THE SPACE BETWEEN US
photo of Castle of Our Skins, Fog x FLO on The Emerald Necklace, Boston LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
Cover photo of Christine Lamprea by Amanda Westcott
Curator’s Note Music touches each of us and fills the spaces between us. Welcoming you back after a year of keeping audiences at a safe distance, we know how vital you are to the alchemy of live music. Without sharing an experience in the same time and place, musicians and educators felt adrift from the immediacy and connection we once took for granted. As we reclaim those spaces we missed so much, we have the chance to reawaken ourselves, reimagine our music, and reflect deeply on what we owe to each other. Our inspired students, faculty, guest artists, and artistic partners explore and interrogate our brave new world this season, lighting the way for us all to rediscover a now unfamiliar place. Who do we want to be close to us? What happens when we radically alter the setting of a performance? Dissolve the wall between artist and audience? How do we relate to our community and what is our role in the public sphere? Who decides where we’re allowed, and how we’re supposed to act? Who is silent, and who is doing the silencing? Can we transcend our surroundings when we’ve been forcibly displaced? Or bridge the yawning divides in our values and cultures? Through this disorienting time, we remain firmly grounded in who we are: Longy is a community that exists to raise up voices, spark creative expression, and bring new perspectives to light. Join us! Bring your open ears and hearts, your burning questions, and your wanderlust. We’re saving a space for you.
Karen Zorn, President • Ian Saunders, Assistant Dean for Artistic and Social Change • Rhaea D’Aliesio, Special Assistant to the President’s Office
2021 / 2022 Rachael Elliott Faculty Artist Recital: Dreams and Illusions
Du Bois Orchestra with Xavier Foley
9/ 1 8/2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
1 0/ 1 6/2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
Weston Sprott Residency
Oktoberfest: Things That Go Bump in the Night
9/ 1 9 - 9/2 1 /2 0 2 1
1 0/2 2 - 1 0/2 3/2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
Horszowski Trio: In the Face of Isolation
Musicians from Marlboro
9/24 /2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
1 0/24 /2 0 2 1 | 3 P M
Christine Lamprea Faculty Artist Recital: Reverencia
David Small Faculty Artist Recital: Building Bridges, Not Walls
9/2 5/2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
1 0/2 7/2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
Nanci Belmont Faculty Artist Recital: The Space Within 1 0/8/2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
1 0/ 1 3 - 1 0/ 1 6/2 0 2 1
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
Ben Schwendener Faculty Artist Recital: Realizations 1 1 / 1 1 /2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
Alcina 1 1 / 1 2 - 1 1 / 1 3/2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
Castle of Our Skins Residency: Dr. Bongani Ndodana-Breen 1 2 / 1 - 1 2 /3/2 0 2 1
Castle of Our Skins: Safika
1 0/2 9/2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
1 2 /3/2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
Radius Ensemble: Kinesphere 1 0/3 0/2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
Xavier Foley Residency
1 1 /6/2 1 – 1 1 / 7/2 1 | 3 P M
Horszowski Trio: New Path, New Light
Du Bois Orchestra 1 0/9/2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
Boston Camerata: We’ll Be There: American Spiritual Singing, Black and White, 1800-1900
“So She Wants to Write A Fugue” Gessner-Schocken: Jessica Osborne 1 2 /4 /2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
Horszowski Trio: Rebirth 1 /2 8/2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
4 /3 0/2 0 2 2 | 8 P M
Musicians from Marlboro 2 /2 0/2 0 2 2 | 3 P M
Neave Trio: I/We 1 2 / 5/2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
1/14-1/15/2022 | 8PM
Neave Trio: 1900s Paris 1 /2 2 /2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
Musicians from Marlboro
Horszowski Trio: Da Camera 5/ 5/2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
Boulanger Initiative Residency 2 /24 - 2 /2 6/2 0 2 2
Boston Opera Collaborative: Opera Bites
New Gallery Concert Series: Adopt and Adapt
The Space Between Us Festival 5/ 1 2 - 5/ 1 3/2 0 2 2
Neave Trio: The 19th: a room of her own
Radius Ensemble: Boundaries
2 /2 6/2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
5/2 1 /2 0 2 2 | 8 P M
Sylvie Zakarian Faculty Artist Recital: You Are Welcome Here
Geoffrey Landman Faculty Artist Recital: Domiciliary
3/ 1 2 /2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
STAY T U N E D F O R DAT E !
