Imani Winds featuring Simon Shaheen: The Zafir Project
ETHEL featuring Kaki King: ...And Other Stories
eighth blackbirdStill in Motion
An evening with yMusic
TUNE-INFESTIVAL L.A.
CAP UCLA celebrates award-winning ensembles that are changing the landscape of
contemporary music one note at a time.
cap.ucla.edu/TUNEINLA #tuneinla
MESSAGE FROM THE CENTER: Welcome to a celebration of new music. This weekend we have the distinct privilege to present some of the most ebullient, virtuosic ensembles in modern music. It is extremely appropriate at this point in each group’s trajectory to honor their exceptional artistry as well as their significant, innovative and ongoing contributions to contemporary music.
These four ensembles and their special guests are re-writing the landscape of modern music. They are creative explorers all of whom possess a powerfully entrepreneurial spirit. Each group has configured itself around a passion for music and ideas unfettered by convention or limitations. The modern composers who write for and perform with these groups share their passions and ideals and the results are game-changing.
We’re also proud to call UCLA’s Schoenberg Hall home for three of this weekend’s performances. It’s a fitting tribute to present these innovative ensembles in a hall named for one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, Arnold Schoenberg. He himself was an explorer, an inventor and though his methods and views were polarizing in his lifetime, his contributions to the form are unparalleled.
We come together at this beautiful time of year, in the serenity that only spring break can yield on a bustling university campus. Special thanks go out to the members of our campus and local community who have come together to add texture and vibrancy to this weekend’s programs. In addition to the headlining concerts, this weekend you will experience work from student groups Tahkt Dirty, OMG Brass Trio, OMG Quartet and the exciting local ensemble Quattro. We’re very grateful for the passion that surrounds us on a daily basis, for the honor of presenting ensembles of this caliber, some for the first time in this city.
And, we’re grateful to the audiences for their support of the Center. Just by holding this program in your hands you exhibit a much-valued appreciation of these great artists and an inspiring belief in the unlimited possibilities that abide in the realm of new music.
“An artistic impression is substantially the resultant of two components. One what the work of art gives the onlooker — the other, what he is capable of giving to the work of art.” —Arnold Schoenberg
Thank you for joining us for Tune-In Festival L.A. Thank you for what you bring to this space.
Enjoy the performance.
SPECIAL THANKS Tune-In L.A. is supported in part by the Colburn Foundation. Additional support provided by the Henry Mancini Tribute Fund and the Sally & William A. Rutter Endowment for the Performing Arts.
CAP UCLA would like to gratefully acknowledge the talented and generous artists from our immediate community who came together for Tune-In Festival L.A.
QuattroQuattro, is a fresh, new and innovative ensemble that blends Latin, pop, jazz and classical crossover - with a passion and energy that is overtaking every listener of their music. Quattro was the 14th Annual Latin Grammy Nominee for Best New Artist. The group is raising the bar of originality with fresh composing and arranging that “pays homage to the classics” and forges a new contemporary sound. Quattro is Giovanna Clayton (cello), Lisa Dondlinger (violin), Kay-ta Matsuno (guitar), Jorge Villanueva (percussion).
Tahkt DirtyIn Arabic, takht may refer to a small group of musicians. Takht Dirty is a group of music-lovers, friends, and family. Its early members met as freshmen at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music. Their collective joy in learning and practicing Middle Eastern music fuels the group’s desire to preserve the music. The group’s inclusion of non-traditional musical elements in a given piece strives to maintain sensibility to a performance of the song in a traditional context. One of the overarching goals of this group is to share the beauty of the music with a wide range of audience members in an innovative and exciting manner.
Tahkt Dirty is UCLA students Ryan Vig (ethnomusicology). Lindsey Kunisaki (music administration/visual and performing arts), Zoe Shay (ethnomusicology/visual and performing arts), Ziyad Marcus (ethnomusicology) Albert Agha (ethnomusicology) and Danny Schmoun.
OMG The “Omni-Musicality Group,” is led by UCLA Ethnomusicology doctoral candidate and musician Alex Rodriguez. They gather and rehearse weekly out of a sheer joy of music.
OMG Brass Trio is comprised of UCLA students Marc Bolin (tuba) Alex W. Rodriguez (trombone) and UCLA professor Steven Loza (trumpet).
The OMG String Quartet features UCLA students Aaron Hogan (guitar) Anna Kouchernova (violin), Mehrenegar Rostami (santour) and Natalia Bieletto (flute).
Thank you to the UCLA percussionists who appear as part of the finale performance of Worker’s Union. Nik Keelaghan, Mariam Kaddoura, David Riccobono and Mika Nakamura
And, special thanks to UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, and the UCLA Events Office, who helped make the weekend’s outdoor festivities possible.
Imani Winds featuring
Simon Shaheen: The Zafir Project
Valerie Coleman FluteToyin Spellman-Diaz OboeMariam Adam ClarinetJeff Scott French HornMonica Ellis Bassoon
Simon Shaheen Oud, ViolinAbbos Kosimov Percussion
PROGRAM
Far Away from Quintet No. 2 Miguel Del AguilaAndaluza Manuel de Falla arr. Wayne PetersonThe Lotus Pond Gamal Abdel-Rahim arr. Adam LesnickJebel Lebnan Mohammed FairouzLOS ANGELES PREMIERE
i. Bashir’s March Interlude: Nay ii. Lamentation: Ariel’s Song iii. Song and Little Dance iv. Mar Charbel’s Dabkeh INTERMISSION Zafir* Simon ShaheenDance Mediterranea Simon Shaheen arr. Jeff Scott
* Written for Imani Winds and commissioned by Peak Performances at Montclair, University of Notre Dame and Chamber Music America.
Thu, Mar 27Schoenberg Hall
8pm
PERFORMANCE DURATION: Approximately two hours;
one intermission
TUNE-IN L.A. kicks off with a welcome celebration, toast and pre-show artist talk between CAP UCLA artistic and
executive director and performers.
