Month: November 2022

Double Bassist Marguerite Cox on the Latest Episode of WHYY’s “On Stage at Curtis”

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Season 17 of WHYY’s acclaimed On Stage at Curtis series continues with a portrait of double bassist Marguerite Cox. The Robert Montgomery Scott Fellow from Hudson, Ohio, entered Curtis in 2020 and studies double bass with Harold Hall Robinson and Edgar Meyer.

In this episode, Ms. Cox discusses her early musical memories of falling asleep to Charlotte Church’s album Voice of an Angel, listening to her father play Bruce Springsteen albums, and growing up in a household with parents who played piano and appreciated a wide variety of musical genres but weren’t professional musicians. These poignant moments from childhood would ultimately serve as a foundation for her pursuit of a career in music.

Ms. Cox recounts a pivotal moment in her development as a musician. In 2020, she was paired online with Angela Elizabeth Slater, a composing fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center, who wrote a piece for her, A Door to Yesterday. This collaboration eventually expanded and led to performing a recital of works by living female composers for solo bass as part of Ms. Slater’s ongoing project, the Illuminate Women’s Music Project. Four of the five pieces were written during the onset of the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter moment, reflecting the turmoil of racial unrest and isolation of the quarantine.

As a double bassist, Ms. Cox hopes to impact the world around her positively and sees classical music as no different than any other art form. She believes that making music is a way for people to express themselves and communicate, shake away the mundane daily routines of life, and inspire a sense of awe.

Featured performances include Slater’s A Door to Yesterday, Mason Bynes’s The (WRECK)oning, Ania Vu’s Sept Vignettes, Darian Donovan Thomas’s Disintegrating Foundation Under a Catastrophe of Air, and Sonia Ray’s Ondas.

Click HERE to watch the On Stage at Curtis episode, or click the video below.

Curtis Studio Kicks Off Label Launch on December 6 with “Scheherazade”

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The Curtis Institute of Music recently announced the exciting launch of Curtis Studio, a recording label distributed by Platoon and dedicated to discovering new and traditional works by some of the most extraordinary classical artists of our time. Featuring performances by Curtis’s celebrated alumni, artists in residence, faculty members, and talented students, the label’s releases will be available to enjoy on all major digital music platforms, and several will be accompanied by music videos.

On Tuesday, December 6, 2022, Curtis Studio will unveil its first album, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, recorded at Curtis in late 2021, as part of an acclaimed new performance installation—Immersive Scheherazade, an unparalleled audiovisual experience incorporating live musicians and 30-foot high projections of the orchestra. Under the baton of renowned Finnish Maestro Osmo Vänskä, the Curtis Symphony Orchestra delivers a masterful, beautifully nuanced performance, highlighting the virtuosity and breathtaking artistry of these exceptional young musicians while offering an exhilarating new interpretation of this orchestral warhorse.

Maestro Vänskä recently described his experience conducting Curtis’s students and recording Scheherazade:

The Curtis Symphony Orchestra is simply marvelous. I have worked with them several times over the past many years, and every time I return, I am blown away, not only by their technical mastery but also by their willingness to give everything they have in service of the music. Their energy and enthusiasm is unparalleled, and it is a joy to collaborate with them. The Scheherazade project was a big undertaking both for the students as well as the amazing audio/visual team behind the scenes, and I am proud to be a part of it.

Pre-save your copy on Apple Music, Spotify, and Deezer HERE.

Photo of Maestro Osmo Vänskä by Lisa-Marie Mazzucco, courtesy of HarrisonParrott.

Curtis Mourns the Passing of Beatrice S. Rossman, Former Friends Board Chair

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Curtis mourns the loss of pianist, music teacher, travel agent, and philanthropist Beatrice S. Rossman, who died on Saturday, October 29, at age 102. A former Friends of Curtis board chair, she also endowed a generous student fellowship in 2002 to honor her late husband. Currently held by piano student Nachuan Tao, the Dr. Samuel R. and Beatrice S. Rossman Fellowship has assisted numerous musicians in their studies here at Curtis, including violinist Maia Cabeza (’12) and pianist Lang Lang (’02). Mrs. Rossman also served as a member of the Leadership Society at Astral Artists, a nonprofit that sponsors mentoring programs for developing classical musicians.