Radius Ensemble: Revelation
Donald Berman Faculty Artist Recital: Long Distance
1 /2 3/2 0 2 2 | 3 P M
David Small Faculty Artist Recital: Holocaust Remembrance 1 /2 7/2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
4 /9/2 0 2 2 | 8 P M
STAY T U N E D F O R DAT E !
Hazel Davis Faculty Artist Recital: Crossing The Space Between
Alternate Space Class Performance
4 / 1 5/2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
STAY T U N E D F O R DAT E !
Join us for
OKTOBERFEST!
Things that Go Bump in the Night October 22-23, 2021 | 8pm Did anyone else hear that? Is there danger lurking around every corner, a sound in the dark… The headlines look an awful lot like dystopian fiction, and that fiction is looking a lot like…America. You keep getting targeted ads for things you’ve only thought about. Your every move is being watched by billionaires in space. You keep seeing words like “code red for humanity” and “murder hornets” flash before your eyes…but perhaps you just ate too much candy corn? If this dark timeline has you feeling haunted, take a break from reality at Longy’s annual Oktoberfest at Pickman Hall. It’s a cabaret-style music revue featuring your favorite vocal hits paired with fun-size wicked wit. Costumes are encouraged—and we’ll have plenty of extra props to dress up your existential dread. Stop by for the music and stay for the tricks and treats — just watch out for things that go bump in the night! LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
December 4, 2021 | 8pm
“So She Wants to Write A Fugue”
GESSNER-SCHOCKEN: JESSICA OSBORNE
Like so many other musical forms, the canon of counterpoint traditionally didn’t make room for women composers. This concert will challenge our definition and context of musical fugues by putting
works by Irene Britton-Smith, Grazyna Bacewicz, Lera Auerbach, and Clara Wieck-Schumann alongside those of their male counterparts, such as Bach, Beethoven, and Shostakovich.
October 8, 2021 | 7:30pm
THE SPACE WITHIN
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
Nanci Belmont Faculty Artist Recital Music doesn’t just happen on a stage — it happens behind the scenes, in our minds, bodies, and spirits. Our 2021-22 season begins with a journey into this space as we a reflect on the unspoken ways we can share our inner selves with one another. The silence speaks just as loudly as the music in this program featuring works by Mario Lavista (Mexico), Reena Esmail (India/America), and Tania León (Cuba). Enjoy a world premiere of Scott Wheeler’s “Three Portraits and a Tango” for bassoon and piano, performed by Longy’s own Nanci Belmont.
BOSTON CAMERATA LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
PA R T N E R
Boston Camerata
DAT E S
Nov. 6 | 7:30pm, Nov. 7 | 3pm
We’ll Be There: American Spiritual Singing, Black and White, 1800-1900
The thread of American spiritual traditions through time is rarely seen on the page. It must be heard and felt in the oral traditions and shared experiences of our country’s complicated past, as in musical reminiscences of the Civil War era and the songs of America’s ongoing fight for justice in communities of color. These passed-down tunes, folkloric tales, and accounts of oppression draw together old hymns and modern gospels, Black and white, generation after generation, as Boston Camerata collapses the space between cultures, traditions, and communities. We’ll trace the evolution of musical styles, taste, and performance practices across historical divides, discovering how Celtic folklore and African call-and-shout songs have inspired a uniquely American musical movement.
CASTLE OF OUR SKINS LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
G U E ST C O M P O S E R
Dr. Bongani Ndodana-Breen
DAT E S
December 1, 2, 3
Castle of Our Skins Residency: Dr. Bongani Ndodana-Breen Break apart the exclusionary history of the classical canon and explore the new movement that is unapologetically dismantling the segregated world of music. Castle of our Skins does not offer a comfortable, diluted view of Blackness — it navigates hostile spaces of oppression to give voice to a movement and create a space defined by belonging. Composer Dr. Bongani Ndodana-Breen joins Longy students for a series including a lecture, masterclass, and composition seminar as part of Castle’s residency at Longy.