The innovative L.A.-based ensemble Quattro will perform a free pre-
concert in the Schoenberg courtyard starting at 6:30.
The talented UCLA students of globally-inspired quartet Tahkt Dirty perform during intermission.
Dig Deeper into the sounds and soul of contemporary perfomers and composers
via our on-site Pop-Up Library.
FESTIVAL DAY ONE
Ralph Farris ViolaDorothy Lawson CelloKip Jones ViolinTema Watstein ViolinKaki King Guitar
PROGRAM Brndnbrg Cncrto nr6 mvt 1 ‡ jsbch arr. kpjnsSeong Nyun Sa ‡ Kip JonesWalking the Cat ‡ Ralph FarrisTrying to Speak (Parts 1 & 2) ‡ Kaki King Great Round Burn Kaki King strings arr. R. FarrisSelections from “The Blue Room and Other Stories” Phil KlineMarch Selections from Logbook § ‡ Aleksandra Vrebalov, arr. A. Vrebalov, ETHEL & K.KingCat O’ Nine Tails John Zorn(Tex Avery Directs The Marquis De Sade) (excerpt)
Program listed alphabetically by composer. Order will be announced from stage.
ETHEL endorses the Avid/Sibelius family of software solutions.ETHEL endorses the beyerdynamic family of microphones.
Kaki King appears in collaboration with the Windish Agency.
§ Commissioned 2013, by Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre. ‡ Composed and/or arranged especially for this program.
ABOUT “...AND OTHER STORIES”: Known worldwide for transcending the limits of tradition, the string quartet ETHEL has for the past decade and a half actively, aggressively, joyfully, adapted their epic skill-set to the presentation of rainbow-colored music of every style and description. Virtuoso guitarist Kaki King has, likewise, won an enthusiastic international following as her gutsy, honest, and astonishingly beautiful works seem to defy gravity. Brought together, these celebrated sound worlds intermingle and swarm to create a glorious and inspired collaboration.
...And Other Stories is an electrifying immersion in brilliant instrumental skill, rich sonic adventures, and flights of fantastic storytelling. The collaboration is anchored by a groundbreaking re-imagining of Bach’s masterful Brandenburg Concerto #6 and also includes works from ETHEL’s repertoire by Phil Kline and John Zorn. Original works by Kaki King and a world premiere composition for ETHEL & Kaki King by Serbian composer Aleksandra Vrebalov round out the program.
Fri, Mar 28Schoenberg Hall
6pm
PERFORMANCE DURATION: Approximately 60 minutes;
No intermission
FESTIVAL DAY TWO
ETHEL featuring Kaki King: ...And Other Stories
Rob Moose Violin, GuitarNadia Sirota ViolaClarice Jensen CelloAlex Sopp FlutesHideaki Aomori ClarinetsCJ Camerieri Trumpet, Horn
PROGRAM (All L.A. Premieres) Works will be announced from the stage
Music In Circles Andrew Norman Safe Travels Timothy Andres Everness Mark Dancigers Balance Problems Nico Muhly Bladed Stance Marcos Balter The Bear and the Squirrel Jeremy Turner plus selections from Beautiful Mechanical and Year of the Dragon
LOS ANGELES DEBUT
Fri, Mar 28Schoenberg Hall
8pm
PERFORMANCE DURATION: Approximately 60 minutes;
No intermission
UCLA’s own OMG Brass Trio comprised of UCLA students
Marc Bolin (tuba) Alex W. Rodriguez (trombone) and UCLA professor Steven Loza (trumpet)
will perform on the Schoenberg patio at intermission. Join us for
music and drinks and interactions with the performers.
FESTIVAL DAY TWO
An evening with yMusic
Tim Munro Flutes Michael J. Maccaferri Clarinets Yvonne Lam Violin & Viola Nicholas Photinos Cello Matthew Duvall Percussion Lisa Kaplan Piano
yMusicRob Moose, Nadia Sirota, Clarice Jensen, Alex Sopp, Hideaki Aomori, CJ Camerieri
UCLA PercussionistsNik Keelaghan, Mariam Kaddoura, David Riccobono and Mika Nakamura
PROGRAM
Qsqsqsqsqqqqqqqqq Tristan Perich Murder Ballades Bryce Dessner Duo for Heart and Breath Richard Reed ParryEtudes/Counting Duets Ligeti/Johnson Intermission
Two Seaming Jane Rigler (performed by Tim Munro and Alex Sopp) Selections from Enjoy your Rabbit Sufjian Stevens/arr. Moose (featuring yMusic)Worker’s Union Louis Andriessen (featuring yMusic and UCLA percussionists)(program subject to change)
Sat, Mar 29Royce Hall
8pm
PERFORMANCE DURATION: Approximately two and a half
hours; One intermission
Performers from yMusic and eighth blackbird will participate in a
pre-show artist talk on the Royce Terrace starting at 7pm.
The OMG String Quartet featuring UCLA students Aaron Hogan (guitar)
Anna Kouchernova (violin), Mehrenegar Rostami (santour) and Natalia Bieletto
(flute) perform at intermission.
Join us for post-show mingling with the artists and desserts from Seasons 52
FESTIVAL DAY THREE
eighth blackbird and friends: Still in Motion
ABOUT THE ARTISTS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)
eighth blackbird eighth blackbird combines the finesse of a string quartet, the energy of a rock band and the audacity of a storefront theater company. The Chicago-based, three-time Grammy-winning “super-musicians” (LA Times) entertain and provoke audiences across the country and around the world.
Colombine’s Paradise Theatre is eighth blackbird’s new staged, memorized production. Composer Amy Beth Kirsten challenges the sextet to play, speak, sing, whisper, growl and mime, breathing life into this tale of dream and delusion. Performances have taken place at the University of Richmond, as well as DC’s Atlas Arts, and it has been called a “Tour de Force” by the Washington Post.
