Midori Joins the Curtis Violin Faculty Beginning in the 2018-19 School Year

PHILADELPHIA—June 27, 2017—The Curtis Institute of Music welcomes celebrated violinist Midori to the faculty beginning in the 2018–19 school year. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Midori to Curtis,” said Curtis President Roberto Díaz. “A soloist renowned worldwide who pairs her international performing schedule with a commitment to community collaboration and outreach, she embodies the artist-citizen ideal that we want to instill in our students. Curtis enjoys a long tradition of distinguished and active performers serving on the faculty, and Midori’s work to bring music to underserved communities fits so well with our thriving community engagement program at Curtis. I’m sure that all our students – not just violinists – will have an opportunity to benefit from her presence here.” 

In addition to the preeminent musical education offered at Curtis, the school’s emphasis on community engagement was a key element in Midori’s decision to relocate to Philadelphia. Curtis offers many opportunities for students to connect with local and global communities through the highest level of artistry, from project-based curricular offerings, to post-graduate fellowships, to performances in the community. 

“I’m extremely excited about re-locating to Philadelphia to begin working at Curtis, the very institution that has trained a great number of the musicians I most respect,” said Midori. “Nurturing younger generations of musicians through lessons, coachings, and community collaborative activities has been closely intertwined with my teaching responsibilities. Community-building through music and connecting with young musicians are an important part of my career, and I look forward to exploring with them how we, as artists, can all become more a part of the culture of our community—particularly in Philadelphia. With this return to the East Coast I will also be close to New York City, where I grew up and still have family, as well as one of my non-profit organizations, Midori & Friends.”

During the 2017–18 academic year, Midori will visit Curtis a number of times to give masterclasses, attend student-centered activities, and work with students participating in the school’s community engagement programs and Artist-Citizen courses. She joins the school’s distinguished violin faculty — which includes Shmuel Ashkenasi, Pamela Frank, Ida Kavafian, Aaron Rosand, and Arnold Steinhardt. Application information will be posted in the fall at www.curtis.edu.

Midori comes to Curtis after 14 years on the faculty of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, where she was a distinguished professor, a department chair for eight years, and holder of the esteemed Jascha Heifetz Chair in Violin. Prior to Thornton, Midori served on faculty at the Manhattan School of Music. She will teach full-time at USC through May 2018 and assume a role as a visiting artist there beginning in fall 2018.

“We at USC Thornton are extremely grateful for Midori’s many years of innovative teaching and leadership. As well-known as she is internationally as a performer, she is widely respected for her outreach to underserved children and communities, and admired for her commitment to her students,” said Robert Cutietta, Dean of the USC Thornton School of Music. “She has been tremendous for our strings program, and we’re happy that she will continue, going forward, to have a relationship with our students as a visiting artist.”

“I am thankful for the time spent and the opportunities I have had at USC Thornton,” said Midori. “I was privileged to be part of an incredible growth in the Strings Department over the last 10 years, and it was always truly inspiring to be in an environment where challenges were met with creativity and enthusiasm, and problems were solved with positive rigor. The tenure I have had at Thornton was one of great learning, inspiration, and personal growth and I’m looking forward to continuing my work with Thornton students for the foreseeable future in a different capacity.”

“I have valued our friendship and collaboration over the years, and know that I speak for my colleagues in the Strings Department and beyond in wishing Midori well in this next phase of her remarkable life’s journey,” said Ralph Kirshbaum, the Gregor Piatigorsky Chair in Violoncello and chair of the Strings Department at USC Thornton. “Midori gave tirelessly of her time and energy at Thornton, helping to forge a cohesive structure and set of values within the Strings Department that will serve as a significant reference point for many years to come.”

Media Inquiries: 

Curtis Institute of Music: Jennifer Kallend, jennifer.kallend@curtis.edu, (215) 717-3190
Midori: Amanda Sweet, Bucklesweet Media, amanda@bucklesweetmedia.com, (347) 564-3371 
University of Southern California: Evan Calbi, calbi@usc.edu, (213) 740-3229

 

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About Midori

Since her illustrious debut with the New York Philharmonic at age 11, violinist Midori has forged a distinguished career in classical music.

Midori’s extensive discography includes 19 albums, most recently her recording of Bach’s Violin Sonatas and Partitas, as well as The Art of Midori, a 10-CD compendium. Midori’s library also includes the violin concerto DoReMi, written for her by Peter Eötvös. A recording featuring Midori’s performance of Paul Hindemith’s Violin Concerto received a 2014 Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium.

Among many honors Midori has received in recent years, she was named a Messenger of Peace by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and received the prestigious Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum in Davos.