Safika DECEMBER 3, 2021 | 8PM
The classical canon has long maintained an icy remove from Black heritage and culture, but the time has come to celebrate unsung stories. Castle of Our Skins and Longy welcome South African composer Dr. Bongani Ndodana-Breen. Join us as we explore the piano quintet Safika: Three Tales of African Migration and other works for piano and strings. Ndodana-Breen’s pieces follow the journey of a people and a musical movement, informed by the composer’s own background and lived experience.
CHRIS Christine Lamprea Faculty Artist Recital: Reverencia S E P T E M B E R 2 5, 2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
Christine Lamprea grew up with one foot in her Colombian heritage and one foot in the United States. See how her history has moved her to explore the essence of latinidad and all the ways it manifests in classical music. The American Latinx community celebrates connection, but is full of proud differences. Lamprea’s music highlights the space between, refusing to fit neatly into our expectations of Latinx sound, by rejecting assimilation and celebrating the authenticity of experience.
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
STINE LAMPREA Christine Lamprea is recipient of a Specialist award from The Fulbright Program for a project at Fundación Nacional Batuta in Colombia, aiming to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities in the US and overseas. Hailed a “firebrand” (IncidentLight.com) and noted for her “supreme panache” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer), cellist and 2018 Sphinx Medal of Excellence Winner Christine Lamprea is an artist known for her emotionally committed and intense performances. Upon her Carnegie Hall debut as soloist in 2013, she has performed solo and with orchestras around the world.
As she describes her teaching philosophy: “My goal is to equip students with the tools to embark upon a career as a musician of the twenty-first century. Honoring their context, character and background, I look to promote natural curiosity to achieve mastery in the students’ desired career path, as well as build a fundamental understanding of the cello and its possibilities. My teaching style is ardent, perceptive, and inclusive. I approach my practice and teaching with a positive energy, tuned into issues by cultivating active listening.”
Cello Faculty
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
photo of Nadia Boulanger during her time as faculty at Longy in the 1940s. She taught advanced courses in composition and counterpoint.
February 24-26, 2022
BOULANGER INITIATIVE RESIDENCY If the mold of classical music has no space for you, you have to break it apart. That’s the idea behind the Boulanger Initiative’s advocacy work, which provides opportunities for women, non-binary, and trans musicians to redefine the field. The systematic exclusion of such people’s work from the canon has skewed both our understanding of music
and our definition of what it means to be a musician. BI is changing that. From an Organ Lecture Recital by Joy-Leilani Garbutt to a workshop on inclusive curation, this residency will show us how BI is making space for every narrative, through performance, education, and commissions.
NE CO
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
April 30, 2022 | 8PM
EW GALLERY ONCERT SERIES: Every identity is a house of endless rooms, but few identities are as complex as those of individuals who were adopted — the façade doesn’t always tell you what lies within. This New Gallery performance will be a musical tour — both literally and figuratively — through the winding halls and hidden rooms that
make up the experience of adoption and being adopted. As you move through the Zabriskie House, you’ll hear music from Jonathan Bailey Holland, Maria Finkelmeier, and Fabiola Mendez, exploring themes of displacement, belonging, and empathy in a deeply personal way.
ADOPT AND ADAPT
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
May 12-13, 2022
THE SPACE BETWEEN US FESTIVAL An empty space, a blank page. That’s what this year’s Longy students are tasked with filling. The Space Between Us Festival is our first student-run festival: designed, performed, and produced entirely by students. Get a first-hand look at how Longy empowers students to take the reins and build the world they want to make music in—starting from the ground up.
Date: stay tuned!
ALTERNATE SPACE CLASS PERFORMANCE The invisible wall between musicians and their audience has traditionally structured our idea of a performance space. And we’ve come to expect an even bigger divide between the privileged isolation of the concert hall and the reality of the outside world. So what happens to a performance when we remove the barriers, taking performers off the stage and into the world? In this class, students will explore how the space we make music in can become part of the performance. They’ll experiment with alternative concert spaces and discover how this redefinition of performance space changes the dynamics altogether.
