Month: October 2020

From Our First Faculty

Date

Upon its founding in 1924, the Curtis Institute of Music quickly wove itself into the fabric of American musical life. As noted in the fiftieth anniversary edition of Overtones, “Prior to the founding of the Institute, the Philadelphia Orchestra drew its musicians from Europe, seldom from America. Now, American orchestras are almost entirely American-trained. … The Institute played a major role in this change.” Naturally, much of this can be attributed to the students who are the heart and soul of Curtis, but equally important are the founding faculty whose brilliant pedagogy and dedication to their students built a formidable training ground for American artists. As Curtis enters its ninety-sixth anniversary season, we celebrate the Institute’s legacy of winds, brass, and percussion. Here we explore the far-reaching impact of three of Curtis’s founding faculty in these areas: flutist William Kincaid, hornist Anton Horner, and percussionist Oscar Schwar.

The aptly surnamed Anton Horner was born in what is now the Czech Republic but moved with his family to Philadelphia as a young boy. Following the death of his father, he returned to Europe to study. Upon graduation, Horner returned to Philadelphia, where one of his first jobs included a stint at the Walnut Street Theatre. The German-born Oscar Schwar spent his early years in St. Petersburg, playing timpani under the direction of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov until Fritz Scheel, the first music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, recruited him to join the new American orchestra.

Of these founding faculty, only William Kincaid was born in the United States. Indeed, many of the inaugural faculty at Curtis hailed from Europe, as was typical in American music institutions in the early decades of the twentieth century. Though born in Minnesota, Kincaid spent most of his childhood in Hawaii. As a boy, he took swimming lessons from five-time Olympic medalist and surfing enthusiast Duke Kahanamoku. Kincaid later credited these lessons with helping to develop his breath control.

The much-remarked-upon relationship between the Curtis Institute of Music and the Philadelphia Orchestra began soon after the school’s founding. As Philip Hart notes in his book Orpheus in the New World, one of the Orchestra’s key elements has been “a tradition of instrumental quality fostered by a symbiotic relationship between the orchestra and the Curtis Institute of Music.” Leopold Stokowski listed Horner and “remarkable timpanist” Schwar among a handful of “first-class performers” in his early days conducting the orchestra. Kincaid, a later arrival, appeared as soloist in an astonishing 215 performances in a tenure spanning four decades. This rich tradition continued with Horner’s, Kincaid’s, and Schwar’s students, many of whom would populate the Philadelphia Orchestra as well as orchestras across the United States. Mr. Horner proudly remarked that when he retired from the orchestra after a forty-year tenure, “All the boys in the horn section were my boys.

“I was privileged to know [Mr. Horner] as a teacher, friend, benefactor, and almost as a second father; for he had more influence on my life than any person other than my parents.” — James Thurmond (French Horn ’35)

All three men would forge unique and significant legacies. William Kincaid’s influence lives on through an exceptionally large “family tree”: a 2003 survey of American flute genealogy revealed that of the several thousand flutists living in the United States, an astonishing 87% could trace their lineage to Kincaid. One of his students, John Krell (Flute ’42), compiled notes from his lessons with Kincaid into a guidebook which he reverently titled Kincaidiana: A Flute Player’s Notebook. This comprehensive manual includes many of the lessons that Kincaid taught his students at Curtis. Among these are the so-called “Curtis brackets,” a method of grouping notes which Kincaid used to teach phrasing.

Oscar Schwar’s influence is perhaps best demonstrated through his students and mentees. Among these are Saul Goodman, who spent more than forty years as principal timpanist of the New York Philharmonic; George Lawrence Stone, whose Stick Control for the Snare Drummer has come to be called the “drummers’ bible;” and Cloyd Duff (Percussion ’38), former percussionist of The Cleveland Orchestra and one of the finest timpanists of the twentieth century. In addition to his work as a teacher, Anton Horner played a significant role in bringing the double horn to the United States. With his guidance, the German horn manufacturer Kruspe designed a new model of instrument to Horner’s specifications, a silver double horn Kruspe later nicknamed the “Horner model.”

At the foundations of these broad legacies rest the warm professional relationships between teacher and student. Robert Cole (Flute ’49) recalled taking lessons at the Kincaids’ summer lake house on Little Sebago Lake in Maine; Mr. Kincaid would ferry students across the lake in his Chris-Craft motorboat. Several of Mr. Kincaid’s students who played alongside him in The Philadelphia Orchestra have shared stories of their teacher’s humility, playful sense of humor, and love of ensemble performance.