The 2013/14 season’s acoustic program, Still in Motion, features new works by The National’s Bryce Dessner (the folk-inspired Murder Ballades), Steve Mackey (music from his Grammy-winning Slide) and Australian composer Brett Dean (the searing Old Kings in Exile). eighth blackbird brings this show to Ohio, Missouri, Idaho, Oregon, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York and California.
Other highlights include debuts with the Cincinnati Symphony (where the ensemble is an Artist in Residence) and New World Symphony; residencies at UCLA, SUNY Purchase, Baylor and Duke; a collaboration with Oberlin College’s CME; and a debut on the Lincoln Center’s Atrium series.
eighth blackbird holds ongoing Ensemble in Residence positions at the Curtis Institute of Music, University of Richmond, and University of Chicago. A decade-long relationship with Chicago’s Cedille Records has produced six acclaimed recordings. The ensemble has won three Grammy Awards, for the recordings strange imaginary animals, Lonely Motel: Music from Slide and Meanwhile.
eighth blackbird’s members hail from America’s Great Lakes, Keystone, Golden and Bay states, and Australia’s Sunshine State. There are four foodies, three beer snobs and one exercise junkie. The name “eighth blackbird” derives from the eighth stanza of Wallace Stevens’s evocative, aphoristic poem, Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird (1917). eighth blackbird is managed by David Lieberman Artists.
ETHELAcclaimed as “indefatigable and eclectic” (The New York Times), “vital and brilliant” (The New Yorker), and “one of the most exciting quartets around” (Strad Magazine), ETHEL invigorates the contemporary music scene with exuberance, intensity, imaginative programming, and exceptional artistry.
At the heart of ETHEL is a collaborative ethos – a quest for a common creative expression that is forged in the celebration of community. As cultural and musical “pollinators,” the quartet brings its collaborative discoveries to audiences through multi-dimensional musical repertoire and community engagement.
ETHEL’s 2013-’14 season celebrates the diversity of regional American music. It commences with the world premiere of the quartet’s latest multi-media production Documerica, a landmark visual and musical snapshot of America during the tumultuous 1970s, as part of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave Festival. This evening-length performance directed by Steve Cosson features montages by acclaimed projection artist Deborah Johnson in concert with commissioned work by Mary Ellen Childs, Ulysses Owens Jr., Jared Impichchaachaaha’ Tate and James “Kimo” Williams and new music by the members of ETHEL.
Throughout the season ETHEL tours several signature programs ranging from a collaboration with guitar virtuoso Kaki King, to the
critically-acclaimed Music of the Sun concerts with Robert Mirabal to an introspective program Grace, featuring ETHEL’s arrangements of music by Ennio Morricone and Jeff Buckley. Other highlights include: a return appearance as the House Band of TEDxManhattan; performances as the Resident Ensemble at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Balcony Bar; and premieres of newly commissioned works by Hannis Brown, Lainie Fefferman, Ulysses Owens Jr., Dan Friel and Julia Wolfe.
Always striving to demonstrate the unifying power of music, ETHEL has initiated innovative collaborations with an extraordinary community of international artists including David Byrne, Bang on a Can, Todd Rundgren, Carlo Mombelli, Ursula Oppens, Juana Molina, Tom Verlaine, STEW, Ensemble Modern, Jill Sobule, Dean Osborne, Howard Levy, Simone Sou, Andrew Bird, Iva Bittová, Colin Currie, Thomas Dolby, Jeff Peterson, Oleg Fateev, Stephen Gosling, Jake Shimabukuro, Polygraph Lounge and Vijay Iyer.
For nine consecutive years, ETHEL has served as the Ensemble-in-Residence at the Grand Canyon Music Festival’s Native American Composers Apprenticeship Project. The group’s ongoing dedication to working with indigenous people and music culminated in the 2010 release of Oshtali: Music for String Quartet (Thunderbird Records), the first commercial recording of American Indian student works.
ETHEL’s debut eponymous CD was a Billboard Magazine “Best Recording of 2003.” Its second CD, Light, ranked #3 on Amazon.com’s “Best of 2006” and #5 on WYNC’s “Best of 2006 Listener Poll.” The group’s most recent CD, Heavy, was released in 2012 to great critical acclaim. ETHEL has appeared as a guest artist on a plethora of albums: Cold Blue Two (Cold Blue Music, 2012), Glow by Kaki King (Velour Recordings, 2012); Blue Moth by Anna Clyne (Tzadik, 2012); A Map of the Floating City by Thomas Dolby (Redeye Label, 2012); The Duke by Joe Jackson (Razor & Tie, 2012); John the Revelator: A Mass for Six Voices by Phil Kline (Cantaloupe Music, 2008) with vocal group Lionheart; and the Grammy Award-winning Dedicated to You: Kurt Elling Sings the Music of Coltrane and Hartman (Concord Records, 2009).
Over the past four years, ETHEL has premiered more than 55 new works by 20th- and 21st-century composers including: Phil Kline’s SPACE at the gala reopening of Alice Tully Hall; RADIO by Osvaldo Golijov at the debut of WNYC Radio’s Jerome L. Greene Space; ETHEL’s TruckStop®: The Beginning at BAM’s Next Wave Festival; ETHEL Fair: The Songwriters at opening night of Lincoln Center’s Out of Doors; WAIT FOR GREEN with choreographer Annie-B Parson commissioned by arts>World Financial Center; HonBiBaekSan by Dohee Lee at Meet the Composer’s 3-City Dash Festival; ETHEL’s HomeBaked series featuring commissioned works by emerging NYC composers Andy Akiho, Anna Clyne, Judd Greenstein and Matt Marks, as well as premieres by Rick Baitz and Randall Woolf at the Tribeca New Music Festival; performances of original scores in combination with new choreography by Aleksandra Vrebalov/Dusan Tynek Dance Company and Son Lux/Gina Gibney Dance; and works by contemporary music luminaries such as Philip Glass, Julia Wolfe, John Zorn, Evan Ziporyn, Steve Reich, John King, Raz Mesinai, John Luther Adams, JacobTV, Hafez Modirzadeh, David Lang, Kenji Bunch, Don Byron and Marcelo Zarvos.
