
There is a certain everyman quality to the story of alumnus John Chisholm’s (’88, ’89, ’90, ’91) life and career. Now a second violinist with the San Francisco Symphony, the beginning of John’s musical life started a bit later than many other professional musicians. His first contact with the violin came in 5th grade when he joined his publicschool orchestra. “I took to it pretty well!” John recounts with a modesty that belies his status as a member of one of the world’s foremost orchestras. He began taking lessons at the age of 13 and by 10th grade had decided his dream was to become a professional musician.
Now as he nears the end of a second decade in San Francisco, John is giving back. As new members of the Encore Society, John and his partner, Tom, are making the same kind of gift “Music Academy was this beautiful combination of hard work, lots of fun, and very interesting relationships with new people... It was really eye opening and inspiring on many levels, not just musically.” – John Chisholm
John Chisholm’s first experience with Music Academy came in 1988, when he followed his college violin teacher Zvi Zeitlin – who was also a longtime faculty member at the Academy – to sunny California for an intensive summer of learning and performing. John practically became a fixture at the Academy for the next four years, during which time he also completed both a bachelor’s and master’s degree at the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with both Zeitlin and Sylvia Rosenberg. When asked to describe his time at Music Academy, John replied with a single word, “Halcyon.” His four summers – the last of which saw him serve as
that has enabled John and thousands of other young musicians to gain access to world-class music education. “Were it not for scholarships, I wouldn’t have been able to afford Music Academy when I was a student. Music Academy was a huge part of my development, and if I had not been able to come here my education would have been much less rich. I want to give back to an institution that gave me a lot.” Read more about John in the latest Resonance Blog post at musicacademy.org/blog
Apply for the Alumni Enterprise Awards: deadline Nov 15! All Music Academy alumni are invited to apply now to help bring their dream projects to life. Grants ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 will be awarded to support innovative projects; particularly those that impact artistic expression, audience development, education, community engagement, social justice, and technology. All winners will receive year-round support and career-advancing opportunities; including attending an Innovation Residential & Alumni Showcase to build their entrepreneurial skills and receive expert guidance from industry mentors. Alumni: read about past awardees and start your applications at musicacademy.org/awards. 2021 Alumni Enterprise Awardees
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2022 Innovation Residential & Alumni Showcase
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t the end of February, the Music Academy will hold its third annual Innovation Residential, an incubator and accelerator for recent Alumni Enterprise and Fast Pitch Awardees. These exceptional alumni will work with artistic and business leaders to advance their award-winning entrepreneurial projects and business skills. This year, the educational experience will expand to become the Innovation Residential & Alumni Showcase, sharing online and in-person content that further highlights awardees’ musically-driven projects as well as speakers and seminars. Stay tuned for more details early next year when the 2022 Alumni Enterprise Awardees are announced.
2021 Innovation Residential Testimonials “There are a lot of wonderful ideas and projects floating around out there in the world, but it is this kind of mentorship that takes an inventive idea and makes it viable.” “One of the best weeks! I am so grateful for the Music Academy for investing so much in each of us! I know this Innovation Residential will help me far beyond this project.” “This week has really changed the way I’m looking at my project, and these new perspectives have set me up I believe for far better outcomes. Thank you!”
Alumnus Bernardo Bermudez (’11) will share insights at the 2022 Residential about his prizewinning Opera4Kids program.
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AL UMN I STRINGS Music Academy viola alumnus and faculty artist Richard O’Neill (‘98, ‘99) won a Grammy Award in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category. Violin fellow Hannah Duncan (’20, ’21) chamber group ILO Quartet took first prize in the Stockholm International Music Competition this July. They also received the people’s choice award in the Coltman Chamber Music Competition in March. Cello alumnus Philip Sheegog (‘17) was selected to participate in American Music Abroad’s 2021-2022 virtual season as a member of the ARKAI duo. Violin alumna Gabriela Peña-Kim (‘16) was named a 2021 LA Phil Residence Fellow. Double bassist Christian Gray (‘14) took both second prize and the Audience Choice Award at the 2021 Sphinx Competition.
