Yarn/Wire Reviewed in NYTimes

Yarn/Wire, a contemporary music group dedicated to the music for two pianists and two percussionists and composed of all Stony Brook University graduates, received praise for their inaugurated residency and recent concert at the Issue Project Room in Brooklyn.

The group consists of pianists  Laura Barger and Ning Yu, and percussionists Ian Antonio and Russell Greenberg. The ensemble was formed at Stony Brook in 2005.

New York Times critic Steve Smith admired the eclectic percussion  instruments and range of collaborative composers on the concert. You can read the full review here.

Stony Brook Alumnus Steven Mackey (MA, composition) Wins Grammy for Best Small Ensemble Performance

http://www.grammy.com/nominees?year=2011&genre=5

Steven Mackey was born in 1956, to American parents stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. His first musical passion was playing the electric guitar, in rock bands based in northern California. He later discovered concert music and has composed for orchestras, chamber ensembles, dance, and opera. He regularly performs his own work, including two electric guitar concertos and numerous solo and chamber works, and is also active as an improvising musician and performs with his band Big Farm.

His most Recent CD – Lonely Motel: Music From Slide – was nominated for 4 grammy awards including Best Contemporary Composition and Best Small Ensemble Performance. Also released in the fall of 2012 is his epic work for SO percussion – It Is Time – on Cantelope records. This release includes a DVD of the work by Mark DeChiazza.

He is currently working on piece for the SOLI ensemble in San Antonio Texas. In 2012 he will be writing a new work for the Brentano String Quartet and a large multi movement piece for the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

Stumble to Grace, his piano concerto for Orli Shaham, co-commissioned by the LA Philharmonic, the St. Louis and New Jersey Symphonies was recently premiered and TONIC, an orchestral work for the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia will premiere in February. He will also be performing in a variety of contexts including his role as guitarist and narrator in his music theater piece called SLIDE with eighth blackbird and Rinde Eckert.

As a composer, Mackey has been honored by numerous awards and has been the composer-in-residence at major music festivals, including Tanglewood, Aspen and the Holland Festival. Among his commissions are works for the Chicago, St Louis, New World, San Francisco Symphonies, and Dutch Radio, symphonies, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the BBC Philharmonic, The Scottish and Swedish Chamber Orchestras, the Kronos Quartet, the Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress, Fromm Music Foundation, Brentano String Quartet, Borromeo String Quartet, Fred Sherry, Dawn Upshaw, PRISM Saxophone Quartet, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and many others.

As a guitarist, Mackey has performed his chamber music with the Kronos Quartet, Arditti Quartet, London Sinfonietta, Nexttime Ensemble (Parma), Psappha (Manchester), and Joey Baron. As a concerto soloist he has performed with many conductors including David Robertson, Michael Tilson Thomas, Peter Etvos, Dennis Russell Davies, and many others.

His monodrama, Ravenshead, for tenor/actor (Rinde Eckert) and electro-acoustic band/ensemble (the Paul Dresher Ensemble), has been performed nearly 100 times and is available on a MINMAX CD. In a year-end review of cultural events, USA Today crowned the work the “Best New Opera of 1998.”

Recent CD releases include Steven Mackey: Dreamhouse, an hour-long oratorio for amplified vocal ensemble, electric guitar quartet, and orchestra conducted by Gil Rose on the BMOP sound label. Dreamhouse was nominated for 4 Grammy awards including Best Classical Album of 2010. Also newly released is Busted Micro Shorts, three chamber works featuring percussionist Tim Williams and the Psappha ensemble. Other available discs of Mackey’s work include Lost and Found: Mackey performing his own solo electric guitar music, released by Bridge Records in 1996; Tuck and Roll: Michael Tilson Thomas conducting orchestral music by Mackey, released in 2001 by BMG-RCA Red Seal; String Theory: the Brentano String Quartet playing string quartets and string quartets with the addition of other instruments, released in 2003 on Albany Records; Heavy Light: Mosaic playing mixed chamber ensemble music, released in 2004 by New World Records. Interior Desigin (2006): featuring music for violin with Curtis Macomber on Bride Records and Speak Like the People, Write Like the King (2008): string quartets and octets for the Borromeo and Brentano Quartets also on Bridge Records. Tuck and Roll and Lost and Found both made the New York Times year-end top ten list, along with similar lists in several other publications. Individual works by Mackey are included on numerous collections on Nonesuch, BMG/Catalyst, CRI, Newport Classics, and many other labels.

