Music Academy of the West Musicians Selected for NY Philharmonic 2016 Global Academy Fellowship Program
By: BWW News Desk Aug. 11, 2015
Ten outstanding Music Academy of the West musicians have been selected to travel to New York in January 2016 to participate in the second year of the New York Philharmonic Global Academy Fellowship Program, which offers opportunities to train and play with Philharmonic musicians, representing a new approach to training the next generation of world-class musicians for successful careers.
The 2016 Zarin Mehta Fellows were selected by audition from 65 Music Academy of the West instrumentalists, all full-scholarship participants during the summer of 2015. They are: Carl Anderson, double bass; Benjamin Hoffman, violin; Maki Kubota, cello; Nikolette LaBonte, horn; Rainer Saville, trumpet; Jose? Marti?nez, tuba; Rebecca Reale, violin; Samuel Sparrow, clarinet; Mark Teplitsky, flute; and Naho Zhu, bassoon.
These ten Music Academy of the West fellows will travel to New York in a ten-day training program with a full schedule of events, including rehearsing and playing alongside Philharmonic musicians, conducted by Music Director Alan Gilbert, selections from Wagner and Strauss for the Philharmonic's subscription concerts on January 7-9 and 12. Described by Alan Gilbert as "a window into the real life of the orchestral musician," the Fellows will learn directly from Philharmonic musicians, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will immerse them in all aspects of an orchestral player's life, from audition to performance, learning invaluable career skills. President and CEO of the Music Academy of the West Scott Reed said, "This is an extraordinary opportunity to gain valuable experience alongside the musicians of one of the world's greatest orchestras."
"I congratulate the ten impressive Music Academy fellows who have been selected to join the New York Philharmonic in January 2016 as Zarin Mehta Fellows," said Philharmonic President Matthew VanBesien. "We truly believe this kind of unique immersion in the life of an orchestral musician is an unparalleled experience, and we're proud to be able to offer it to these and other students through our Global Academy. The Philharmonic's first performance residency at the Music Academy of the West was a magnificent culmination of the first year of this cornerstone New York Philharmonic Global Academy collaboration, and we look forward to several more successful years of partnership."
The Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara is the first American partner in the New York Philharmonic Global Academy. The four-year partnership, which began in the summer of 2014, combines training of Music Academy fellows by Philharmonic musicians; biennial performances by the Philharmonic at the Music Academy Summer Festival; and Academy Festival Orchestra performances at Music Academy Summer Festivals led by Alan Gilbert. This collaboration is the formalization of a long relationship between the Orchestra and the School; thirteen New York Philharmonic musicians are alumni of the Music Academy of the West. Music Director Alan Gilbert said: "Our musicians have an astounding amount to share, in terms of both performance and education. Their ability to give uplifting and excellent concerts is integrally linked with their potential to inspire and educate future orchestral musicians. This partnership with the Music Academy will give us the opportunity to showcase both of these sides through performances in beautiful Santa Barbara and ongoing work with their very promising Fellows."
In 2016 Alan Gilbert will return to rehearse and conduct the Academy Festival Orchestra, and Philharmonic musicians will again serve as guest faculty in Santa Barbara to train Music Academy Fellows in collaboration with Academy faculty (including leading master classes, chamber music coaching sessions, private lessons, and lectures). Activities with Philharmonic and Music Academy musicians are currently being planned for 2017 to commemorate the Music Academy of the West's 70th anniversary.
The Music Academy's partnership with the New York Philharmonic has been made possible through the generosity of lead sponsors Linda and Michael Keston.
The Global Academy Fellowship Program, in association with the New York Philharmonic Global Academy, is supported in part by The Alec Baldwin Foundation, Inc., an anonymous donor, and other gifts made towards the Zarin Mehta Fund.
The New York Philharmonic plays a leading cultural role in New York City, the United States, and the world. This season's projects will connect the Philharmonic with up to 50 million music lovers through live concerts in New York City and on its worldwide tours; digital downloads; international broadcasts on television, radio, and online; and as a resource through its wide range of education programs. The Orchestra has commissioned and/or premiered works by leading composers from every era since its founding in 1842 -- including Dvor?a?k's New World Symphony, John Adams's Pulitzer Prize-winning On the Transmigration of Souls, dedicated to the victims of 9/11, and Magnus Lindberg's Piano Concerto No. 2. Renowned around the globe, the Philharmonic has appeared in 432 cities in 63 countries -- including the groundbreaking 1930 tour of Europe; the unprecedented 1959 tour to the USSR; the historic 2008 visit to Pyongyang, D.P.R.K., the first there by an American orchestra; and the Orchestra's debut in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2009.