Founded in 1998 and based in New York City, ETHEL is comprised of Ralph Farris (viola), Dorothy Lawson (cello), Kip Jones (violin) and Tema Watstein (violin). ethelcentral.org
Founding member of ETHEL, Ralph Farris (Artistic Director, Viola) is a Grammy-nominated arranger, an original Broadway orchestra member of The Lion King and former musical director for The Who’s Roger Daltrey. He has worked with Leonard Bernstein, Martin Scorsese, Depeche Mode, Natalie Merchant, Harry Connick Jr., Allen Ginsberg, Yo-Yo Ma and Gorillaz. A graduate of Walnut Hill School for
the Arts, Ralph earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School.
A founding member of ETHEL, Dorothy Lawson (Artistic Director, Cello) has performed with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, the White Oak Dance Project, Philharmonia Virtuosi, the American Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and numerous new music ensembles. Canadian-born, she completed degrees at the University of Toronto, the Vienna Academy and The Juilliard School. She teaches in the Preparatory Division of Mannes College at the New School in New York City.
Kip Jones (Violin) is known for his ebullient and innovative solo performances in a style he describes as “experimental folk”. A modern musical troubadour, he’s performed at scores of eclectic venues such as Ecuador’s Ministry of Economic Inclusion, Tirana’s Liceu Artistik “Jordan Misja”, two miles inside Chom Ong Tai cave in Laos, the summer homes of nomadic Mongolian herders, and platforms of most subway systems in North America. As a composer, his work has been commissioned by ensembles that include the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra and A Far Cry. A native of Minnesota, Kip earned his degree in Violin Performance from the Berklee College of Music.
Tema Watstein (Violin) is an active soloist, chamber musician, and educator. Hailed for her “sweeping and bristling” sound by the New York Times, she has performed with the Metropolis Ensemble, Mark Morris Dance Group, Argento Ensemble, Tanglewood’s New Fromm Quartet, to name a few. She served most recently as the violinist in Gabriel Kahane’s February House at the Public Theater. An alum of Rice University and graduate of MSM’s Contemporary Performance Program, Tema is equally home whether playing Ligeti in concert or improvising in a field.
ETHEL gratefully acknowledges its supporters: The Board of ETHEL’s Foundation for the Arts; The Aaron Copland Fund for Music; The Amphion Foundation; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Brooklyn Academy of Music; The Carnegie Corporation of New York; CECArtsLink; Chamber Music America; The Cheswatyr Foundation, The Delmas Foundation; The Double R Foundation; The Greenwall Foundation; The Jerome Foundation; LEF Foundation; Meet the Composer; Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation; The Multi-Arts Production Fund, a program of Creative Capital supported by the Rockefeller Foundation; The National Endowment for the Arts; The Netherland-America Foundation; New Music USA; The New York State Council on the Arts; New York Community Trust, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; OZ Arts; The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; and The September 11th Fund.
Imani WindsMore than North America’s premier wind quintet, Imani Winds has established itself as one of the most successful chamber music ensembles in the United States. Since 1997, the Grammy-nominated quintet has taken a unique path, carving out a distinct presence in the classical music world with its dynamic playing, culturally poignant programming, adventurous collaborations, and inspirational outreach programs. With two member composers and a deep commitment to commissioning new work, the group is enriching the traditional wind quintet repertoire while meaningfully bridging European, American, African and Latin American traditions.
Imani Winds’ touring schedule has taken them across the globe. At home, the group has performed in the nation’s major concert venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Disney Hall, and Kimmel Center. The group is frequently engaged by the premier chamber music series in Boston, San Francisco, Portland, Philadelphia and New York, and have also played virtually every major university performing arts series including those in Amherst, Ann Arbor, Austin, Seattle, Stanford, Urbana and countless others. Festivals include Chamber Music Northwest, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival,
La Jolla Music Society, Virginia Arts Festival, Bravo! Colorado, and Ravinia Festival. In recent seasons, the group has traveled extensively internationally, with tours in China, Singapore, Brazil, and throughout Europe. Current season highlights include debuts at La Folle Journee in Nantes, France, and in London’s Wigmore Hall.
The group continues its Legacy Commissioning Project, in which the ensemble is commissioning, premiering and touring new works for woodwind quintet written by established and emerging composers of diverse musical backgrounds. The Legacy Project kicked off in 2008 with world premieres by Alvin Singleton and Roberto Sierra. Since then, projects have included works by Jason Moran, Stefon Harris, Danilo Perez, Simon Shaheen, and Mohammed Fairouz. The group’s fifth album on E1 Music – entitled Terra Incognita after Wayne Shorter’s piece written for the group – is a celebration of the Legacy project with new works written for Imani Winds by Mr. Shorter, Jason Moran, and Paquito D’Rivera. Imani Winds make their Naxos debut performing the Legacy-commissioned-work Jebel Lebnan by Mohammed Fairouz on the composer’s March 2013 release, Native Informant.
The wide range of programs offered by Imani Winds demonstrates their mission to expand the repertoire and diversify new music sources. From Mendelssohn, Jean Françaix, György Ligeti, and Luciano Berio, to Astor Piazzolla, Elliott Carter and John Harbison; and to the unexpected ranks of Paquito D’Rivera and Simone Shaheen, Imani Winds actively seek to engage new music and new voices into the modern classical idiom. Imani members Valerie Coleman and Jeff Scott both regularly contribute compositions and arrangements to the ensemble’s expanding repertoire, bringing new sounds and textures to the traditional instrumentation.
