February 24, 2024: Imanin Winds Program

February

NICHOLS CONCERT HALL

2023-2024

The Music Institute of Chicago is grateful to all its funders and partners, whose generous support helps us to entertain, inspire, and educate through live music performed by both new emerging artists and the most established artists of our time.

Special thanks to these annual institutional funders: Paul Galvin Memorial Foundation, John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, Irving Harris Foundation, ITW, Negaunee Foundation, John D. & Alexandra C. Nichols Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Sargent Family Foundation, and many others.

We acknowledge the generous support of the Illinois Arts Council Agency as well as the support of the Highland Park Community Foundation and the Evanston Arts Council, a city agency supported by the City of Evanston; the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Thank you to our technical sponsor

This program is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

Sponsorship opportunities range from concerts and performances, to the annual Gala, special capital projects, and community engagement initiatives. For more information contact the Development Office: 847.448.8327.

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Music Institute of Chicago, a place where generations of families have come for music lessons and classes. Welcome also to Nichols Concert Hall, a premier performance space where we feature world-class artists right here in downtown Evanston.

Tonight, we are pleased to present Imani Winds, one of the finest chamber music ensembles of our time. We can join Imani this evening in celebrating their 2024 Grammy Award in the category of Best Classical Compendium. For decades, this ensemble has blazed a unique musical trail with adventurous programming and imaginative collaborations, revolutionizing the repertoire for the wind quintet.

This concert series is only one part of our mission. As a top-tier, nonprofit community music school, we offer music lessons and classes to thousands of students of all ages and levels each year. We are also deeply committed to making music and music education accessible to people and communities who might not otherwise have access. You can learn more about lessons and classes, upcoming concerts, or, how to support this concert series, at musicinst.org.

I look forward to seeing you and your friends again at Nichols Concert Hall!

Mark George President and CEO Music Institute of Chicago

IMANI WINDS MASTER CLASS

Saturday, February 24 at 2 pm

Flute Concertino in D major, Op. 107

Carmen Yanguas, flute

Mary Drews, piano

Cécile Chaminade (1857 – 1944)

Music Institute of Chicago - student of Meret Bitticks

Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622

Sarah Morris, clarinet

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 – 1791)

Lyudmila Lakisova, piano

Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative - student of Leslie Grimm

Hungarian Pastoral Fantasy

Linden Wadsworth, flute

Mary Drews, piano

Albert Franz Doppler (1821 – 1883)

Music Institute of Chicago - student of Meret Bitticks

IMANI WINDS BLACK AND BROWN

A CELEBRATION OF COMPOSERS OF COLOR

Saturday, February 24 at 7:30 pm

I Said What I Said* Damien Geter

Giants† Carlos Simon

I. Bessie Smith

II. Cornel West

III. Herbie Hancock

Selections from Aires Tropicales Paquito D’Rivera INTERMISSION

Rubispheres No. 1 Valerie Coleman

(For flute, clarinet & bassoon)

I. DROM

II. Serenade

III. Revival

BeLoud, BeLoved, BeLonging ‡ Andy Akiho (b. 1979)

I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free Billy Taylor (1921-2010) arr. Mark Dover

*Written for Imani Winds. Commissioned by Anima Mundi Productions, Chamber Music Northwest and the Oregon Bach Festival. Premiered April 28, 2022 in Portland, OR.

†Commissioned by Imani Winds and Shriver Concert Hall Series. Premiered May 14, 2023.

‡ Commissioned by Imani Winds with support from the Concert Artists Guild Richard Weinert Award, the Imani Winds Foundation and the Kaufman Music Center. Premiered October 26, 2022 in New York City.

IMANI WINDS

Imani Winds is the 2024 GRAMMY® winner in the Classical Compendium category for Jeff Scott’s Passion for Bach and Coltrane released on their recently formed record label, Imani Winds Media.

Celebrating over a quarter century of music making, the three-time GRAMMY® nominated group has led both a revolution and evolution of the wind quintet through their dynamic playing, adventurous programming, imaginative collaborations and outreach endeavors that have inspired audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

The ensemble’s playlist embraces traditional chamber music repertoire, and newly commissioned works from voices that reflect historical events and the times in which we currently live.