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
Profile of Longy student Andreina Kasper U N D E R G R A D UAT E D I P LO M A ' 2 2 , VO C A L ST U D I E S P R E S I D E N T O F L AT I N X ST U D E N T U N I O N
Andreina Kasper began her music education with her mother, María Antonieta Salas, at age thirteen. She attended New World School of the Arts where her main focus was the cello, while she studied piano and voice privately. She comes from a musical family that migrated to the U.S from Venezuela. They faced countless struggles upon their arrival to America but music was always a crucial element to them, as it provided the motivation and drive to continue to work hard and dream big despite their circumstances. In Miami, Andreina had the opportunity to perform with many internationally acclaimed artists from a young age. She has made appearances at the Latin Grammys, Billboard Awards, Lo Nuestro Awards, and Premius Juventud with celebrities such as Shakira, Andrea Bocelli, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Luís Fonsi, Camila, Ruben Studdard, and many more.
Ms. Kasper is currently pursuing an undergraduate Diploma in Vocal studies where she is a student of Angela Gooch. She chose to study at Longy thanks to the recommendation of her cello teacher, Dr. Terry King and his wife, Laura Ann Bossert. Upon her first visit to Longy, she immediately knew she wanted to be a part of the “Harry Potter-esque castle” and wonderful Boston/ Cambridge music scene. She was also drawn to the idea of attending a school inspired by the international movement El Sistema—her mother is one of the founding members of the El Sistema organization in Venezuela. Andreina is greatly enjoying her current studies in Massachusetts and looking forward to many more musical experiences in the Northeast.
NEAVE TRIO Alumni Artists/Faculty Ensemble-in-Residence
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
I/We D E C E M B E R 5, 2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
Shakespeare famously asked, “What is the City but its people?” The Neave Trio endeavors to answer, breaking down how we’re affected by our communities as well as our places in them. With works by Lena Frank and Coleridge Taylor, as well as the timely and timeless words of Shakespeare, they’ll challenge the way we see ourselves as private individuals in public spaces. They’ll be joined by Longy faculty and students to serve the audience the vibrant energy and connection the Neave Trio is known for. Explore how communities are defined by their people—and people by their communities.
1900s Paris J A N UA R Y 2 2 , 2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
Early 20th-century Paris saw an explosion of cultural change, artistic expression and political unrest. A hundred years later, the stories and artistry of the times continue to impact our culture and understanding of music. Hear from all manner of voices channeled through the Neave Trio in a show that holds a mirror up to our times and asks us what the past can tell us about our present. See how the evocative, and sometimes taboo, voices of 1900s Paris speak to our times — and how music lets our imaginations travel through time and space with ease. Experience this journey in the round—with the audience encircling the performers.
The 19th: A Room of Her Own F E B R UA R Y 2 6, 2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
Women are often only given a very particular space — if they’re given space at all. They’re forced to exist on the margins, in domestic roles, in tokenized spaces, within the narrow spectrum of what society deems acceptable. A Room of Her Own examines how women’s voices have been historically underrepresented, walled off from the predominantly male narrative. The Neave Trio gives voice to women’s ongoing — and often silent — struggle for equality, from the suffrage movement to the present day.
September 19-21, 2021
Our anti-racism and diversity work often focuses on the future, without looking as closely at where things stand in the present. But to dismantle a machine, you have to know how it works. Weston Sprott — one of the only African-American members of the MET and Dean of the Preparatory Division of Juilliard and Pre-College Faculty — will give students, faculty, and staff an inside look at how music institutions operate. His professional development sessions will have an eye towards how recognizing and dismantling institutional racism can help us build a more diverse canon and a safer space for learning and performance.
WESTON SPROTT RESIDENCY LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
November 12-13, 2021 | 7:30pm
ALCINA Handel’s baroque opera Alcina is an on-thenose choice for modern-day audiences. Watch and listen for themes of deception, disconnection from reality, and deliberate misinformation. Expect vocal fireworks and
plenty of intrigue in this story of enchantment and witchcraft that explores the line between reality and falsehood. Longy’s Orchestra FLEX will provide musical accompaniment, directed by Nathan Troup and Ryan Turner.