Through commissions and performance the quintet regularly collaborates with artists ranging from Yo-Yo Ma to Wayne Shorter. Shorter’s Terra Incognita – his first-ever composition for another ensemble – was premiered by Imani Winds. The group went on to perform extensively with Shorter at major European festivals like the North Sea Jazz Festival, and in North America at venues such as Carnegie and Disney halls. On Shorter’s acclaimed 2013 release on Blue Note, Without a Net, Imani Winds are featured prominently. The group’s Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center residency culminated in a recital in New York’s Alice Tully Hall with renowned clarinetist/saxophonist/composer Paquito D’Rivera. The ensemble has also worked with luminaries such as bandoneonist Daniel Binelli, the Brubeck brothers, clarinetist David Shifrin, and pianists Gilbert Kalish and Shai Wosner. Their ambitious project, Josephine Baker: A Life of Le Jazz Hot! brought chanteuse René Marie with them to New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and St. Louis.
Imani Winds enjoy frequent national exposure in all forms of media, including features on NPR’s All Things Considered, appearances on APM’s Saint Paul Sunday and Performance Today, BBC/PRI’s The World, as well as frequent coverage in major music magazines and newspapers including the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. The group maintains an ongoing relationship with Sirius-XM and has been featured multiple times and on various channels.
Their excellence and influences have been recognized with numerous awards including the 2007 ASCAP Award, 2002 CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, as well as the CMA/WQXR Award for their debut and self-released recording Umoja. At the 2001 Concert Artists Guild International Competition, Imani Winds was selected as the first-ever Educational Residency Ensemble, in recognition of their tremendous musical abilities and innovative programming.
Imani Winds’ commitment to education runs deep. The group participates in residencies throughout the U.S., giving master classes to thousands of students a year. In the summer of 2010, the ensemble launched its annual Chamber Music Festival. The program, set on the Juilliard campus, brings together young instrumentalists from across North America and beyond for an intense week of music exploration.
Imani Winds have five releases on E1 Music, including their 2006 Grammy Award nominated recording entitled The Classical Underground. They have also recorded for Naxos and Blue Note.
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Valerie Coleman ( flute) began her music studies at the age of eleven and by the age of fourteen, had written three symphonies and won several local and state competitions. Valerie is not only the founder of Imani Winds, but is a resident composer of the ensemble, giving Imani Winds their signature piece Umoja (which is listed as one of the “Top 101 Great American Works” by Chamber Music America). In addition to her significant contributions to wind quintet literature, Valerie has a works list for various winds, brass, strings and full orchestra published by International Opus and in the near future, Theodore Presser. Prior to her solo debut at Carnegie Hall, Valerie was the understudy for flutist Eugenia Zukerman at Lincoln Center, featured soloist in the Mannes 2000 Bach Festival, two-time laureate of the Young Artist Competition at Boston University, recipient of the Aspen Music Festival Wombwell Kentucky Award, and was the inaugural recipient of the Michelle E. Sahm Memorial Award at the Tanglewood Festival. Recently, she appeared as guest artist at the Chenango Music Festival, teaching artist for Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, was recipient of Meet the Composer’s Edward and Sally Van Lier Memorial Award, and was showcased on the New York classical radio station WQXR. Most Recently, she is a recipient of the Multi-Arts Production Fund - a grant given to “support innovative new works in all disciplines and traditions of performing arts.”
Toyin Spellman-Diaz (oboe) has developed a reputation as a world-class oboist. As an orchestral musician, she has performed in the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Chicago Civic Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and Orchestra of St. Lukes, and has worked with such conductors as Kurt Masur, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Christoph Eschenbach, and Mstislav Rostropovitch. As an educator, she has written two music-telling performance pieces for Imani Winds, a performance practice that incorporates music into the telling of a story by using the instruments as props and as integral parts of the story-telling process. Ms. Spellman-Diaz was acclaimed as a “standout oboist with smooth, controlled tone and excellent technique” in the Washington Post when she performed the Goosens Oboe Concerto at the Kennedy Center. She has also performed concerti with Chicago Civic Orchestra, Manhattan Virtuosi and the Antara Ensemble. She attended the Oberlin Conservatory where she achieved her Bachelor of Music degree, and received her Masters and Professional Studies degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. Ms. Spellman-Diaz has studied with Joe Robinson, James Caldwell, Joe Turner, and Alex Klein. She is currently on faculty of the Manhattan School of Music, Precollege Division.
Mariam Adam (clarinet), a native of Monterey, California is an internationally distinguished soloist and chamber musician. Chosen to be one of the last students of legendary clarinetist Rosario Mazzeo, Ms. Adam developed a busy career on the west coast soloing with such ensembles as the Sacramento Symphony, Monterey County Symphony and Eastman Music Summer Festival. She toured internationally with the Monterey Jazz Festival jazz ensembles, often as the drummer and was active in chamber music touring with the Pacific Clarinet Quartet. In addition to touring with Imani Winds full time she performs in Europe as a soloist and with the TransAtlantic Ensemble. In 2010 she started the AdZel Duo with Stephanie Zelnick, clarinetist, performing works celebrating their combined heritage from the Middle East.
A native of Queens, NY, Jeff Scott (French horn) started his instrument at age 14, receiving an anonymous scholarship to the Brooklyn College Preparatory Division. An even greater gift came from his first teacher, Carolyn Clark, who taught the young Mr. Scott for free during his high school years, giving him the opportunity to study music when resources were not available. He received his bachelor’s degree from Manhattan School of Music (studying with David Jolley),
and master’s degree from SUNY at Stony Brook (studying with William Purvis). Scott has performed with The Lion King orchestra (on Broadway, New York) 1997-2005, and the 1994 revival of Showboat 1994-1997. He has been a member of the Alvin Ailey and Dance Theater of Harlem orchestras since 1995 and has performed numerous times under the direction of Wynton Marsalis and Arturo O’Farrill with the Lincoln Center Jazz.