Recent projects include a Jessie Montgomery composition inspired by her great-grandfather’s migration from the American south to the north, socially conscious music by Andy Akiho, reflecting on mass incarceration, and a work by Carlos Simon celebrating iconic figures of the African American community. These works and more have been commissioned as a part of the Legacy Commissioning Project.

Twenty-six seasons of full-time touring has brought Imani Winds to virtually every major chamber music series, performing arts center, and summer festival in the U.S. They regularly perform in prominent venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy Center and have a presence at festivals such as Chamber Music Northwest, Chautauqua Institution and Banff Centre.

Imani Winds thoughtfully curates unique residencies that include performances, workshops, and masterclasses to thousands of students each year at institutions such as the University of Chicago, Eastman School of Music and Duke University.

Their international presence includes concerts throughout Asia, Brazil, Australia, England, New Zealand and Europe.

Appointed in 2021 as Curtis Institute of Music’s first ever Faculty Wind Quintet, Imani Winds commitment to education runs deep. The highly successful Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival launched in 2010, is an annual summer program devoted to musical excellence and career development for pre-professional instrumentalists and composers. The curriculum includes mentorship, masterclasses, entrepreneurial workshops, community engagement activities and performances, with the goal of fostering the complete musician and global citizen.

In 2019, the group extended their mission even further by creating the non-profit organization, Imani Winds Foundation, which exists to support, connect and uplift their initiatives and more.

Imani Winds’ travels through the jazz world are highlighted by their multi-faceted association with luminary musicians and composers Wayne Shorter, Paquito D’Rivera and Jason Moran. Their ambitious project, "Josephine Baker: A Life of Le Jazz Hot!" featured jazz songstress René Marie in performances that brought the house down in New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Los Angeles and St. Louis.

In 2021, Imani Winds released their 9th studio album, “Bruits” on Bright Shiny Things Records, which received a 2022 GRAMMY® nomination for “Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance.” Gramophone states, “the ensemble’s hot rapport churns with conviction throughout.”

Imani Winds has recordings on Koch International Classics and E1 Music, including their 2006 GRAMMY® nominated recording, “The Classical Underground”. They have also recorded for Naxos and Blue Note and released an acclaimed arrangement of Stravinsky’s "Rite of Spring" on Warner Classics. They are regularly heard on all media platforms including NPR, American Public Media, the BBC, SiriusXM, the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

To date, one of Imani Winds’ most humbling recognitions is a permanent presence in the classical music section of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington DC.

For more information visit: www.imaniwinds.com

2024 GRAMMY® Winner Best Classical Compendium

BRANDON PATRICK GEORGE, FLUTE

Brandon Patrick George has been the flutist of Imani Winds since 2018 and has appeared with the group around the United States and Europe, and on the Grammy-nominated album Bruits. He has been praised as “elegant” by The New York Times, as a “virtuoso” by The Washington Post, and as a “knockout musician with a gorgeous sound” by The Philadelphia Inquirer. His debut album was released by Haenssler Classics in September 2020; The New York Times has described it as “a program that showcases the flute in all its wit, warmth and brilliance.”

Brandon has performed at the Elbphilharmonie, the Kennedy Center, the Dresden Music Festival, and the Prague Spring Festival. In addition to his work with Imani Winds, Brandon’s solo performances include appearances at Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 92nd Street Y, Tippet Rise, and Maverick Concerts. His current collaborations include touring projects with harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani, pianist Aaron Diehl, and harpist Parker Ramsay. In 2021, Brandon was part of the inaugural class of WQXR’s Artist Propulsion Lab, a program designed to advance the careers of early and mid-career artists and support the future of classical music. During his yearlong residency at WQXR, Brandon guest hosted Evening Music, interviewed Ford Foundation president Darren Walker about diversity and equity in the performing arts, and recorded with pianist Aaron Diehl and harpist June Han.

Prior to his solo career, Brandon performed as a guest with many of the world’s leading ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE). With the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Brandon performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall and at the Hollywood Bowl with Music Director Gustavo Dudamel. His ensemble work allowed him to work closely with some of the foremost composers of our time including John Adams, Louis Andriessen, Tania León, Steve Reich, and George Lewis.