In 1992 Midori founded Midori & Friends, a non-profit organization in New York City that brings music education programs to underserved schoolchildren. Two other organizations, Music Sharing, based in Japan, and Partners in Performance, based in the U.S., also bring music closer to the lives of people who may not otherwise have involvement with the arts. Midori’s commitment to community collaboration and outreach is further realized in her Orchestra Residencies Program, which involves week-long residencies with American youth orchestras.

Checking in on Curtis Summerfest

In June, adult musicians spent a long weekend at Curtis, participating in coachings and chamber rehearsals, as well as performing together in a program-wide orchestra led by David Hayes. Pianists performed solo works for each other in an evening workshop with Amy Yang.

Then, singers and harpists descended on Curtis for a pair of nearly simultaneous programs! At the Elizabeth Hainen Harp Colony, young participants performed in master classes and ensembles, with an eye towards preparing for careers in music, while adult harpists joined in to reconnect to the legacy of Salzedo Harp Colony. The colony’s mock audition proved particularly helpful as two participants went on to win Lyon & Healy awards later in the summer.

Meanwhile, young singers were participating in their own master classes as part of the Young Artist Voice Program, a two-week program where the singers spent time with faculty who work with professionals—discovering conservatory life and what it really means to be a professional opera singer. Singers studied privately with Curtis faculty, including director of Curtis Opera Theatre Mikael Eliasen.

As June came to a close, harpists made way for flutists, as Jeffrey Khaner Flute Festival commenced. Students participated in an intense schedule of master classes with Jeffrey Khaner, as well as sessions on the intersection of musical and mental skills with Carolyn Christie, and instrument maintenance skills with Yamaha’s Tomoji Hirakata.

Be sure to stay tuned over the next few weeks as the Young Artist Summer Program gets under way! For more from Curtis Summerfest, follow @CurtisSummerfest on Instagram, and @Summer_atCurtis on Twitter!

“The Wiz” at South Philly High continues long music tradition that had been broken

“Music, to me, is like breathing air.”
—Davia Blair, one of two Dorothys in the South Philadelphia High production of The Wiz.

Writing for The Notebook, Dale Mezzacappa explores the history of music at South Philadelphia High School, once an artistic hub that produced musicians such as Marian Anderson, Chubby Checker, and more. Sadly, the music program at the school had since lain dormant for many years, but it has recently been revitalized under the leadership of music teacher Louis Russo, Curtis’s ArtistYear fellows, and the school’s previous and current principals.

“Tackling a full-fledged musical, though, was due to the initiative of Curtis Institute graduate Alize Rozsnyai, a fellow with Artist Year, an initiative to bring art and music to underserved communities. Last year, the school staged Dreamgirls; this year, The Wiz.”

Read more about this year’s production of The Wiz, the second annual musical produced with help from ArtistYear fellow Alize Rozsnyai at Chalkbeat Philadelphia.

Curtis on Tour: Europe 2017

 Bremer Nachrichten: May 24, 2017

Bremen, Germany

“There is no need to mention this brilliant youth orchestra’s flexible modulation and intuitive musicality…They also gave an impressive performance of Krzysztof Penderecki’s Double Concerto for Violin, Viola and Orchestra. Lush sound and subtle rhythmic motor skills led to an electrifying night of music.”

Kulturradio: May 24, 2017

Berlin, Germany

“The fact that [the Curtis Symphony Orchestra] has proved itself in many styles under the incredibly inspired direction of Osmo Vänskä can be instantly experienced in Ravel’s Suite “Daphnis und Chloë”: fragrant atmosphere, dazzling colors, impressive portrayal from sunrise to the ecstatic dance.”


Lausitzer Rundschau
: May 26, 2017

Dresden, Germany

“The young musicians from Philadelphia, under the direction of Finn Osmo Vänskä, made a convincing performance filled with passion, precise playing and good solo performances, and were acclaimed by the audience.”


Classical Source
: May 26, 2017

London, England

“The [Brahms] slow movement was especially soulful, taken very spaciously, divine in many ways, Serkin especially tender in the opening paragraphs, the orchestra hushed, but not afraid to disrupt the line later with much intensity. The Adagio closed to spellbinding tranquility.”


The Telegraph
: May 27, 2017

London, England

“The exuberance of the opening registered well, and certainly the work was a good showcase for an orchestra of young virtuosi — the sweet-toned, quicksilver violin solos from the leader, Maria Ioudenitch, were a highlight.”


Drehpunktkultur
: May 30, 2017

Salzburg, Austria

“The way that Osmo Vänskä, with the Curtis Symphony and Serkin, tenderly succumbed to the adagio before the latter virtuously elicited the rondo from the Steinway, was a moment that brought you to your knees. A terrific interpretation!”

Further Coverage From the Philadelphia Inquirer


May 19, 2017:
 Curtis Orchestra is off to Europe, with us on their tail 
The Curtis Symphony Orchestra embarks on a tour of Europe, to perform and gain valuable experience as traveling musicians.