Bassoonist Monica Ellis, a native of Pittsburgh, PA, discovered the joy of making music at the age of 4. Encouraged by her father, the late jazz saxophonist Clarence Oden, she began playing the clarinet, saxophone and later the piano. After being introduced to the bassoon in middle school, she studied with Mark Pancerev of the Pittsburgh Symphony throughout high school. Ms. Ellis went on to receive her Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, studying with George Sakakeeny. While at Oberlin she participated as both an instructor and performer in the Panama Project; a month long camp for young Panamanian students. She then received her Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School and also attended Manhattan School of Music in the Orchestral Performance Program, studying with Frank Morelli at both institutions. A passionate teacher, Ms. Ellis is on the faculty of the Conservatory of Music of Brooklyn College and Purchase (NY) College. She has also taught at the Mannes College of Music Preparatory Division and Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program.
Kaki King (guitar) Recognized as one of “The New Guitar Gods” by Rolling Stone, guitarist Kaki King is known for her percussive and jazz-tinged melodies, energetic live shows, use of multiple tunings on acoustic and lap steel guitar, and her enormous ability in a variety of genres. As a performer, she has toured with a wide range of artists including The Foo Fighters, The Mountain Goats and The Roots and has been featured on several film soundtracks including Twilight and Into the Wild. From experimental pieces to accessible pop, her dazzling musicianship defies categorization and expectation. Her sophisticated and mesmerizing finger-picking style combines fret-tapping with slap bass techniques, using the guitar for percussive beats, as well as sound layering and looping. Her playing style has been compared to Michael Hedges and Preston Reed, the latter of whom she explicitly cites as an influence.
Simon Shaheen (violin, oud) Simon Shaheen dazzles his listeners as he deftly leaps from traditional Arabic sounds to jazz and Western classical styles. His soaring technique, melodic ingenuity, and unparalleled grace have earned him international acclaim as a virtuoso on the ‘oud and violin.
Shaheen is one of the most significant Arab musicians, performers, and composers of his generation. His work incorporates and reflects a legacy of Arabic music, while it forges ahead to new frontiers, embracing many different styles in the process. This unique contribution to the world of arts was recognized in 1994 when Shaheen was honored with the prestigious National Heritage Award at the White House. His greatest success have come with Blue Flame (ARK21, 2001), where he leads his group, Qantara, on a labyrinthian journey through the world of fusion music to discover the heart of the Middle East. The album has been nominated for eleven Grammy Awards, and the band’s performances have been called “glorious.”
In 1982, Shaheen formed the Near Eastern Music Ensemble in New York, establishing a group that would perform the highest standard of traditional Arab music. This time also marked the beginning of Shaheen’s workshops and lecture/demonstrations in schools, colleges, and universities to educate the younger generation. As a champion and guardian of Arab music, Shaheen still devotes almost fifty percent of his time to working with schools and universities, including Julliard, Columbia, Princeton, Brown, Harvard, Yale, University of California in San Diego, University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and many others.
As a composer, Shaheen has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, Meet
the Composer, the Jerome Foundation, Continental Harmony, and Yellow Springs Institute. In addition to his recorded work, his theatrical repertoire includes Majnun Layla, (performances included the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, and The Museum of Natural History in New York), The Book and the Stranger (from Kalilah Wa-Dimanah), Possible City, and Collateral Damage with actress Vanessa Redgrave. He has also written the music for the documentary of the British Museum’s Egyptian collection, which has toured U.S. museums.
Since 1994, Shaheen has produced the Annual Arab Festival of Arts, called “Mahrajan al-Fan.” Held in New York, the festival showcases the work of the finest Arab artists, while presenting the scope, depth and quality of Arab culture. To continue this exposure to Arab music and culture, Shaheen founded the Annual Arabic Music Retreat in 1997. Held each summer at Mount Holyoke College, this weeklong intensive program of Arabic music studies draws participants from the U.S. and abroad.
In addition to performing with his two bands, Qantara and the Near Eastern Music Ensemble, Shaheen tours as a solo artist internationally and as a lecturer throughout the academic world promoting awareness to Arab music through numerous lecture and workshop presentations.
yMusicHailed by NPR’s Fred Child as “one of the groups that has really helped to shape the future of classical music,” yMusic is a sextet of young performers equally comfortable in the overlapping classical and pop music worlds. The “six hip virtuosi” (Time Out NY) play a unique combination of instruments: string trio, flute, clarinet and trumpet. This exciting orchestration has inspired an expanding repertoire of works by some of today’s most important artists. Indie rock luminaries Annie Clark (St. Vincent), Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond) and Ryan Lott (Son Lux), have crafted instrumental works specifically for the ensemble. On yMusic’s debut album, Beautiful Mechanical, the group pairs these works with pieces by emerging composers Judd Greenstein, Sarah Kirkland Snider, and Gabriel Kahane, a result that was recently named Time Out New York’s #1 Classical Record of 2011. In addition to performing its own repertoire, yMusic serves as a ready-made collaborative unit for bands and songwriters. In the 2012-13 season, yMusic launches new projects with Dirty Projectors, Gabriel Kahane and Richard Reed Parry of Arcade Fire. Past collaborations have included work with The National, St. Vincent, My Brightest Diamond, Aaron and Bryce Dessner, Ra Ra Riot, and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. These affiliations have brought yMusic to prominent stages around the world including Amsterdam’s Muziekgebuow, New York’s Beacon Theater, and the Krannert Center in Champagne-Urbana. yMusic can be heard on Dirty Projectors’ “Swing Lo Magellan,” Son Lux’s “We Are Rising,” My Brightest Diamond’s “All Things Will Unwind,” and a forthcoming record of compositions by Richard Reed Parry. yMusic was created in 2008 to bring a classical chamber music aesthetic to venues outside the traditional concert hall. Its members have individually toured and recorded with artists such as Bon Iver, Bjork, Peter Gabriel, Antony and the Johnsons, Ryuichi Sakamoto, The National, Rufus Wainwright, Grizzly Bear, Meredith Monk, Yo-Yo Ma, The New York Philharmonic, David Byrne and Sufjan Stevens.