Brandon trained at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the Conservatoire de Paris, and the Manhattan School of Music. He serves on the faculty of the Curtis Institute and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

MEKHI GLADDEN, OBOE

Mekhi Gladden is an oboist and English-hornist from Atlanta, Georgia who is currently based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are a recent graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and has since been playing with numerous ensembles throughout the United States. Mekhi began studying oboe at age twelve before

entering the Talent Development Program at age fifteen under the tutelage of Emily Brebach, English horn of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. They later went on to study with Richard Woodhams, Toyin Spellman-Diaz, Robert Walters, Katherine Needleman, Philippe Tondre, and Elizabeth Tiscione at the Curtis Institute of Music.

Mekhi has performed with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Symphony in C, and Memphis and Baltimore Symphony Orchestras as guest Principal. They have recently been awarded First Prize in the Eric Varner Young Artist Competition, Audience Choice in the Virtual Oboe Competition, and Winner of the Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition with performance as a featured soloist with the Brevard Music Center Orchestra.

Mekhi works purposefully to further diversity, equity, and inclusion in classical music through their performance and advocacy. This has taken shape in their premiering of several new works for solo oboe, oboe and electronics, oboe and trumpet, and various other ensembles. They have recently worked at the Composers Conference at Avaloch as performance faculty and chamber music faculty. Their upcoming season includes a return to community concerts in retirement communities and youth communities through Astral Artists. Mekhi continues to explore through experimental improvised music - spearheaded by the People’s Music Supply centered in Philadelphia.

MARK DOVER, CLARINET

GRAMMY® award-winning clarinetist Mark Dover is a man of many horns, maintaining firm roots in classical music while everexpanding into the vast world of improvised music.

Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mark was privileged to grow up in a town with a strong commitment to arts education, and with parents who were passionate about the arts.

In addition to performing with Imani Winds, Mark is the clarinetist with Manhattan Chamber Players, who he tours with regularly. He has performed with the Detroit Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra at Kent Blossom Music Festival, The Knights, Nu Deco Ensemble, New World Symphony, The Spoleto Festival, Pacific Music Festival, and many other orchestras and festivals throughout the country.

Mark is on the clarinet faculty at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, and Queens College, CUNY. He joined the chamber music faculty at Curtis Institute of Music in

2021. He has conducted master classes at numerous academic institutions throughout the country, such as University of Michigan, Manhattan School of Music, and the University of Texas at Austin.

In addition to his work in the classical world, Mark has an extensive background in jazz and improvised music. He formed the multi-genre duo Port Mande with pianist/producer Jeremy Jordan in 2017. Their debut EP Is This Loss? was released in July of 2020. A frequent collaborator with American funk band, Vulfpeck, Mark was featured as a performer and arranger on their highly acclaimed album Thrill of the Arts, and in 2019, played to a sold-out Madison Square Garden. He has performed and/or recorded with musicians of many different genres, including Jason Moran, Alicia Moran, Edward Simon, Brian Blade, Scott Colley, David Binney, Bernard Purdie, Cyrille Aimée, Lawrence, Darren Criss, Theo Katzman, Joey Dosik, Dave Malloy, Phillipa Soo, Kris Bowers, Michael Thurber, Charles Yang and many more.

A graduate of Interlochen Arts Academy, Mark received his Masters of Music from the Manhattan School of Music and his Bachelor of Music from the University of Michigan. His most influential teachers include David Krakauer, Deborah Chodacki, and Jay DeVries. He lives in New York City with his wife, soprano Faylotte Crayton, and his 3 year old daughter Lulu.

KEVIN NEWTON, FRENCH HORN

Kevin Newton is the newest member of the GRAMMY® awardwinning wind quintet, Imani Winds. A native of South Boston, Virginia, he is a horn player and educator based in Manhattan. His first music teacher, his mother, instilled in him a love of musicmaking’s collaborative spirit.

As a chamber musician, he has performed with Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Metropolitan Horn Authority, Roomful of Teeth, and Tredici Bacci, among other ensembles. He has appeared professionally on the stages of Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the DiMenna Center for Classical Music, and National Sawdust.

An advocate for new music, Kevin collaborated with composer Erin Busch to premiere a solo work as a part of the Contemporary Performance Institute at the Composers Conference in 2020. He is involved with several commissions set to premiere in the 2021–22 season. Kevin formerly served as principal horn of the Waynesboro Symphony and, as an orchestral soloist, he has performed works by Gordon Jacob, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Franz Strauss.