DU BOIS ORCHESTRA Du Bois Orchestra, Artistic Partner Residency LO N GY A L U M N I J O E L A R O C C A A N D L AU R A R E Y E S
Longy’s tradition of preparing musicians for the ever-evolving musical landscape through real-world training and hands-on experiences means you’ll find Longy alumni in all sorts of musical organizations. The Du Bois Orchestra is home to two such alums, Joe LaRocca and Laura Reyes. Joe LaRocca (Artist Diploma Diploma ’18) was previously the orchestra’s principal flutist and personnel director, and is now its Executive Director. In addition to performing with the Du Bois orchestra, he has played with the Belmont Festival Orchestra and the Boston Chamber Symphony. He is currently on a national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, highlighting the wide range of his repertoire. He is also a founding member and composer for the progressive rock chamber group Mano. A bassoonist based in Boston, Laura Reyes (Master of Music ‘18) is a freelance musician, Arts Administrator, and arts advocate. Currently, in addition to freelancing, she works in the Entrepreneurship Department at New England Conservatory
Longy's Orchestr
where she focuses on career services for conservatory students and sits on the President’s Cultural Equity and Belonging Advisory Council. Within the Du Bois Orchestra she has performed as principal and section bassoon, and is on the Administrative Board where she spearheads development, marketing, and oversees general administrative tasks. Recently, a grant she authored received full funding from the Cambridge Arts Council for the grant, “Art for Racial Justice.” Her work with Du Bois enables their mission to reach more musicians and community members. Du Bois Orchestra’s mission to overcome social exclusion through increased musical representation aligns with Longy’s vision of social change through music. Since it was founded in 2015, the orchestra has made a mark on the Boston community and beyond with its diverse programming. Its concerts are offered for free, in order to make the experience of live classical music more accessible to everyone in the community.
ra Flex Student Ensemble
Du Bois Orchestra O C TO B E R 9, 2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
Segregation and discrimination didn’t just shape schools and public spaces — they also defined the musical canon for most of history. In a space created by — and largely for — white men, women composers and composers of color have had to fight for their place. Visionary composers like Scott Joplin, whose Treemonesha Overture will open the Du Bois Orchestra’s program, were largely ignored by western ears because of their race or identity. This program will put ragtime and jazz alongside the Dvorak’s 8th Symphony in an exploration of the space between genres and the fight to expand the musical canon for people of all identities.
Du Bois Orchestra with Xavier Foley O C TO B E R 1 6, 2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
At the conclusion of his residency, bass soloist Xavier Foley will appear alongside the Du Bois Orchestra as they perform a selection of deep cuts and thoughtfully chosen pieces.
XAVIER FOLEY Xavier Foley Residency O C TO B E R 1 3 - 1 6, 2 0 2 1
On a stage elevated above the audience, an orchestra is traditionally separated from its audience. This separation isn’t just physical — it’s often emotional, as well. Xavier Foley is has focused his career on being a different kind of musician, who explores the space between the performer and their audience. A good performance is much more than playing the notes right — it’s speaking to the audience’s feelings, perceptions, and notions of what a performance should be. As a Black soloist who plays a non-traditional solo instrument — the bass — Foley is in the perfect position explore the limits and margins of music performance. During his residency, he will offer a string masterclass for students and a workshop with Longy composers, culminating in a performance alongside the Du Bois Orchestra.
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
“A dazzling player who hears borders between styles as limitations best ignored.” – THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
Xavier Foley, Visiting Artist It isn’t often you see the double bass featured as a solo instrument. But Xavier Foley is all about changing what we’re used to seeing—and showing us what we’ve been missing. His crossgenre work blurs the lines between different styles, resulting in a sound that is all his own.
tell them they need to play in order to succeed if it doesn’t suit them. That attitude has manifested in a career that spans work from Edgar Meyer and Hal Robinson at Curtis, to composing for video games, to weaving all styles of music together, whether cultural, national, or folk music.
The 26-year-old bass virtuoso isn’t just a passionate soloist. As a composer, his work has been co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall, the Sphinx Organization, and New World Symphony, resulting in the moving work For Justice and Peace, which casts a musical eye at the social justice issues of our times.
This investment in the repertoire puts him in a unique position to communicate with his listeners, giving them a more intimate experience of the music. In his own words, “You must make a connection with the audience. You must be aware of what the audience is feeling and perform as if you are simply playing with the listeners’ feelings, rather than just trying to be perfect! Being perfect takes your focus away from the art of making a connection.”