Mackey is currently Professor of Music and chair of the Department of Music at Princeton University, where he has been a member of the faculty since 1985. Helping to shape the next generation of composers and musicians, he teaches composition, theory, twentieth century music, improvisation, and a variety of special topics. He regularly coaches and conducts new work by student composers, as well as 20th-century classics. He was the recipient of Princeton University’s first Distinguished Teaching Award in 1991.

Mackey’s web site is www.stevenmackey.com. His music is published by Boosey & Hawkes. Hi lives in Princeton New Jersey with his wife, composer Sarah Kirkland Snider, and their son Jasper.

Richard Savino (DMA, Guitar) has been nominated for a 2012 Grammy

Richard Savino’s ensemble El Mundo, The Kingdoms of Castile (on Dorian Sono Luminus), was nominated for a Grammy in the small ensemble category.  It is the only cd representing Latin-Hispanic music & music before 1800.

http://www.grammy.com/nominees?year=2011&genre=5

See category #73 (small ensembles)

Jihoon Shin (MM, flute) wins National Flute Association Competition

Flutist Jihoon Shin won the 33rd annual Young Artist Competition of the National Flute Association. She also  won the prize for best performance of the newly commissioned work. The competition for outstanding flutists was held on Wednesday, August 10, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A Stony Brook alum, Angel Hsaio (DMA, 2010) placed third in the competition.

A jury selected 25 preliminary round competitors on the basis of their recorded qualifying rounds. The judges selected six semifinalists from the live preliminary auditions to compete at the 2011 convention and then chose three finalists to appear in a convention recital.

The judges awarded cash prizes to the finalists of $5,000, $2,500, and $1,000. As the first-prize winner, Ms. Shin will be presented by the NFA in a performance at its 2012 convention.

Flutist Jihoon Shin, from Seoul, South Korea, is currently studying at SUNY Stony Brook under Carol Wincenc and earned her Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music, where she studied with Ransom Wilson. Her other principal teachers have included SoYoung Lee, Karl-Heinz Schütz, and Jean-Claude Gerard. She has won first prizes in the Friedrich Kuhlau International Flute Competition and Volos Flute Meeting International Competition” in 2005 and 2006, respectively, and was also an award winner at the Seventh Kobe International Flute Competition (2005) and Jean-Pierre Rampal International Flute Competition (2008). As an international solo artist, Ms. Shin has performed with the Wonju Philharmonic Orchestra, Madrid Chamber Ensemble, and Volgograd Soloists Orchestra. She has also performed numerous recitals throughout South Korea, Europe, and the United States.

Isai Jess Munoz, DMA 2011, praised for his roles in New York’s Opera Omnia

The New York Times wrote, “Isai Jess Munoz elicited laughs as the hunchback Demo… Crucially, deftly navigated the border between slapstick and genuine emotion.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/03/arts/music/opera-omnias-giasone-at-le-poisson-rouge-review.html

Gabriel Shuford (2008 DMA in Harpsichord; MM 2011 in Harpsichord; MM 1999 in Piano) has been awarded the 2011 Baron Prize

Gabe Shuford

Gabriel Shuford completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Harpsichord from Stony Brook University in 2008, studying with Professor Arthur Haas. Shuford also completed Master of Music degrees in harpsichord (2001) and piano (1999) from Stony Brook and the Bachelor of Music degree from Lawrence University. Shuford is proficient in a wide-range of styles, from music of the Baroque era, to concert music of the twenty-first century, to jazz. He performs throughout North America and is the recipient of several prizes, including the 2007 Mae and Irving Jurow International Harpsichord Competition.

Faculty member and Jazz trombonist Ray Anderson writes: “I have known Mr. Shuford since 2001 when I first had the pleasure of teaching him in jazz class. His talent, enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity were immediately apparent. Shuford is a generous, gendle, joyful spirit, a true musician, one who brings harmony to the world.” Faculty member and Harpsichordist Arthur Haas writes: “Shuford is a consummate musician and excels at all he puts his mind (or fingers) to. On the final DMA recital he performed music spanning the 17^th and 18^th centuries from Italy, Germany, and France, and all was done with a superb sense of style, panache, and understanding. Aside from his early music expertise, Shuford has also championed new music and performed much 20^th and 21^st century music. He has a keen intellectual sense of musical curiosity and is always searching for new means of being expressive on the harpsichord.”

Samuel Baron was a founding faculty member of the Department of Music and director of the Bach Aria Festival at Stony Brook from 1981-1987. Baron was also a founding member of the New York Woodwind Quintet, and in 1996 received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Flute Association.