In the last decade, Rob Moose (violin, guitar) has emerged as one of the most sought after instrumentalists, arrangers and producers of his generation. As violinist and guitarist, Moose has toured with Antony & the Johnsons, Sufjan Stevens, My Brightest Diamond, Duncan Sheik, and Beth Orton. In 2011, he joined Bon Iver, writing arrangements and recording strings for the group’s sophomore album. Highlights of that experience included sold-out concerts at Radio City Music Hall, Wembley Arena and the Sydney Opera House, appearances on Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and the Colbert Report, a Gold record, and two Grammy wins for “Best New Artist” and “Best Alternative Album.” Moose is an active recording artist, having played on nearly 200 albums by artists ranging from Vampire Weekend to John
Legend to Joshua Bell, as well as appearances on Grammy Award-winning albums by Arcade Fire and Loudon Wainwright III. As an arranger, his work has been performed or recorded by The National, tUnE-yArDs, Interpol, St. Vincent, Glen Hansard, Trey Anastasio, and Punch Brothers.
“A one-woman contemporary-classical commissioning machine,” (Pitchfork) Nadia Sirota (violin) is best known for her singular sound and expressive execution, coaxing solo works from the likes of Nico Muhly, Daníel Bjarnason, Judd Greenstein, Marcos Balter, and Missy Mazzoli. Her debut album First Things First was released in 2009 on New Amsterdam Records and named a record of the year by The New York Times, and her sophomore album, Baroque, released in March on Bedroom Community and New Amsterdam has been called “beautiful music of a higher order than anything else you will hear this year” by SPINMedia website PopMatters. In addition to her work as a soloist, Nadia is a member of yMusic, ACME (the American Contemporary Music Ensemble) and Alarm Will Sound, and has lent her sound to recording and concert projects by such artists and songwriters as Grizzly Bear, Jónsi and Arcade Fire.
Cellist Clarice Jensen (cello) completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at The Juilliard School, as a student of Joel Krosnick. She began studying cello at the age of three and piano when she was five in her hometown of Independence, Missouri. While firmly rooted in classical performance, Ms. Jensen is also an enthusiastic advocate for the performance of new music. As a soloist and chamber musician, she has performed in all manner of venues in New York, from Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium and Zankel Hall, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Alice Tully Hall, to Joe’s Pub, the Brooklyn Lyceum, the Tenri Cultural Center, and the Whitney and Guggenheim Museums.
New York-based flutist Alex Sopp (flute) performs all different genres of music and was recently called “an admired new music mainstay” by Time Out New York. Alex is a member of The Knights, NOW Ensemble, yMusic, ACME, and performs regularly with The New York Philharmonic,The Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Wind Soloists of New York,counter)induction, Metropolis Ensemble, The Mark Morris Dance Group Music Ensemble, Gotham City Orchestra, and Continuum. Alex has commissioned, premiered, and recorded with some of the most exciting composers and song-writers of our time, including Björk, Nico Muhly, Sufjan Stevens, The National, Philip Glass, Jonsí of Sigur Ros, Martha Wainwright, Gabriel Kahane, Bryce Dessner, and St. Vincent.
Multi-instrumentalist Hideaki Aomori (clarinets) has established a unique career as a freelance performer and educator. Equally comfortable in orchestral, new music, pop and jazz settings, Hideaki has collaborated with a variety of artists including Tito Puente, Sir Roland Hanna, Duncan Sheik, Moscow Chamber Orchestra, Ron Carter, St. Vincent, Gabriel Kahane, Orchestre de Chambre Miniature, Sean Lennon, Spoon, Harper Simon and Holly Brook. Hideaki maintains an active and passionate involvement in music education, teaching privately and in schools in Queens and Long Island. At the age of 18, Hideaki released his recording debut, “Young Man With a Horn,” presented by jazz legend, Sir Roland Hanna. He has recently released an all-Brahms albumwith renowned pianist Joshua Pierce for the MSR Classics label.
As a trumpet player, French hornist, and keyboard player, C.J. Camerieri (trumpet, horn) has enjoyed an active, diverse, and exciting career since completing his classical trumpet training at Juilliard in 2004. He has become an indispensable collaborator for numerous indie rock groups as a performer, arranger, improviser, and soloist and is a co-founder of the contemporary classical ensemble yMusic. yMusic’s debut record was named Time Out New York’s #1 Classical Record of 2011, the same year that Camerieri won two Grammys as a member of Bon Iver for the band’s sophomore record, which later reached gold status. He is currently the newest member of Paul Simon’s band, joining for 2014’s “Paul Simon and Sting: On Stage Together” tour.