At the age of ninety-two, Mr. Horner shared this reflection on his time at Curtis: “I am proud of my many successful students. As an old man, I can see my life in their lives. I love to make music and enjoyed my work, and I tried to give this joy to my students.”

Interview with Benjamin Beilman and Gabriel Cabezas

Date

On October 17 and 18, alumni Benjamin Beilman (Violin ’12) and Gabriel Cabezas (Cello ’13) performed in a joint presentation by Curtis and Music From Our Garden, an initiative created by Ella Remmings, a friend of the school, to help revive live music during pandemic times and raise funds for important causes.

Prior to the concerts, Ms. Remmings interviewed Benjamin and Gabriel along with their former teachers at Curtis, respectively Ida Kavafian and Carter Brey. The interviews included compelling reflections on the pandemic, how it is affecting education, and how professionals are coping with it.

 

 

Interview conducted by Ella Remmings for Music From Our Garden

What did you discover about yourselves in the last eight months [of the pandemic] that you didn’t know?

Benjamin Beilman: The biggest takeaway I’ve had thus far is … that there has never been a time when music is more accessible to an audience. Of course, it’s a very different way to consume [music] because it’s on a screen and it’s a very different situation. I knew this before, but [now] I’m much more aware and I’m trying to dig further into how to bring an audience into a performance experience a lot more. Ultimately in a performance, you need that other ingredient. You need the people listening with attention, that you can feel, that are breathing with you and experiencing the same thing … It’s this combination of zooming in on listening to yourself, and then also trying to make sure that also the outside components beyond just the stage are more visible and taken care of.

Ida Kavafian: I have always been blessed with a lot of energy. I can teach for 12 hours in a row. I’m so energized by Curtis students that I barely need to eat or take a break. But now it’s a different animal. Teaching remotely is very challenging and really requires a lot of concentration and a lot of creativity … The biggest thing I’ve been trying to do is to keep my students motivated. They had these great plans for the summer, they all got into festivals and music camps and then suddenly, nothing. I taught them on my own dime this summer – I don’t like to teach in the summer – but I just felt that I needed to stay involved [with them]. We created a project together called “On My Own,” which is their answer the pandemic. That kept everybody nicely motivated, digging deeper, and finding ways to find inspiration within ourselves.

BB: It’s very emotional to hear people clapping again. The few times I’ve had performances in distance capacities, hearing people clap for you again is like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

IK: The appreciation goes so deep. My students are fortunate to have such a challenging experience in their young lives, because I think they will appreciate life in such a different way by going through this.

 

What do you miss the most about performing live?

Gabriel Cabezas: The joy of performing has an element of sharing things with people, for me that’s getting live feedback from the audience and the energy that you share with them…I spent the last several months playing for myself and it’s just really not the same. There is nothing feeding you, pushing you or igniting something in you to find something new in the music. The highlight of playing music is playing with others, and so that is something I miss and I’m really looking forward to.

 

What helps you move from day to day then? Where do you draw energy?

GC: For a while, I won’t lie, it was nice to be home. I’m still at the point in my career where I try to spend a lot of time traveling, and with that off the table, embracing a more domestic life was at first kind of soothing. [Then] I took my first steps into some creative pursuits. I made a concert recording in my house. I wrote a piece of music for the first time in 15 years … [Music From Our Garden has] given me a new goal of something to work towards in my own playing. You have to find small creative goals combined with trying to embrace small moments of joy. It’s a beautiful fall week now in New York City. I’ve been going outside, the trees are turning. It’s still beautiful!

CB: Like Gabe, I really enjoyed the sudden freedom from my usual draconian schedule. I was barely keeping my head above water with my teaching and symphony schedule. Suddenly, that went away overnight, literally, and I thought, “Great I can go sailing more.” … I had my first chamber music performance just a couple [days?] ago at patron event in Connecticut. It was wonderful to feel myself slipping into my old habits as a performer, which I hadn’t done in months … I had forgotten about that aspect of my personality and my work since March … My string quartet, the New York Philharmonic String Quartet, will be getting together tomorrow to rehearse a very challenging program, for which we have live engagements later in the year.

 

What can audiences do right now to help musicians get through this difficult time?

CB: I think just show up! The orchestra has been sponsoring a series of pop-up concerts around New York called “NY Phil Bandwagon.” You see pedestrians stopping and listening and closing their eyes and swaying with the music, and you can see that it’s very important to them. That’s all musicians need to see, right Gabe? You need to see that you’re making a difference to somebody, that what you’re doing is important to them.