The New York Philharmonic serves as a resource for its community and the world. It complements its annual free concerts across the city with a wide range of education programs - among them the famed, long-running Young People's Concerts and Philharmonic Schools, an immersive classroom program that reaches thousands of New York City students. Committed to developing tomorrow's leading orchestral musicians, the Philharmonic has established the New York Philharmonic Global Academy, collaborations with partners worldwide offering training of pre-professional musicians, often alongside performance residencies. These include collaborations with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Santa Barbara's Music Academy of the West, and The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.
The oldest American symphony orchestra and one of the oldest in the world, the New York Philharmonic has made almost 2,000 recordings since 1917, including several Grammy Award winners, and its self-produced download series continues in the 2015-16 season. Music Director Alan Gilbert began his tenure in September 2009, succeeding a distinguished line of 20th-century musical giants that includes Leonard Bernstein, Arturo Toscanini, and Gustav Mahler.
The Music Academy of the West is among the nation's preeminent summer schools and festivals for gifted young classical musicians. At its ocean-side campus in Santa Barbara, the Academy provides these musicians with the opportunity for advanced study and performance under the guidance of internationally renowned faculty artists, guest conductors, and soloists. Admission to the Academy is strictly merit based, and fellows receive full scholarships (tuition, room, and board). The Academy's distinguished teaching artists roster has included famed soprano Lotte Lehmann, composers Darius Milhaud and Arnold Schoenberg, cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, pianist Jeremy Denk, and current Voice Program Director Marilyn Horne. Academy alumni are members of major symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, ensembles, opera companies, and university and conservatory faculties throughout the world. Many enjoy careers as prominent solo artists. In 2014 the Music Academy entered into a four-year partnership with the New York Philharmonic, resulting in unprecedented training and performance opportunities for Academy fellows, and Summer Festival residencies for Philharmonic musicians.
The Music Academy of the West cultivates discerning, appreciative, and adventurous audiences, presenting more than 200 public events annually, nearly half of them free of charge. These include performances by faculty, visiting artists, and fellows; masterclasses; orchestra and chamber music concerts; and a fully staged opera. The 2016 Summer School and Festival will take place from June 13 to August 7 at the Academy's scenic Miraflores campus and in venues throughout Santa Barbara. For more information, visit musicacademy.org.
Carl Anderson (double bass), 20, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, is an undergraduate at DePaul University, where he studies with Alex Hanna. Mr. Anderson has obtained both the highest scholarships in music and academics that DePaul University offers. During his freshman year, he won DePaul's concerto competition and has performed with the DePaul Symphony and Opera Orchestra. He has been a substitute with the New World Symphony in Miami, Florida. He spent two summers at the Perlman Music Program where he played under the baton of Itzhak Perlman with the chamber orchestra. This was his second summer at Music Academy of the West.
Benjamin Hoffman (violin), 25, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, studies at Yale University. Mr. Hoffman is currently concertmaster of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, and recently enjoyed serving as concertmaster of the Yale Philharmonia under John Adams at Avery Fisher Hall in New York. Equally at home as a chamber musician, he is part of Quartet Orange, based in New Haven, Connecticut. Mr. Hoffman has performed alongside mentors Peter Frankl, Wolfram Christ, and Jorja Fleezanis as part of the piano quartet Onibatan. He began studying the violin at age four, initially taught by his mother, and continued his studies with Latica Honda-Rosenberg, Alexander Kerr, and Ani Kavafian. This was his third summer at the Music Academy of the West.
Maki Kubota (cello), 23, born in Santa Monica, California, is a graduate of the Peabody Conservatory as a student of Alan Stepansky. He is currently studying at Rice University with Desmond Hoebig as a recipient of the Bridget Jensen full scholarship. Summer festivals attended include the Montecito Music Festival, National Orchestral Institute, and Aspen Music Festival. He has served as principal cellist for orchestras at the Aspen Music Festival, National Orchestral Institute, and Peabody Conservatory. He has performed in masterclasses with Ralph Kirshbaum, Joel Krosnick, and Lynn Harrell, and collaborated with Billy Idol, Venice, Princeton, and Damon Harris. This was his second summer at the Music Academy of the West.
Nikolette LaBonte (horn), 20, is currently studying horn performance at the Eastman School of Music under the tutelage of Professor W. Peter Kurau. Ms. LaBonte has performed with orchestras including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, New World Symphony, Glens Falls Symphony, Syracuse Symphoria, and the National Youth Orchestra of the USA. Additionally, she has collaborated with artists such as Valery Gergiev, Joshua Bell, James Galway, and Audra McDonald. As a chamber musician, Ms. LaBonte is an active member of the Winds of Change Wind Quintet, Klezmerizers ensemble, and the Eastman Horn Choir. Ms. LaBonte is also a horn section coach at the Bak Middle School of the Arts and was the co-creator of "Songs of Sochi." This was her second summer at the Music Academy of the West.