Just like his music, his path towards notoriety has been wholly his own. He believes in the importance of musicians carving out a unique space for themselves—and ignoring what people
SYLVIE ZAKARIAN
You Are Welcome Here M A R C H 1 2 , 2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
Years of war and conquests have shaped the peoples of the Balkan region — and their strong sense of culture and heritage is what at once unites and divides them. Nations are drawn together through empathy and understanding, and united by their shared experience. Syldason, the marimba and voice duo of Longy percussionist Sylvie Zakarian and
Daniela Tošić explore the common elements of our human experience that let us bridge the gap between our identities. Hear music in folk and classical traditions from a wide range of Balkan composers throughout the ages. Take in the unique sound of the marimba and get a fresh perspective on the history that has bound together and divided Balkan peoples.
BEN SCHWENDENER
Realizations N OV E M B E R 1 1 , 2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
The language of universal Modal elements used by J.S. Bach has influenced the work of countless composers and musicians who followed. Schwendener translates these ideas into an improvisation for the modern era, delving into the depths of our commonality with one another and our oneness with nature. By approaching musicians like Bach with an analytical, mathematical eye, Schwendener is able to show us a completely new kind of music. This intimate performance in Wolfinsohn invites the audience to open their hearts and ears to this experience, with Schwendener’s helpful guidance.
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
GEOFFREY LANDMAN
Domiciliary STAY T U N E D F O R DAT E !
Where the piano is often seen as rigid and traditional, the more modern saxophone has been a tool for experimentation and improvisation. In its world premiere, Taylor Brook’s Domiciliary for piano and solo soprano saxophone will challenge this conception, allowing the two instruments to play off one another in a spontaneous way. Longy faculty artist Geoffrey Landman will be accompanied by composer and pianist Osnat Netzer, as their instruments meld together and come apart to test the limits of each. The program will also include works by Scott Wollschleger, Vicente Hansen Atria, and Osnat Netzer.
HAZEL DAVIS
Crossing the Space Between A P R I L 1 5, 2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
Explore the universal themes of empathy and human connection in this faculty artist recital. Hazel Davis will perform alongside violist Amelia Hollander Ames and pianist Elaine Rombala Aveni for an evening of music and poetry. Hear two new commissions written in celebration of Davis’s 15th wedding anniversary.
DAVID SMALL David Small is an operatic baritone—His forty-year performance career spans over 70 different roles in nearly 60 operas and most of the major oratorio repertoire. An avid recitalist and teacher, he has taught masterclasses and workshops about mindfulness in music around the world. “Longy doesn’t just teach the art of music—we insist that students find their own voices and learn how to use music to make the world a better place. When I joined the Longy faculty, the first thing I wanted to do was create and lead a class on music and mindfulness; the Longy administration had the class in the curriculum on my first day. Mindfulness, or moment-to-moment nonjudgmental awareness, has such great
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
Artist Teacher of Voice at Longy
potential to give musicians the ability to be truly present during their own preparation and performances.
DAVID SMALL
The class helps students see what’s really going on when they feel stage fright, the fear of failure, or even the fear of success. It helps us unpack and neutralize our brain’s evolutionary protective mechanisms, like the fight, flight, or freeze response our ancestors needed to avoid hungry tigers. Part of our brains is still hyper-alert for tigers, yet in my forty years of singing, I can tell you: there’s never been a tiger in any concert hall or audition. Mindfulness helps tame that, making us better—and more confident—performers.”
Our society is built around walls—of identity, nationality, and understanding. In his faculty artist recital, David Small gives us a glimpse into how we can turn these walls into bridges to heal the societal and historical divisions that impede our understanding of one another. Just as physical bridges span divides between different regions and nations, allowing trade and migration, the cultural bridge that Small proposes lets us share our cultures and stories through space
Building Bridges, Not Walls O C TO B E R 2 7, 2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
and time. The repertoire, which Small will sing accompanied by Jean Anderson (his wife) on piano, features Spanish- and Portuguese-language art songs alongside Black American art songs, with a focus on female artists.
DAVID SMALL
DONALD BERMAN
RACHAEL ELLIOTT
WITH IAN SAUNDERS
Long Distance
Dreams and Illusions
STAY T U N E D F O R DAT E !
S E P T E M B E R 1 8, 2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
Emigration — particularly when forced — not only puts a space between a person and their homeland, but between the person they were before and the person they must become. Our experiences shape us, and they shape our artistry as well. Donald Berman’s faculty artist recital focuses on music that recalls lost homelands. Hear from contemporary artists as they explore their adaptation to new spaces, their changing perspective, and even
A love letter, a dreamscape, the lace of a spider’s silk. The cavern of our imaginations and our dreams has space for everything, and music is the key to unlocking the other side of our consciousness as we bridge the gaps of understanding between us—and within ourselves. Bassoonist Rachael Elliott considers the distance between the way things are and the way we wish they could be, suggesting that the creativity and open-
their struggles to survive. Berman’s thoughtful curation will provide an impactful view of life lived long distance.
ness that allow artistry to thrive can inspire our progress towards a better, more just future.