Kevin enjoys a busy recording schedule and has recently recorded with Tredici Bacci, Metropolitan Horn Authority, Tex Crick, and Sami Stevens, as well as for commercial projects. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Stony Brook University. He holds a Master of Music degree in orchestral performance from Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a regular participant at Yellow Barn in Vermont.

Kevin joined the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music in 2021. He is also on the horn faculty of Manhattan School of Music’s Precollege division and MSM Summer.

MONICA ELLIS, BASSOON

2024 GRAMMY® winner and three-time nominee, bassoonist Monica Ellis is a founding member of the wind quintet, Imani Winds.

As the daughter of a jazz saxophonist father and fashionista mother, she was raised in a house full of go-getters. A natural organizer, Monica is the co-artistic and executive director for Imani Winds and their annual Chamber Music Festival and treasurer for their non-profit Foundation.

A self-proclaimed “band kid”, growing up in her beloved city of Pittsburgh, Monica played clarinet, saxophone, and piano. After being introduced to the bassoon in middle school, she began studying with Mark Pancerev, of the Pittsburgh Symphony, and went on to receive her Bachelor of Music degree from Oberlin College Conservatory of Music where she studied with George Sakakeeny. While at Oberlin, her desire to connect with others flourished through her participation in the Panama Project – a month long camp for young Panamanian musicians.

She received her Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School and Professional Studies Certificate from Manhattan School of Music in the Orchestral Performance Program, studying with Frank Morelli at both institutions.

She has performed and recorded with dozens of world-renowned artists and organizations spanning genres and styles from the likes of Wayne Shorter to the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Solo bassoon appearances have been with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, American Composers Orchestra and the Chineke! Orchestra in London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Recording credits include ten albums with Imani Winds (Imani Winds Media, Bright Shiny Things, Koch International Classics, EOne and EMI Classics). Monica can also be heard on: Edward Simon – Sorrows and Triumphs, Chick Corea - The Continents, Wayne Shorter Quartet - Without a Net, Mohammed Fairouz - Native Informant, Jeff Scott - Urban Classical Music Project, Brubeck Brothers Quartet - Classified, Steve Coleman – Ascension to Light and Perspectives Ensemble - Montsalvatge Mardrigal.

Continuing the lineage of great pedagogues before her, Monica is a passionate educator and mentor. She is on the faculty of Curtis Institute of Music and Manhattan School of Music and has been a visiting professor/faculty at The University of Chicago, Mannes School of Music, and The Juilliard School’s Music Advancement Program. A renowned clinician, she frequently presents master classes and solo recital performances across the country.

She is a sought-after commentator on critical issues of race, gender and entrepreneurship in classical music and serves on the Orchestra of St. Luke’s Educational Advisory Committee and is a board member for Concert Artists Guild and the International Double Reed Society (IDRS). Monica is a Fox Bassoon Artist and plays exclusively on a Model 201.

Monica religiously watches Jeopardy!, loves home decorating, and resides in the historic village of Harlem in New York City with the greatest joy of her life - her 10-year-old son, Oden.

FRIENDS OF THE

MUSIC

INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO

The Music Institute is grateful for every gift. The following friends made contributions of $5,000 or more between September 1, 2022 and January 10, 2024.

