Women in Music Festival

Performers Info

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Performers Info

The Women in Music Festival is gearing up for its seventh annual (yes, SEVENTH!) celebration of music written by women composers, during the week of March 21-25, 2011.  Thanks to Noah Lapidus’ s wizardry, the festival has greatly improved its website and added more information for performers and audience members alike.  You will find pages such as:  “Events, Venues & Direction,” “Why a festival celebrating women in music?” (a mini quiz), “Mission,” and “History.”  We are also planning downloadable “LARGE PRINT” programs (available in March).  Stay tuned.

Please scroll down to learn how you can participate, and read about the exciting upcoming events, including an “All-Tann Concert” –which will feature music written by Hilary Tann, this year’s festival guest composer–, a new Broadway show based on Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth, the premiere of an organ concerto in Sacred Heart Cathedral, and a NYC-Schenectady mini-tour in April with a preview concert in Christ Church.

Looking forward to hearing you at the festival!

Dr. Sylvie Beaudette, artistic director sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu
Eun Mi Ko, assistant directoreunmi.ko@rochester.edu

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Noontime Concerts
Performers (male & female) & Composers (female)

Because of last year’s success, we’re again presenting our noontimes concerts in different venues this year!  The venues will include:

  • Main Hall (ESM) – Monday, March 21
  • Wilmot Hall (Nazareth College) – Tuesday, March 22
  • Miller Center Atrium (ESM) – Wednesday, March 23
  • Washington Square – Thursday, March 24
  • Dryden Theater (Eastman House) – Friday, March 25

Performers: choose a selection with timing not exceeding 10 minutes of music.

Composers: present any piece from your oeuvre not exceeding 10 minutes.
Please recruit performers for your piece / excerpt (thank you!)

Organists: because we will not present a concert in Schmitt Hall this year, we will program all the organ works in Christ Church on the Thursday, March 24 concert at 8 pm.  Just fill out the Participation Form and write “Christ Church” where you usually choose a date and venue.  We’ll know what it means!

To participate in a noontime concert, please download and fill out the Participation Form (click on the PDF file below) and return it to ESM 326 (bulletin board) by February 18, 2011.  Hard copies of the form are also available on the same bulletin board (ESM 326).  Forms are dealt with on a “first-come/first-served” basis so act quickly!!

Note: 

  1. Performers can be male or female (we’re asked that question every year)
  2. Your selection must be written by a woman composer (ex.  Elton John doesn’t count)

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Monday, March 21 “All-Tann Concert”:
String players needed!

Please look under “New York City-Schenectady Tour” for more details!

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Wednesday, March 23 Lily reading-performance:
Singers needed

Local composition duo Amanda Jacobs and Lindsay Baker have written another wonderful Broadway gem based on Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth.  The performance (with piano) will be held at the Art Gallery auditorium and will be preceded by a pre-concert dialogue about the novel, its historical and social context, and how it was adapted for the stage.  Singers interested in being part of the cast need to audition through the Empire State Lyric Theatre, the co-producer of the show.  All singers are welcome, but please first check if you’ve been cast for the Eastman Opera Spring production before signing up, as Lily will obviously require rehearsals prior to the performance.

To audition for Lily, please email Sue Cotroneo at:  acotroneo@rochester.rr.com

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March 25 Sacred Heart Concert:
String Quartet needed

For the festival’s closing concert in Sacred Heart Cathedral, the U of R Symphony Orchestra, teamed with organist Timothy Tukker. will premiere an organ concerto written by Rollande Falcinelli, who taught organ at the Paris Conservatory until her death in 2006.  The premiere will be part of a full concert with a theme of “Life, Death, and Renewal” in respect for Lent and the Sacred Heart parishioners.  With this theme in mind, we are also programming Lili Boulanger’s Pié Jesu, an amazing piece for mezzo-soprano, string quartet, harp, and organ.  It’s a fairly short piece (ca. 4 min.), with long lines and haunting harmonies.  We still need a string quartet for this beautiful piece.

For more information about the Sacred Heart concert and/or Pié Jesu, please email Dr. Beaudette at:   sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu

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New York City-Schenectady Tour:
String players needed!

The Women in Music Festival has been invited to perform at CUNY (noontime concert) and at Union College (evening concert) on April 7, 2011.  The participating colleges are contributing to the coach, lunch, and dinner.

One of the pieces on the program is Hilary Tann’s Shakkei  for small chamber orchestra and saxophone solo.  The solo will be performed by Prof. Chien-Kwan Lin and Geoffrey Pope will conduct the ensemble.  We still need a few string players to complete the chamber orchestra.  The program will also include other pieces by women composers.

Also, on Monday, March 21, at the Downtown United Presbyterian Church, the festival will present an “All-Tann Concert” at 8 pm, featuring the premiere of Exultet Terra for double choir and double reed quintet.  Hilary Tann was also hoping for Shakkei to be programmed as well.  We are also planning a pre-tour concert on March 24 in Christ Church.

So, our questions to you are:

  1. Would you be available / interested in being a part of the tour (April 7, 2011)?
  2. Would you be also available to perform on the “All-Tann Concert” (March 21, 2011)?
  3. Would you be interested / available to have a rehearsal with Hilary Tann on either March 13, 14 or 20 (afternoon)?  She’s coming down specifically to rehearse with the larger ensembles.  BTW, she’s wonderful to work with!

Please email Dr. Beaudette for more information:  sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu

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New York City Tour
Opportunities for Composers!

The Women in Music Festival has been invited to perform at CUNY (noontime concert) and at Union College (evening concert) on April 7, 2011.  We would like to include one or two piece written by Eastman composition students.  If you write something specifically for the tour, the piece will be premiered in NYC.  The participating colleges are contributing to the coach, lunch, and dinner.  You’re welcome to join the tour!

Please email Dr. Beaudette for more information on instrumentation, timeline, etc, at:  sbeaudette@esm.rochester.edu

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