Previous winners of the Samuel Baron Prize:
2001 Andrée Martin, flute
2003, Borys Medicky, harpsichord
2005, Sang-Joon Park, flute
2007, David Bowlin, violin
2009, Conor Nelson, flute

Leslie Kaminoff (B.A. 1977) Delivers Class of 2011 Commencement Address

The Hidden Value of Your Stony Brook Education in Music

Leslie Kaminoff (B.A. 1977) to Deliver Class of 2011 Commencement Address:  “The Hidden Value of Your Stony Brook Education in Music”

Leslie Kaminoff is a 1977 graduate of the Stony Brook School of Music, and founder and Chief Executive Officer of AKAM Living Services, Inc. (ALSI), which operates seven real estate service companies and employs more than 1,500 people in New York and South Florida.  AKAM Associates, the flagship ALSI company, has been identified among the five most successful management companies in metropolitan New York.  In Florida, AKAM On-Site manages properties developed by such real estate luminaries as Trump and Dezer.  Other ALSI companies include AKAM Sales and Brokerage, Project Management Group, and The Ashtin Group, which provides management and leasing to commercial properties in the ALSI territories. Before founding ALSI, Mr. Kaminoff served as Director of Property Management for Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City.

A recognized leader dedicated to the professionalization of the real estate service industry, Mr. Kaminoff has served as an Adjunct Professor at New York University’s Real Estate Institute, and is a frequent speaker at industry seminars.  He is the author of numerous articles, co-author of the book, How To Choose The Right Management Company For Your Residential Property: A Decision-Maker’s Guide, and author of the book, What to Expect From Your Property Manager.

Mr. Kaminoff is an active participant in industry associations, including the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York, the Rent Stabilization Association, and the Real Estate Board of New York.  He is a past Governor of the New York Chapter of Registered Apartment Managers (RAM), and has been consistently recognized for his contributions to the multi-family industry by Habitat magazine, Cooperator magazine, and the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York.  The New York Association of Realty Managers has honored Mr. Kaminoff with its coveted Dedicated to the Industry Award for his lifetime commitment to delivering superior services to the real estate community.

Privately, Mr. Kaminoff is a benefactor of numerous philanthropies, including JAFCO, Jewish Adoption and Foster Care Options, which recently recognized Mr. Kaminoff and his wife with the Jacobs Ladder Award for their exceptional generosity and dedication to the organization.

In non-working hours, Mr. Kaminoff enjoys boating, and plays guitar in a band called The Geezers.  Married to Kimberly Kaminoff and father of Alexis, Ashley, and Justin, Mr. Kaminoff divides his time between homes and businesses in New York and South Florida.

Ilari Kaila (Ph.D. 2010) Wins the 2011 Thayer Fellowship in the Arts and Patricia Kerr Ross Awards

Albany – The State University of New York recently honored two students for exemplary achievement in the arts with the presentation of this year’s Thayer Fellowship in the Arts and Patricia Kerr Ross Awards.

“The Thayer Fellowship and Patricia K. Ross Award allow us to provide some of our most creative arts students with financial assistance as they embark on their individual creative journeys,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “Congratulations to both of these talented SUNY students for winning such prestigious and competitive awards.”

Each year, a Thayer Fellowship in the amount of $7,000 is awarded to one student, or shared among several students, who demonstrate outstanding achievement and high professional potential in the arts. The Patricia Kerr Ross Award, for $1,000 goes to o a student, or shared among several students, who have demonstrated excellence, originality, and promise. Both awards are intended as a bridge between SUNY study in the arts and entry into a professional career in the arts.

This year, two winners were chosen to share both the Thayer Fellowship in the Arts and Patricia Kerr Ross Award:

• Ilari Kaila, Ph.D., in music and music composition, Stony Brook University
• Jenna Josepher, BFA in graphic design, Purchase College

Artistic Director and SUNY Potsdam Distinguished Service Professor of Art Joseph Hildreth said, “The winners of the competition totally impressed the review panel with their excellence. They presented work consistent with that of experienced professionals. SUNY should take enormous pride in the education of students at this high level of accomplishment.”

About the Thayer Fellowship

The Thayer Fellowship was established in 1985-86 by the late Walter N. Thayer, Chairman of Whitney Communications, New York City, in honor of his wife, Jeanne C. Thayer, who was a SUNY trustee from 1974 to 1984 and an active supporter of the arts. The Thayers wanted to assist SUNY’s most talented young artists at the most difficult period of time for a young professional, when the struggle to make a living can overwhelm even the most dedicated individual. The fellowship helps the artist take advantage of important opportunities.