$100,000 and above

The Negaunee Foundation

Alexandra* and John† Nichols

$50,000 - $99,999

Mr. John H. Krehbiel Jr. and Mrs. Karen Z. Gray-Krehbiel

ITW

Ms. Barbara Ann Speer

$25,000 - $49,999

Paul M. Angell Family Foundation

John and Pauline Fife

KPMG and Scott* and Areta Verschoor

Jim and Kay* Mabie Family

Northern Trust Corporation

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick W. Ryan

Lee Anne* and Rich Stoddart

Jim Stone*

The Wallace Foundation

William E. Wolf and Meredith Bluhm-Wolf

$10,000 to $24,999

Anonymous Gifts

Dr. Jim Hsu and Ms. Elisa Barston

The Canning Foundation

Lester and Renée Crown

Roger and Sandra Deromedi

Craig and Janet Duchossois

John and Fran Edwardson

Evanston Arts Council

Jim and Karen Frank

Paul Galvin Memorial Foundation

Wilbur and Linda Gantz

Ronald and Christina Gidwitz

Norman and Cynthia Goldring

Mrs. Mona Golub

Dan* and Yoo Mi Hahn

Caryn and King Harris

Courtney Holohan* and Wesley Mueller

Caroline and Charles Huebner

J. Thomas Hurvis and Ann Andersen

Illinois Arts Council Agency

Anne Kaplan

Ethelle Katz

Susan R. Kiphart

Mrs. Paul Klimstra

Tom and Joyce Leddy

Diane vS. and Robert M. Levy

Molex Incorporated

Mr. Ernest Mahaffey

National Endowment for the Arts

Bill and Cathy Osborn

Ms. Renée Parquette*

Timothy Patenode* and Judy Royal

Ms. Sheila Penrose

Ravinia Festival Association

Andrew and Betsy Rosenfield

Michael and Cari Sacks

Sage Foundation

Scott and Nancy Santi

Barbara* and Peter Sereda

Lisbeth C. Stiffel

UL

Audrey L. Weaver

Mr. Miles D. White

Wintrust Commercial Banking

Tao Zhu* and Weihua Ye

$5,000 to $9,999

Anonymous Gifts

Mrs. Carol Lavin Bernick

BMO Harris Bank

Norman and Virginia Bobins

Boys & Girls Club of Chicago

Carlos R. Cardenas*

Lawrence O. Corry

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Deangelis

Thomas W. Dower Foundation

Thomas and Patricia Gahlon

Hans* and Denitta Germann

John R. Halligan Charitable Fund

Irving Harris Foundation

Highland Park Community Foundation

Dr. Erin and Dr. Wellington Hsu

Dolores Kohl Kaplan

Karen and Mark Koulogeorge

Mr. John W. Madigan

Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Moore

Mary P. Murley

Yana Nedvetsky* and Axel Vargas

Mr. Robert Perlmutter

Mr. and Mrs. John J. Piepgras

Vikram K. Raghavan* and Shruthi Atmaram

Sargent Family Foundation

Dr. Scholl Foundation

Sidley Austin LLP

Jennifer Steans and James P. Kastenholz

Pam and Russ Strobel

Ross* and Emily Parker Updegraff

Mr. and Mrs. David F. Vitale

Frederick and Catherine Waddell

Audra Wilson*

David* and Eileen Zampa

Florian Zettelmeyer *and Meghan Busse

* Trustee † Deceased

The Music Institute of Chicago provides high-quality teaching, performing, and service activities for thousands of Chicagoland residents each year.

Contributions of all sizes support our shared commitment to educate and inspire musicians and music lovers of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, regardless of experience or financial means.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

TRUSTEES

Scott Verschoor, Chair

Alexandra C. Nichols, Chair Emerita

Timothy J. Patenode, Treasurer

Barbara Sereda, Secretary

Carlos R. Cardenas, CPA, Vice Chair

Lee Anne Stoddart, Vice Chair

Paul Brourman

Hans Germann

Daniel Hahn

Courtney Holohan

Kay Mabie

Yana Nedvetsky

Renée Parquette

Vikram Raghavan

Jim Stone

Ross Updegraff

Zalman Usiskin

Audra Wilson

David Zampa

Florian Zettelmeyer

Tao Zhu

LIFE TRUSTEES

John J. Berwanger

Mitzi Freidheim

Brooks Morgan

Rachel Barton Pine

Betsey L. Puth

Priscilla F. Richman

William N. Topaz

HONORARY BOARD

Jennifer Koh

Nina Kraus

Deborah F. Rutter

EX-OFFICIO TRUSTEES

Mark George

Christopher Rintz

THE MUSIC INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO leads people toward a lifelong engagement with music through unparalleled teaching, exceptional performances, and valuable service initiatives that educate, inspire, and build strong, healthy communities.

Since its founding in 1931, the Music Institute’s commitment to innovation, access, and excellence has served as an important community resource and helps to ensure music is available to everyone. Each year, the Music Institute provides personalized music instruction to more than 2,000 students, regardless of age, level of experience, or financial means, across seven Community Music School locations in Chicago, Downers Grove, Evanston, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, and Winnetka, as well as online.

In addition, the Music Institute brings music education, arts curriculum integration, professional development, and music performance and engagement opportunities to thousands in the Chicago area; offers scholarship opportunities to students in its Community School and its Academy, a nationally recognized training center for highly gifted pre-college pianists and string players; and welcomes thousands of visitors annually for performances, master classes, and special events at Nichols Concert Hall.

For more information: musicinst.org • 847.905.1500

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