GC: That kind of feedback means a lot. It means that you’re not just screaming into the ether with music and you know that your efforts are actually appreciated … I would encourage people…to find opportunities to pay for things that directly support musicians. Whether that is album sales, which is something that a lot of people unexpectedly might have to rely on, particularly through the website Bandcamp. Much of [those sales] go to the artists. A lot of smaller venues are in real danger of never opening again, and so there are there are lots of GoFundMe pages out there for the wages of people who work there. The pandemic has just shown the true shaky ecosystem that we live in, with a lot different careers and groups of people tied to bring people live performance … Showing up with your pocketbook as well as your ears is important.

 

How do you know when you’ve made a difference to the audience, that your music really inspired the audience? What are some of the signs you’re looking for?

CB: Not falling asleep! It’s a major victory … I’m actually only partly joking … You can tell, you can feel it, when there is a kind of close attention paid to what you’re doing. You can feel that, just as feel the opposite, when people are getting restive and they’d rather be somewhere else. Any performer in any kind of discipline will tell you that. Stand-up comedians live and die by that. They can feel the current between them and their audience … If you’re well prepared, you’re playing at a good high level, and you’re projecting a sense of joy and confidence in what you’re doing, that can bring an audience along.

GC: I feel the same way. The comparison with stand-up comedy is really apt. There is an element of a one-sided conversation, but you are getting energy back. You can definitely tell what’s going on in the audience, and there are a lot of different versions of that energy that are inspiring. That closeness you get with people that are really engaged … It’s an energy where the people are really there with you on whatever journey you’re on.

 

“Absolutely Pivotal”

Date

Curtis alumni Anthony McGill and Weston Sprott have given of their time and talents as performers, educators, and adminstrators, working to advance, among other initiatives, the Juilliard School’s Preparatory Division and provide high-quality educational opportunities to students from diverse backgrounds underrepresented in classical music.

In September 2020, together they took a further step by making a transformative gift to Juilliard’s Music Advancement Program (MAP). The Weston Sprott and Anthony McGill MAP Summer Scholarship Fund will support MAP students’ participation in summer music programs and festivals, which both alumni agree is a crucial part of a musician’s development.

Read the full story about the new scholarship fund and join us in congratulating Anthony and Weston!

Anthony and Weston share memories of summer experiences that made a difference in each of their lives.

“My early years as a young camper at Interlochen made my love of music come alive. It really allowed me to understand what being a musician was all about. I fell in love with auditioning, performing, music friendships, artistic collaboration, and the community of young artists. It gives me such joy to be able to assist the next generation in receiving that all-important summertime learning experience.” —Anthony McGill (Clarinet ’00), Artistic Director of Julliard’s Music Advancement Program 
“The opportunity to attend summer music camps was absolutely pivotal to my personal and musical development. In fact, one of my high school campmates at Baylor Band Camp, David Rumbaugh, was the first person to tell me what Curtis was. A few years later, we were section mates in the Curtis Symphony Orchestra! It is with great pleasure that I’ve joined my good friend, colleague, and fellow Curtis alumnus to create the Weston Sprott and Anthony McGill MAP Summer Scholarship Fund at the Juilliard School of Music.” —Weston Sprott (Trombone ’06), Dean of the Preparatory Division, Juilliard School

 

 

Yefim Bronfman Joins the Curtis Institute of Music Piano Faculty

Date

PHILADELPHIA—October 19, 2020—The Curtis Institute of Music announces the appointment of celebrated pianist Yefim “Fima” Bronfman to the school’s distinguished piano faculty. Mr. Bronfman, who himself studied at Curtis in the mid-1970s, begins his position effective immediately.

“We’re thrilled to have one of the world’s greatest pianists returning home to Curtis and our community,” said Roberto Díaz, president and CEO of Curtis. “I know Fima’s experience and world-renowned artistry will be a wonderful resource for our students and will greatly contribute to the education they receive as 21st-century musicians.”

Mr. Bronfman will begin his faculty appointment at Curtis by participating in online instruction, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, utilizing the school’s existing and emerging technologies to connect with students. As the newest member of the piano faculty, he joins a renowned roster of performers, pedagogues, and artist-citizens teaching at Curtis.

“I’m very excited to be working with the young artists of Curtis, and to return to my former school,” said Mr. Bronfman. “My time at Curtis allowed me to grow significantly as an artist and musician and I’m honored to provide that opportunity to others as a member of Curtis’s impressive piano faculty. Together, we will make the most of virtual teaching this semester and I look forward to the time when we can all make music together in person.”

Internationally recognized as one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, Yefim Bronfman is an artist regularly sought by the world’s leading orchestras, recital series, and festivals. His performances are consistently lauded by the press and audiences alike.