About the Patricia Kerr Ross Award

Patricia Kerr Ross dedicated 30 years of service to SUNY, where she began in 1969 as Assistant to the University Dean in the University-wide Program in the Arts. Ross directed the University-wide Programs in the Arts from 1971-91, and over the years, was also a board and committee member, panelist and speaker for a variety of arts-related organizations in New York State. She was a founding board member of the Gallery Association of New York State in 1973 and the Association of SUNY Arts Presenters in 1982. Following her death in 1999, Ross’ $30,000 bequest created the Patricia Kerr Ross Award to benefit graduates in the arts by enhancing the outreach of the Thayer Fellowship program.

Nearly 100 applications for the awards are received each year. The applications are evaluated by a Jury Panel of experts in the various arts disciplines. The finalists are then interviewed in person by the Jury Panel, and their work is reviewed during performances, readings, screenings, and exhibitions. At the end of this process, the jury panel determines the winners.

Adam Meyer (’07) appointed to Associate Dean at The Juilliard School

http://www.juilliard.edu/journal/2010-2011/1102/articles/meyer.php

Associate Dean Appointed
By SUSAN JACKSON

Violist, teacher, administrator, and alumnus Adam Meyer has been appointed associate dean for administration at Juilliard. As such he will work closely with the provost and dean, Ara Guzelimian, as well as with staff and faculty members from the School’s Dance, Drama, and Music divisions.

Meyer, who earned his master’s from Juilliard in 2004, received his B.A. from Oberlin and his D.M.A. from Stony Brook University. Most recently he has been the dean of students at the Perlman Music Program; he also teaches in the Stony Brook University Pre-College Program and is a chamber music coach at the New York Youth Symphony.

“I’m delighted to welcome Adam Meyer in this important capacity,” Guzelimian said. “As an accomplished performer and administrator, he understands firsthand what is needed to provide a broad education for a talented young artist. He is very familiar with Juilliard from his own time here but also brings to us the fresh perspective of his education at two other distinguished schools. In addition, his work at the Perlman Music Program is a superb complement to all that takes place at Juilliard.”

Meyer replaces Virginia Allen, who will stay on at Juilliard as a faculty member. She was on the conducting faculty from 1998 to  2009, is a co-founder of the Juilliard Trombone Choir, and was the executive director of the Starling-DeLay Symposium on Violin Studies from 2001 to 2005. She is also the artistic director of the summer Conducting Workshop for Music Educators.

Prior to taking the position, Meyer spoke with The Journal about becoming an administrator, balancing his art and his professional lives, and what he brings to the job as a Juilliard graduate.

Meyer described his new position as “being an extension of the Dean’s Office, and working with students and counseling and advising them as needed as well as supporting the faculty. The Associate Dean’s Office is where administrative initiatives meet implementation, which means figuring out how to follow through on and execute ideas.”

While Meyer didn’t have much interaction with administrators as a Juilliard student, his eventual move into administration was inspired in part by a taking President Joseph W. Polisi’s course, “American Society and the Arts.”

“He was still hands-on teaching that class then, and I met with him in small groups and one-on-one,” Meyer said. “It was such a rare opportunity to get to know someone of his ability and talents and position, and it really inspired me to think beyond the practice room and about how what I do impacts the world around me.”

As the founding violist of the Bryant Park Quartet, Meyer has had the luxury of being able to perform and work as an administrator over the past four years. His Juilliard position will take far more time than his job at Perlman did, but Meyer said, “It’s really important for me to be a musician—that’s something that I never want to give up completely.”

Having attended three conservatories, Meyer has a keen sense of how they operate. “Fortunately I’ve always been able to identify some administrators I could talk to, which is really important. It’s so frustrating when a student feels like the answer is going to be ‘no’ before they even walk in the door,” he said. “I want to be the type of administrator who has an open door for both students and faculty.”

Meyer said that in addition to his perspective as a performer and a teacher, probably the most important thing he brings to his new job is “knowing what being a student here is like: the pressures, the intensity, the immersion in your craft. Those memories are still fresh, and I hope they’ll help me relate to what the students need and understand the faculty point of view.”

He continued, “Juilliard is such an exciting, complicated place. I’m really inspired by the process of getting up to speed both with things I wasn’t involved in as a student and also with the behind-the-scenes of what I was.”

Current and former SB students featured in “Inuksuit”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/arts/music/22luther.html?_r=2&src=twrhp

“To handle the imposing logistics, Eighth Blackbird, the vital new-music group that programmed most of the Tune-In festival, enlisted the percussionist Doug Perkins, who coordinated two performances of Xenakis’s “Persephassa” on Central Park Lake last summer. In addition to Mr. Perkins and the Eighth Blackbird members, the 78 musicians involved included members of So Percussion, Red Fish Blue Fish, Newspeak, percussion groups from Dartmouth, Yale and Stony Brook University, and dozens more.”