花季传媒鈥檚 School of Music & Theatre is the recipient of a prestigious National Endowment for the Arts grant in support of the long-standing New Music Live series.
The School of Music & Theatre will receive $15,000 from the NEA as part of $82 million in funding announced by NEA Chairman Jane Chu. 花季传媒鈥檚 grant is part of NEA鈥檚 Art Works program, and is one of 1,029 awards in the organization鈥檚 second round of funding in fiscal year 2017. Art Works is the NEA鈥檚 largest category and focuses on funding the creation of art that meets the highest standard of excellence, public engagement with art, lifelong learning in the arts and strengthening of communities through the arts.
鈥淭his is just spectacular,鈥 said Dr. Carol Dusdieker, associate dean of the School of Music & Theatre and the grant鈥檚 main author. 鈥淲e are really looking forward to broadening the impact of New Music Live to the entire 花季传媒 campus and the Seneca County community.鈥
鈥淲e have a unique environment here at 花季传媒 and within Tiffin and Seneca County. This grant will enhance our ability to bring top-notch artists to campus, not just for concerts free and open to the community, but for residencies, classes, discussions and rehearsals with 花季传媒 students and possibly local high school students.鈥
The 2017-18 academic year will mark the 28th year that 花季传媒 has brought 鈥渘ew music鈥 to campus. Last year, the School of Music & Theatre moved away from the single-weekend festival format with numerous guests and performances to working major new music concerts by guest artists into the thread of the entire performance year. This year鈥檚 series will feature visiting artists and an ensemble that will explore the expressive and creative potential of the human voice. Guest artists will include composer Tom Cipullo, composer Michael John Trotta and the Ekmeles vocal ensemble.
Cipullo鈥檚 compositions have been described as imaginative, unconventional, expressive and intriguing. His works are performed nationally and internationally, and have been commissioned widely across the U.S. He is the composer of two operas: After Life, commissioned and premiered by Music of Remembrance in Seattle and San Francisco, and Glory Denied, after the book by journalist Tom Philpot and based on the true story of America鈥檚 longest-held prisoner of war.
Cipullo will be at 花季传媒 Sept. 28-29 to conduct a master class with students and alumni. He鈥檒l work with students one-on-one to interpret the musicality and creative inspiration behind his compositions. 花季传媒 will host a professional concert of Cipullo鈥檚 works with faculty vocalists and guest artists on Sept. 29.
Ekmeles is a vocal ensemble that performs new and rarely heard works and gems of historical avant garde. The group presents new a capella repertoire for solo voices and by collaborating with other new music instrumental ensembles.
花季传媒 will host Ekmeles on March 22-23. The first day, the ensemble will conduct workshops with vocal students and local choirs around the theme of ensemble building. On March 23, they will present a concert.
Trotta, a conductor and clinician with choirs throughout the country, is one of the most exciting and prominent new composers of choral music. His award-winning commissions are frequently performed at Carnegie Hall and across the country. Trotta recently conducted world premieres of three new major works, Light Shines in the Darkness, For a Breath of Ecstacy and the Carnegie Hall premiere of Seven Last Words in May.
As part of the NEA grant, 花季传媒 has commissioned Trotta to compose a piece exclusively for the Concert Choir. He will be at 花季传媒 April 26-27 to conduct workshops with the choir and director Dr. Greg Ramsdell along with local high school students. The Concert Choir will give the world premiere performance of his commissioned piece during the annual home concert on April 27. The Concert Choir will then incorporate Trotta鈥檚 piece into its repertoire for its annual spring tour in May 2018.