PIANO Vocal Piano alumnus Lio Kuok-man (‘09) has been appointed as Resident Conductor for the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Solo Piano alumna and 2020 Digital Challenge Awardee Byeol Kim (’20) took third prize in the Cleveland International Piano Competition. Collaborative Piano alumna Dr. Sarah Gibson’s (’09) composition warp and weft was performed by the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl in August and the Seattle Symphony in January. Piano alumnus and composer James Newton Howard (’67, ’69) was an Oscar nominee for his score to the film News of the World. The podcast And If Love Remains featured alumnus Rich Coburn (‘14) in April on making a difference, who received a 2021 Alumni Enterprise Award for his BIPOC Voices project. Vocal Piano alumna Anna Smigelskaya (‘19) is now the collaborative pianist for the Yale School of Music Opera Department. Please send alumni updates to alumni@musicacademy.org
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Classical Singer magazine featured Vocal Piano alumna Carrie-Ann Matheson (‘97, ‘98), who recently started her new job as artistic director of the Merola Opera Program. Orion Weiss, piano (‘00), was announced earlier this year as part of the first cohort of WQXR’s Artist Propulsion Lab.
WOODWINDS Bassoonist Joshua Elmore (‘18) won a Principal audition with Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra in May. Stephanie Morin (‘18, flute), Nicolas Richard (‘19, bassoon), and Arin Sarkissian (‘20, ’21, flute) were finalists in the 81st edition of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s Le Concours OSM Competition. Oboist and multi-year alumnus Ben Brogadir (’16, ’20, ’21) was a finalist in the 2021 IDRS Fernand Gillet-Hugo Fox Competition this May. He also recently performed at the Ojai Music Festival. Victoria Chung (‘19) was named Principal Oboe of the Richmond Symphony Orchestra.
BRASS Trumpet fellow and Yamaha Artist Federico Montes (’20, ’21) was featured on Yamaha Music Latin America as part of their “Make Waves” campaign. Nathaniel Silberschlag (‘17, ‘18), principal horn of The Cleveland Orchestra, joined the conservatory faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music. Amanda Stewart (‘01), associate principal trombonist of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, performed as part of the Presidential Inauguration celebration.
VOCAL INSTITUTE Music Academy alumni Brenda Rae (‘08) and Ben Bliss (‘12) were among the five artists to receive this year’s Metropolitan Opera Beverly Sills Artist Award. 12
12 Vocal Institute alumnae took center stage at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Congratulations to District Winners Yvette Keong (‘19), Talin Nalbandian (‘18, ‘19), Meryl Dominguez (‘15), Ted Allen Pickell (‘14, ‘15, ‘16), Kaileigh Riess (’20, ‘21), Anne Marie Stanley (‘18), Geoffrey Schellenberg (‘17), Alma Neuhaus (’20, ’21), Ricardo Garcia (‘16), Adanya Dunn (‘14, ‘15), Sun-Ly Pierce (‘19, ’20, ‘21), and Alice Chung (’20, ‘21). LA Opera streamed Ellen Reid’s Pulitzer Prizewinning opera “p r i s m” in January, directed by James Darrah and starring alumna soprano Anna Schubert (‘20) in the role of Bibi. A Grammy went to vocal alumnae Sasha Cooke (‘02) and Isabel Leonard (‘05) for their recording with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony. Soprano Magdalena Kuzma (‘19) took Third Place and Audience Favorite in the Scholarship Division of the National Opera Association’s 2021 Vocal Competition. Soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian (‘98) has released a new recording of Armenian children’s songs, lullabies, and prayers. Soprano Stacey Alleaume’s (‘15) debut recital album “Moonlight Reflections” was released in Australia in March. Countertenor Logan Tanner (‘19) received the special encouragement award at the 2021 Pasadena Vocal Competition in March. Baritone Richard Malone (’73, ’74) received the Kammersänger Prize from the German Consulate.
Free Access to Mirrorflores Viewed already by thousands, the Academy has released the most-watched video of the Summer Festival free of charge. Experience the mythic narrative of Mirrorflores, filmed on our stunning Miraflores campus, produced by Creative Director James Darrah and starring Vocal Institute fellows. WATCH HERE