Although the coronavirus pandemic has curtailed most in-person performances, Mr. Bronfman is engaged in a number of online concerts in Fall 2020, including appearances with the Cleveland and Philadelphia orchestras and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, a solo concert for the Gilmore Foundation, and a recital with the Emerson String Quartet for the 92nd Street Y.

Born in Tashkent in the Soviet Union, Mr. Bronfman immigrated to Israel with his family in 1973, where he studied with pianist Arie Vardi, head of the Rubin Academy of Music at Tel Aviv University. In the United States, he studied at the Juilliard School, Marlboro School of Music, and the Curtis Institute of Music, under Rudolf Firkusny, Leon Fleisher, and Rudolf Serkin. A recipient of the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize, one of the highest honors given to American instrumentalists, he received the Jean Gimbel Lane prize in piano performance from Northwestern University in 2010 and an honorary doctorate in 2015 from the Manhattan School of Music, where he is also a faculty member.

The Curtis Institute of Music educates and trains exceptionally gifted young musicians to engage a local and global community through the highest level of artistry. For nearly a century Curtis has provided each member of its small student body with an unparalleled education alongside musical peers, distinguished by a “learn by doing” philosophy and personalized attention from a faculty that includes a high proportion of actively performing musicians. To ensure that admissions are based solely on artistic promise, Curtis makes an investment in each admitted student so that no tuition is charged for their studies. In a typical year, Curtis students hone their craft through more than 200 orchestra, opera, and solo and chamber music offerings in Philadelphia and around the world.

 

# # #

Curtis Announces Further Staff Appointments

Date

President Roberto Díaz and Curtis are pleased to shared updates related to the administrative restructuring work announced in early August. Six more staff appointments were announced to the Curtis community on October 14, all of which are effective immediately.

 

Patricia Carpino: Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs

Working under the direction of the dean and in partnership with faculty department chairs, the senior associate dean of student affairs will have significant responsibility in planning, organizing, and managing services and compliance associated with student and academic affairs. Ms. Carpino will collaborate with and supervise members of the musician life cycle team—including the registrar, associate dean of student life and international student affairs, director of residence life, and the director of student financial assistance—to develop, revise, and ensure the successful operation of multiple functional areas within student services.

 

Nicholas Lewis: Senior Associate Dean and Special Advisor to the President for Strategic Engagement

Dean Lewis’s position is responsible for advancing Curtis’s strategic initiative on Community Equity and Belonging, as articulated in the recent reorganization plan. The plan rests on three pillars—teaching, touring, and technology—all in service of the educational mission of the school, and strategic decisions for the institution are made through the dual lenses of artistic and inclusive excellence. This position enjoys broad authority in working collaboratively with all constituents of the Curtis community (student, faculty, staff, alumni, and other constituent communities). This position will report directly to the dean and will collaborate closely with the president.

 

Colleen Hood: Senior Director of Production

In her role as senior director of production, Ms. Hood will be responsible for the strategic and administrative oversight of all operational and production elements of the instrumental performance program at the Curtis Institute of Music, including chamber music, master classes, student recitals, and orchestral activities. She will also serve as chair of the concert and production cross-departmental working group to ensure effective communication and collaboration in the production of all instrumental and opera/vocal rehearsals and performances across the institution—off campus, on campus, on tour, and online. This position is also responsible for the inventory, distribution, and maintenance of the Curtis instrument collection. This position will report directly to the dean.

 

Patricia K. Johnson: Senior Director of Communications and Public Affairs

As senior director of communications and public affairs, Ms. Johnson will guide the strategy for and implementation of messaging for a range of internal and external Curtis constituencies. This position will collaborate across departments to identify key messages that convey the full story of Curtis and its people, strategically employ a multifaceted set of communications channels and voices, work to deepen brand affinity, and act as the school’s primary press liaison. This position will report directly to the president.

 

Ali King: Director, Marketing and Business Development

As director, marketing and business development, Ms. King will oversee growth strategies for Curtis’s digital marketing, including e-mail, social media, and the Curtis.edu website. Reporting to the to-be-hired head of the new digital strategy and innovation department, she will also serve as product owner and build partnerships for the Performance Innovation Lab. Key goals of this role are to broaden access to and perception of Curtis through existing and new channels, identify and pursue revenue-generating opportunities, and outfit Curtis with the digital tools and training to effectively reach, engage with, and invest in its community.

 

Kayla Dredden: Payroll and Benefits Coordinator

Ms. Dredden will be maintaining needed confidential benefit and payroll records for Curtis employees, and will also administer Curtis’s employee benefits. This position will work closely with the business office and report to the senior controller.

 

Curtis congratulates these colleagues on their new positions as they work together to shape the future of Curtis.