Philip Glass at Royce Hall
Philip Glass Ensemble: La Belle et la Bête Fri, May 2 at 8pm
Philip Glass Ensemble: Music in Twelve PartsSat, May 3 at 5pm
Philip Glass:The Etudeswith Maki Namekawa and Sally WhitwellSun, May 4 at 7pm
“The most powerful composer of our time... what Glass is doing is changing the face of music for all time.” —The Daily Telegraph
GUARDIANBaret C. Fink
CHAMPIONDr. Audree V. FowlerDeborah IrmasRenee & Meyer LuskinGinny ManciniDr. Richard S. RossDr. & Mrs. Armin SadoffRalph & Shirley ShapiroDiane Levine & Robert WassRon WatsonWerner & Mimi Wolfen
BENEFACTOR AnonymousDean V. AmbroseGail & James R. AndrewsBarry BakerHelen & Peter BingMary Farrell & Stuart BloombergValerie & Brad CohenDr. Ellen Smith Graff & Mr. Fred CowanThe Feintech Family Sandra B. Krause & William B. FitzgeraldEliane Gans-OrgellFariba GhaffariDr. Allan Swartz & Roslyn Holt SwartzDiane KesslerJohn LiebesJoanne & Joel MogyEdie & Robert ParkerJohn & Kathleen QuisenberryJaclyn B. RosenbergGene & Maxine RosenfeldAlan M. SchwartzAnne-Marie & Alex SpataruDeedee Dorskind & Bradley Tabach-BankJoyce Craig & Beryl WeinerPatty & Richard WilsonKaryn Orgell WynneMarcie & Howard Zelikow
PATRONAnonymousBarbara AbellDrs. Helen & Alexander AstinAnna Wong Barth & Scott BarthDr. Lee & Ann CooperJay & Nadege CongerMarina F. DayDr. Bruce & Barbara DobkinLaura DonnelleyMary & Robert Estrin
Patricia & William FlumenbaumDr. Irene GoldenbergDr. Jerry Markovitz & Cameron JobeDr. Lewis & Sandra KanengiserJoseph P. KaufmanRobert & Milly KayyemJoanne KnopoffDr. Sheelagh Boyd & Larry LayneRonald L. Johnston & Joan LesserSusan & Leonard NimoyClaude PetiteAstrid & Howard PrestonDr. William J. ResnickRonnie RubinCynthia Chapman & Neil SelmanMan Jit & Srila SinghSaletta SmithLester & Carolyn SteinCarol & Joseph SullivanDr. Elwin V. Svenson & Ann SvensonSue & Doug UpshawMichael Sopher & Debra VilinskyCarol & Arnold VinsteinStephanie Snyder & Michael WarrenJudy Fiskin & Jon WienerCarla B. Breitner & Gary Woolard
SUSTAINERAnonymous (3)Robert C. AndersonKathleen Flanagan & Keenan BehrleJames BlakeleyStephanie Delange & David BodyDr. & Mrs. Thomas BrodMatthew Michael & Laurence ChryslerCity National BankRoberta ConroyHelene & Prof. Edwin CooperJennifer & Royce DienerLinnea DuvallRose & Al FinciSandra & Neil GafneySanford & Pat GageLori & Robert GoodmanStanley & Linda GoodmanJackie & Stan GottliebPattikay & Meyer GottliebAnn & William HarmsenLois HaytinHanna HeitingLisa & Steven HiltonSusan & David HirschTim Scott & Nancy HowardFiona & Michael Karlin
Tamara Turoff KeoughAliza & Michael LesserSusan LevichBea & Leonard MandelMel & Margalit MarshallMerle & Gerald MeaserSandra J. Klein & Donald McCallumPhylis NicolayevskyMichael & Suzanne ScottGil & Joanne SegelMuriel & Neil ShermanLaurie & Rick ShumanJennifer SimchowitzJudith TaylorDonna L. Dees & Timothy P. TobinAlice & Norman TulchinWilliam TurnerJoan & Joe WertzDr. Albert & Marilouise ZagerStuart & Carol Zimring
PARTNERAnonymousLeslee Hackenson & Roger AllersSylvia & Joseph BalbonaGil Valenzuela & Randy BarbatoSusan & Stephen BaumanRosanna BogartRonald & JoAnn BusuttilDr. Fereshteh & Khossrow DibaDr. Paul & Patti EisenbergOlga Garay & Kerry EnglishBillie & Steven FischerSherry & Matthew FrankRose GilbertCaryn Espo & David GoldJudy Abel & Eric GordonCarol & Irving GreinesLinda Essakow & Stephen GuntherDr. Robin Garrell & Dr. Kendall HoukMarti KoplinMorelle Lasky LevineBernard & Peggy LewakKaren & Peter LockePauline & Roger MayerLeslie MitchnerDr. Jeffrey & Jacqueline PerloffMargaret QuonLynda & Stewart ResnickDr. Ari & Mrs. Ann RosenblattBernard “Bud” Heumann & Patricia RosenburgLinda McDonough & Bradley RossRoth Family FoundationRita Rothman
The boards of CAP UCLA and Design for Sharing would like to thank all the members who have made a choice to join them in supporting arts education and the art of performance at UCLA.
This listing represents memberships from November 1, 2012-January 15, 2014. If you have questions or would like further information on how you can support CAP UCLA please contact Yvonne Wehrmann at [email protected] or (310) 794-4033.
John Schwartz Martha Kauffman & Michael SkloffDr. Christopher & Glennis WatermanSamantha & John WilliamsSteve & Jan WinstonArline Zuckerman
ADVOCATEAnonymousDr. Yoshio & Mrs. Natsuko AkiyamaMimi & Sherman AndelsonDr. Scott & Digna BeasleyLinda Engel & Alan BenjaminBunny Wasser & Howard BernsteinDonna & Richard BesoneMarjorie BlattStephanie & Harold Bronson Margot Rogers-Calabrese & Joseph CalabreseStephen DavisVanessa & Brian DokkoLorenzo DoumaniThe Edlow FamilyDavid & Linda EllisWilliam EscaleraJohn FellowsBeverly & Chester FiresteinPeter Weiner & Margaret GallegosAbner & Roslyn GoldstineDeborah GluskerDavid GrayLinda & Jerry JangerKerry KorfMarilyn K. LevinHon. Sherrill D. LukeKarin & Herbert MachlederMichael & Phyllis MarksLaura & James MaslonLaurie McCrayPaulette & Ronald NessimSarah & William OdenkirkAnne OsbergJoseph & Marjorie PerloffLinda PetersonSolomon Riley, JrNancy & Brad RosenbergCaron & Colin SapireIna SinsheimerKimiko & Harry StavrosMary Lou SteinmetzRobert SuiterRobert UhlNancy & Alan VoorheesHarold WilliamsBonnie & Paul Yaeger