May 23, 2017: Curtis Symphony Orchestra has a whirlwind Tuesday in Berlin
The orchestra arrives in Berlin, where students explore the city, take lessons with Berlin Philharmonic musicians, and perform a concert at the Berlin Konzerthaus.


May 24, 2017: Curtis Symphony Orchestra day-trips to Dresden with nervous anticipation of London
The orchestra makes a brief trip to Dresden to perform at the Kulturpalast as part of the Dresden Music Festival.


May 25, 2017: Curtis in London: ‘Suspect’ package curtails BBC broadcast… and then there’s the laundry
The orchestra navigates the unpredictable nature of touring in the twenty-first century.


May 26, 2017: Reunited with their instruments and feeling so good, Curtis plays London
The orchestra arrives in London to play at Cagodan Hall.


May 27, 2017: Curtis Symphony Orchestra is turned back at Heathrow Airport for an extra unscheduled day in London
The orchestra maintains high spirits while stranded in Heathrow airport as the result of a British Airways computer glitch.

Maria Ioudenitch reflects on performing with Peter Serkin

Ask a handful of students, staff, or faculty members, “what was one of your favorite parts about this tour?” and many of their answers will be along the lines of, “being in such incredible cities and the greatest halls of the world.” And who can argue with that? From the vast yet charming paths of Helsinki to the jaw-dropping beauty of the Konzerthaus in Berlin, we are always left wondering, “is there really something more beautiful?” I have come to learn that indeed, there always is.

But ask me what one of my favorite parts was, and I’d say it was when Mr. Serkin saved a fly during his magical, otherworldly interpretation of the Aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations, performed as an encore.

But before I get to that, a word about silence. Have you ever heard a silence that made your ears ring? That is what Mr. Serkin, and Maestro Osmo Vänskä achieved in the second movement of the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 during our performance in Wroclaw, Poland.
It first started with Mr. Vänskä and our pianissimo. No one else can get a sound like that out of our orchestra. We move through our phrase, guided by his presence on the podium, winding our dynamic down to a stunning nothing. And then comes in Mr. Serkin with the purest tone, one note dissipating brilliantly through the air. It was a drop of musical gold.

We live through the second movement together, and the last note is played. Then silence.

No one dared breathe. The music filled each soul on stage and in the audience. The silence was so loud, it was almost unbearable: 1200 people sitting, each with their own stories, their own problems, their own of happiness and pain, and right there and then, we were all One. Listen to true music making, and you can know peace.

(Keep in mind, that this silence was practically a physical miracle for a good percentage of us sitting on stage, with colds and other bugs brought on by a whirlwind tour. And still, Brahms healed us all, if only for a moment.)

Fast forward a bit, and the audience is on their feet – clapping wildly. Mr. Serkin comes on stage once, twice, and at the third bow turns to me, “it sounds like they’re booing, should I play something?”

I laugh. “What?! Of course, please play, please play!”

And then, the Aria.

I won’t say a word about it, because there is no point. The magic was there, and it will always be just there, frozen in that moment.

What I will recall, however, is the fat fly who decided to interrupt the magic. After a few manic seconds buzzing around, it landed on Mr. Serkin’s left hand pinky. I could see his eyes peering curiously at the fly. The fly got the memo and buzzed off of the finger and onto the key, dangerously close to the fingertip. The next note he was to play, was with that pinky, on that key. He hesitates, stretching time more than usual, looking intently at the stubborn fly, until the fly kindly buzzes away, after which Mr. Serkin’s pinky finally comes down on the key, continuing the phrase which was caught in a gorgeous standstill.

If his finger went down earlier, the fly would have probably been caught in between the keys.

Now, whether or not Mr. Serkin really wanted to save that fly is another story. (Which I will pursue a bit later.)

But there’s something about the gentleness and generosity with which Mr. Serkin approached all of this that is absolutely encompassing of the entire experience that we have had with him on tour. Someone else in this situation might have forcefully put down the finger or moved quickly to get the fly to fly away faster, but Mr. Serkin used time and patience. The music wasn’t going anywhere. The music didn’t stop on account of the fly—it kept flowing through him and through us. Time, patience, peace.

We are all caught up in our own worlds, our own desires and complaints. This tour was a great test for all of that. How lucky we are, to have been to all of these places, to have worked with such artists, such soldiers of music!  There was no doubt that from the beginning, I would learn so much from Mr. Vänskä. We have all loved him ever since he worked with us two years ago. Without him…well…I’d like to not think what this tour would be without him.

But who knew how grateful I would be for this little golden moment in time with Mr. Serkin and the fly.


Violinist Maria Ioudenitch is the concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra for the 2016-17 season and the European tour. She holds the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Annual Fellowship.