Holocaust Remembrance J A N UA R Y 2 7, 2 0 2 2 | 8 P M
Even in the darkest times, music has been a beacon of hope for the oppressed and grieving, creating space for healing and remembering. Hear a set of songs written in the Theresienstadt concentration camp alongside other selections by Jewish composers, followed by Lori Laitman’s song cycle, Holocaust 1944. The heavy beauty of this piece reminds us of the atrocities that still echo today. See Assistant Dean of Artistic and Social Change Ian Saunders in his faculty debut on double bass alongside baritone David Small.
HORSZOWS Faculty Ensemble-in-Residence
In the Face of Isolation S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
Over the past year, we have experienced a collective isolation, with quarantines and shutdowns wedging a space between ourselves and our loved ones, routines, and communities. This collection of pieces proposes a new way of looking at isolation: as a chance to enjoy the silence and the energy of liminal spaces. In his pieces for solo violin and solo cello, Morton Feldman celebrates the beauty of a lone voice as well as the intricacies of harmony, while John Cage gives us a chance to appreciate the stripped-down energy of something as commonplace as a toy piano—using as few as five notes to create a vibrant musical work. Robert Schumann’s Piano Trio touches on how the pain from mental illness can be channeled into a sweeping emotional work.
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
SKI TRIO New Path, New Light
Rebirth
Da Camera
O C TO B E R 2 9, 2 0 2 1 | 7: 3 0 P M
J A N UA R Y 2 8, 2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
M AY 5, 2 0 2 2 | 7: 3 0 P M
G U E ST A R T I ST: S E A N WA N G, V I O L I N
A seed beneath the ground always waits for the right time to emerge — sometimes a period of suspension is what’s needed to ensure growth. The three pieces in this program explore this notion of rebirth, as well as
A triple concerto is a rare experience. The Horszowski Trio will be joined by Longy’s Orchestra FLEX to create this unique opportunity. They’ll become more than the sum of their parts by combining their voices and
the re-imagination that happens over time. The Trios by Shostakovich and Debussy were both written when the composers were very young and did not resurface until the 1980s, when they were born into a very different musical context. Similarly, J. Mills’ interpretation of The Beatles gem “Blackbird” is reimagined through improvisation, allowing the distance between musical moments to define the experience.
new and different ways, closing the gap between students and mentors. See how banishing hierarchy on the stage gives us a fresh take on the concerto. Da Camera was composed by George Walker.
An obstacle can’t be the end to artistry — sometimes it’s exactly the catalyst that a composer needs for inspiration. This program looks at two artists who had to adapt their work to difficult circumstances: Clarke struggled as a female composer and was forced to use a pen name to gain recognition, before she could make space for herself on her own merits. Korngold’s Suite for Two Violins, Cello and Piano Left Hand was written for a pianist who lost his right arm during the war. This courageous piece refuses limitations — pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on the instrument and prompting us to reimagine our capabilities and artistry.
Ensemble-in-Residence
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
RAD
DIUS ENSEMBLE Kinesphere
Revelation
Boundaries
O C TO B E R 3 0, 2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
A P R I L 9, 2 0 2 2 | 8 P M
M AY 2 1 , 2 0 2 2 | 8 P M
In the past year and a half, we’ve become obsessed with protecting the space around our bodies — while also yearning for physical contact more than ever before. The Radius Ensemble will explore this tension through the concept of the Kinesphere, the space around the performer’s body in modern dance. The performance will explore how our concepts of intimacy and privacy have changed and been reborn in the wake of the pandemic. Hear the Astor Piazzolla’s sultry Tango Suite for wind quintet in celebration of the composer’s centenary, contrasted with the privacy of the solo piano in Intimacy of Harmony by Boston Composer Jonathan Bailey Holland. Jennifer Higdon’s jaunty tribute to the bassoon, Dark Wood, rounds out the program along with André Previn’s Quintet for horn and strings.