Born July 3, 1920, in Philadelphia, Mrs. Rossman grew up in a musical household in the historic Strawberry Mansion neighborhood of the city and graduated from Simon Gratz High School in 1938. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and music at Temple University in 1941 and went directly from her undergraduate studies to teaching in Philadelphia classrooms. In 1944, she married Sam Rossman, whom she had met through his cousin, and had two sons, Louis and Fred.

A longtime music teacher for the School District of Philadelphia, Mrs. Rossman taught middle school students for twenty-three years and retired in the mid-1960s. She was an accomplished pianist, classical composition, and music history expert, and she led the choirs at Woodrow Wilson Middle School and the school district’s all-city music program before forging a successful career as a travel agent. Later in life, she was a volunteer guide at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and attended concerts throughout Center City. Mrs. Rossman played an electronic keyboard in her suite at the Hearth at Drexel and was active in its music therapy program.

“Music can most certainly uplift, inspire and heal,” she once said in an online story for the Hearth at Drexel, and her impactful presence here at the school will continue to be felt for years to come. The Curtis community extends heartfelt sympathy to the friends and family of Mrs. Rossman.

A tribute to the life of Beatrice S. Rossman can be read HERE in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Photo credit: 1.) Banner image, courtesy of Legacy.com. 2.) Mrs. Rossman (left) was recognized in 2009 for her service to the Astral Artists mentoring program as founder Vera Wilson looks on; The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Harpist Daniel Benedict on the Latest Episode of WHYY’s “On Stage at Curtis”

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“The key to getting good at anything is enjoying it and making it a part of your life.”

Season 17 of WHYY’s acclaimed On Stage at Curtis series continues with a portrait of harpist Daniel Benedict. The Maryjane Mayhew Barton Fellow from Oak Park, Illinois, entered Curtis in 2020 and currently studies with Elizabeth Hainen, solo harpist with The Philadelphia Orchestra.

The youngest of six siblings, Mr. Benedict began playing harp at his mother’s suggestion as a child. His love for volleyball and athletics complemented this musical journey. He talks about joining a ping pong club and how that sport’s quick eye-hand coordination ultimately improves his harp playing.

Male harpists are common in Europe, but in the United States, they make up only 10% of those who play the instrument professionally. Mr. Benedict discusses some inspiring famous male harpists, defying expectations during auditions and delving into the technical and musical aspects of his instrument.

Featured performances include Mikhail Glinka’s Nocturne, Carlos Salzedo’s On Arpeggios, Reena Esmail’s Jhula Jhule with oboist Mekhi Gladden (’22), and Claude Debussy’s “Danseuses de Delphes,” from Préludes, Book 1, arranged by Carlos Salzedo (who founded the harp department at Curtis), and featuring harpists Claire Thai (’22), Subin Lee, and Elizabeth Hainen.

Click HERE to watch the On Stage at Curtis episode, or click the video below.

 

Curtis Mourns the Passing of Longtime Trustee Frank Bayley

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The Curtis Institute of Music mourns the loss of longtime trustee Frank Bayley, who passed away on Sunday, September 13, at age 83, following a battle with cancer. He had been a part of the Curtis family for the past twenty-five years.

Mr. Bayley was born in Seattle, Washington and attended Harvard College, Harvard Law School, and the University of California at Berkeley. He was the founder of Bayley International, director and chairman of the private real estate holding company C.D. Stimson Company, and was formerly a partner at the law firm of Baker McKenzie.

Mr. Bayley was a key figure in raising awareness of Curtis in the San Francisco Bay area for many years by inviting our students and recent graduates to perform with San Francisco Performances, where he was also a board member. Passionate about art as well as music, he served on the boards of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues. He will be dearly missed.