League of American Orchestras awards Gold Baton to Anne-Marie Soulliere
New Morse Code
NEW MORSE CODE Before Cantata Profana came together, cellist Hannah Collins ’06 BS, ’08 MM, ’09 AD had teamed up with Yale percussionist Mike Compitello ’09 MM, ’12 MMA, ’16 DMA to form the duo New Morse Code. They both met in the M.M. program, but only after she came back from the Royal Conservatory of the Hague and he from a Fulbright year with Ensemble Modern in Frankfurt did they combine forces musically. The New Haven Independent proclaimed the duo as “much more than accomplished instrumentalists… not just playing for the future of music, but vibrantly living and shaping it.” You’ll hear them perform in many different kinds of spaces, including art museums, dance studios, outdoor stages, and concert halls.
NEW MORSE CODE TAKES YALE’S LESSONS ON A WORKING VACATION Visual artists and writers don’t deserve all the fun. Avaloch Farm Music Institute turns the artist colony model into a residency program for performers in New Hampshire. Avaloch is purpose-built to be an inspiring setting ideal for ensembles working with a composer to create new works.
New Music Initiative, a special period of the season where every ensemble brings a collaborating artist or composer with them. New Morse Code selects the ensembles and composers that will participate and also serves as ensemble-in-residence during that part of the season. Hannah notes, “we received over three times as many applications for 2016 as we did in our first year, 2015.” Many Yale alumni have already brought their creative projects to Avaloch Farm, including Ashley Bathgate, Jacob Cooper, Robert Honstein, Matt Barnson, Paul Kerekes, Sam Suggs, Doug Perry, Jonny Allen, Julian Pellicano, Jeff Stern, David Perry, Miki Sawada, and Cantata Profana.
EYE ON THE FUTURE OF MUSIC Sleeping Giant’s Honstein wants to help classical music to shake off attachments to old ideas about how it is presented, received, and taught. “There are many people hungry for good new music and I think we’ve barely reached most of them.” Eric Dudley of Roomful of Teeth says of the future: “Very much TBD. We are always looking forward to performing in new places and finding meaningful collaborations with new artists. Our arms and minds are open.” ||
Founder Fred Tauber and executive director Deb Sherr invited Collins and Compitello to be the directors of the
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Anne-Marie Soullière, a member of the Yale School of Music’s Board of Advisors, was awarded the Gold Baton at the League of American Orchestras’ conference in May 2015. Soullière, the retired president of Fidelity Foundation, serves on the YSM Board of Advisors and is a member of the Battell Stoeckel Trust, the fundamental source of support of the Yale Summer School of Music/ Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. The Gold Baton is the League’s highest honor and it was presented by Mark Volpe, managing director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Volpe cited Soullière’s “lifetime of passionate support for music, enlightened leadership of the Fidelity Foundation, and wise, sympathetic counsel to numerous musical leaders.” Robert Blocker commented: “Anne-Marie has been and remains a dynamic advocate for music. We are most fortunate to have her wisdom and vision as a charter member of our Board of Advisors.”