Olivier Messiaen premiered his Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of the World) as a POW in World War II Germany. The unusual ensemble that performed the piece was living inside the reality it described — experiencing both the horrors of war and the triumph of goodness. See how music provides liberation in captivity and allows us to reclaim our humanity, even in the darkest of times. You’ll also hear Marti Epstein’s Abîme des oiseaux (Abyss of Birds) for wind sextet, which is a response to a movement of Messiaen’s magnum opus.
As the pandemic reinforced our personal and physical boundaries, we saw other divisions torn down and reimagined. The program will open with a quintet by film composer Nino Rota, and will go on to explore how borders are transformed, obscured, and built up in response to changing times. Charles Ives’s piano trio blurs the boundaries of genre with quotes from folk songs juxtaposed with modern sounds. Valerie Coleman’s Rubispheres looks at the stark lines between Manhattan neighborhoods, which speak to the walls we build around class, ethnicity and social position. Tōru Takemitsu’s Toward the Sea investigates the boundary between the human and animal worlds.
MUSICIANS FROM MARLBORO
*there’s a marlboro folder on dropbox with more options* LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
Storm and Sanctuary
Echoes from the Past
Innerspace
O C TO B E R 24 , 2 0 2 1 | 8 P M
J A N UA R Y 3 0 2 0 2 2 | 3 P M
F E B R UA R Y 2 0, 2 0 2 2 | 3 P M
This selection of works for the season’s first Musicians from Marlboro performance will explore the spaces between passion and peace — and storm and sanctuary — in our relationships. These dynamics are defined by the changes and trespasses that occur in the spaces between us. Schubert’s Ellens Gesänge discovers space for healing and rest, while Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1, Kreutzer Sonata — based on the Tolstoy novella of the same name — delves into the intense turmoil born of betrayal, passion, and rage. The selection will end with a Schumann string quartet that experiments with building tension and culminates in an optimistic release.
The instrumentation of a piece can ultimately decide how it affects its audience — from the ethereal closeness of a string trio to the less common complexity of the sextet. Discover the space between the tangible and the intangible through this selection of ensemble pieces that focus on the changes that occur in times of suspension.
Rilke once proposed the idea of wandering “the halls of your own mind.” As this program will show us, there is no end to what we can discover when we let ourselves get lost in introspection while following paths less traveled. The journey is filled with wonder, from a wandering angel to a trip to the circus, and a collection of impractical rhythms, speechless songs, and mystical creatures. Breach the horizons of experience and self-discovery with this rich collection of works from Haydn, Gubaidulina, Prokofiev, and more.
BOSTON OPERA COLLABORATIVE
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
BOC: Opera Bites JANUARY 14–15, 2022 | 8PM
See how fresh opera is made. Get front row seats to the creation of six new 10-minute operas — featuring new voices and new perspectives. From staged readings of brand new scripts this fall to workshop performances of freshly-minted compositions next spring, you’ll be part of the creative process as we develop the works that will take the stage as soon as theaters open again. Presented online, along with conversations with the creative teams. Featuring libretti by: Joshua Brown, Laura Fuentes, Anita Gonzalez, Dan McGeehan, Enzo Silon Surin, and Amy Tofte. Expert librettist panel: April De Angelis, Adam Lenson, and Lila Palmer. Featuring compositions by: Carlos Carrillo, Jordan Kuspa, Johanny Navarro, Beth Ratay, Tony Solitro, and Mary D. Watkins.
LO N GY / T H E S PAC E B E T W E E N U S
Thank You TO O U R 2 0 2 1 C O R P O R AT E S P O N S O R S A N D F O U N DAT I O N S U P P O R T E R S :
Bonny Lamb — Compass Real Estate The Cambridge Homes Cambridge Trust The Charles Hotel Currier, Lane & Young at Compass Real Estate Foley and Lardner LLP Forrests Music, Inc. Johnson String Instrument Massachusetts Cultural Council Newbury Court Nubar at the Sheraton Commander Rockland Trust Company TG Gallagher Trinity Property Management
The world needs music now more than ever. At Longy, we prepare students to become exceptional musicians who can engage new audiences; teach anyone, anywhere; and use artistry to change lives in communities around the world.
Join us and become the musician the world needs you to be. LO N GY. E D U/ E V E N T S