Rainer Saville (trumpet), 23, was born and raised in Sydney, Australia. He is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where he studied with Leanne Sullivan. He also studied at the Australian National Academy of Music in Melbourne, with Dave Elton and Tristram Williams. Mr. Saville performs regularly as a musician with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra. He is a member of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, where he performs on period instruments, and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. In 2014, he participated and was a semi- finalist in the International Trumpet Competition "Citta? Di Porcia" in Pordenone, Italy. Throughout February 2015, he toured with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, performing Debussy's La Mer and works by Heinz Holliger. This was his first summer at the Music Academy of the West.
Jose? Marti?nez (tuba), 30, a proud native of Chelva, Spain, is completing a doctorate degree in performance at Boston University as a student of Mike Roylance, supported by a Fulbright-equivalent fellowship from "la Caixa" Foundation. Mr. Marti?nez has played principal tuba with the Boston Symphony and Pops, Spanish National Orchestra, Tanglewood Music Center, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Spoleto Festival, and the European Union Youth Orchestra. He is a regular substitute with the Bilbao Symphony Wind Orchestra, and has appeared on tour with the Gothenburg Symphony. Engagements for the 2015-16 season include concerts with the Naples Philharmonic, Spanish National Orchestra, Porto Symphony, and the Chicago Symphony. Martinez has studied extensively with Gene Pokorny. This was his first summer at the Music Academy of the West.
Rebecca Reale (violin), 22, born in upstate New York, has been playing the violin since she was two years old. She just completed her undergraduate at Rice University, Shepherd School of Music, where she studied with Kathleen Winkler. During her time at Rice, she served as concertmaster of the Shepherd School Symphony and performed regularly with the Houston Symphony and Mercury Baroque Ensemble. In the past, Ms. Reale has held principal positions at Schleswig Holstein Music Festival, Sarasota Music Festival, and Aspen Music Festival. This was her first summer at the Music Academy of the West.
Samuel Sparrow (clarinet), 20, born in Durham, North Carolina, is an undergraduate student of Mark Nuccio at the Manhattan School of Music. At the Manhattan School, he is the recipient of the Leon Russianoff Memorial Clarinet Scholarship and has performed with the Philharmonia, Chamber Sinfonia, and Opera Orchestra. He served as principal clarinet of the 2014 New York String Orchestra Seminar and the 2013 National Youth Orchestra of the USA's European tour with Valery Gergiev. Mr. Sparrow has appeared as a soloist with the Raleigh Symphony, Garner Sinfonia, and Triangle Youth Philharmonic, and was a finalist in the 2014 Jan and Beattie Wood Concerto Competition at Brevard Music Center. This was his first summer at the Music Academy of the West.
Mark Teplitsky (flute), 23, born in Jerusalem, Israel, is a master's student at Rice University, Shepherd School of Music and a graduate of the Colburn Conservatory of Music. As winner of the Rice University Concerto Competition, Los Angeles Center for the Performing Arts Spotlights Competition, National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts Competition, Orange County's Stars of Tomorrow Competition, Brentwood-Westwood Concerto Competition, and NPR's From the Top Competition, he has performed in halls throughout the United States. He has given solo performances with the San Diego Sinfonietta, San Diego Philharmonia, San Diego Camerata, Colburn Conservatory Orchestra, and Brentwood-Westwood Orchestra. Mr. Teplitsky served as principal flute of the American Youth Symphony and is currently a contracted substitute musician with the Fort Worth Symphony, Mercury Baroque Ensemble of Houston, and New World Symphony. This was his second summer at the Music Academy of the West.
Naho Zhu (bassoon), 22, born in Kyoto, Japan, is currently pursuing a master of music degree at Rice University under the tutelage of Benjamin Kamins. She graduated in 2014 with a bachelor of music from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Patricia Rogers and was honored with the Peter Mennin Award for Outstanding Achievement and Leadership in Music upon graduation. She has performed as principal bassoon in the Shepherd School orchestras, Juilliard Orchestra, and in Juilliard's contemporary ensembles, Axiom and the New Juilliard Ensemble. In 2013, she was invited to the final round of the International Double Reed Society's Young Artist Competition. In 2014, she was a finalist in the Meg Quigley Vivaldi Competition. This was her first summer at Music Academy of the West.
Pictured: Inaugural Zarin Mehta Fellow Michael Severance rehearsing alongside Philharmonic Associate Principal Bassoon Kim Laskowski in 2015. Photo by Chris Lee.
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