New England Conservatory And Phoenix Embark On A New Collaboration

New England Conservatory (NEC) and Phoenix are embarking on a new collaborative relationship, anchored by the many connections between the Conservatory and the Orchestra. The partnership marks a series of firsts: the first performance of the orchestra at Jordan Hall on March 27, the debut of Music Director and NEC alumnus Joshua Weilerstein, and the start of administrative and composition fellowships between NEC and the Orchestra.

"To me, and to so many other members of Phoenix, NEC feels like home, so it is a thrill to announce this new artistic partnership with NEC, a partnership that will immeasurably broaden our shared missions of bringing music, education, and joy, to the city of Boston. To have the first concert of this new partnership be my very first concert with Phoenix as Music Director is just icing on the cake." Joshua Weilerstein, Music Director.

The partnership's administrative fellowship will give current NEC students paid opportunities to gain real world experience with an organization that has become a staple in the Boston music scene, while the composition fellowship will award a commission each year, giving an NEC composer the chance to have their work performed and recorded by Phoenix.

Benjamin Sosland, Provost and Dean of the Faculty comments, "When Phoenix returns to perform here at NEC-the place where it all began for them-it feels like a real homecoming. And the fact that they have decided to pay it forward by offering important fellowship opportunities to our emerging composers and aspiring arts administrators amplifies our goal of educating the whole musician by providing real-world experiences. We congratulate Joshua on his appointment as music director and look forward to working together with Phoenix to ensure a vibrant future for music in Boston."

Phoenix was founded in 2014 by a group of NEC alumni with the mission to expand the reach of classical music by presenting concerts in social and accessible atmospheres. Weilerstein's appointment as Music Director was hailed by CRB's Brian McCreath as, "bringing together an international conductor with local roots and one of Boston's most dynamic ensembles." This new partnership establishes a symbiotic relationship of artistic and administrative collaboration, and further embraces the deep ties between Phoenix and NEC.

Christina Dioguardi, General Manager and Principal Bassoon of Phoenix, says, "It is truly a full-circle moment for us as we return to the place where Phoenix was born, while most of our founding members were students at NEC. We cannot wait to collaborate with the next generation of NEC students as we embark on this very exciting new chapter for the organization."

Phoenix's March 27th performance at Jordan Hall includes folk-inspired music by Béla Bartók, Gabriela Lena Frank, Osvaldo Golijov, and Florence Price as well as Ludwig van Beethoven's jubilant 7th Symphony.

March 27 Performance Information

Phoenix @ Jordan Hall

Sunday, March 27, 2022, 3:00PM

Tickets: $20-$40

https://necmusic.edu/events/phoenix

Program:

Béla Bartók, Romanian Folk Dances

Osvaldo Golijov, Night of the Flying Horses

Florence Price, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes

Gabriela Lena Frank, "Coqueteos" from Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout

Ludwig van Beethoven arr. Gerber / Weilerstein, Save Me From the Grave and Wise

Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92

About Phoenix

Phoenix is an award-winning chamber orchestra presenting music in accessible and social atmospheres for all audiences. Known for its unique approach to audience interaction, the orchestra emphasizes creating real relationships with everybody that comes to see its shows. Starting in 2021 Phoenix welcomes Joshua Weilerstein as Music Director, marking the next chapter in the orchestra's history.

Since its inception in 2014, when it was called "eminently worthy of your attention" (The Boston Globe), Phoenix has been wowing classical music aficionados and rookies alike with its energetic playing, versatile programming, and an individualistic approach to larger orchestral repertoire. At the core of its mission, Phoenix is committed to program and promote composers from groups that traditionally experience difficulty having their voices heard in the orchestral world, including composers that identify as women and BIPOC. The orchestra garnered attention early on, winning the Improper Bostonian's Boston's Best Classical Ensemble in 2017.

In conjunction with its mission of reaching new audiences of all backgrounds, Phoenix is proud to have performed at a variety of venues in the Greater Boston Area including, OBERON, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the Center for Arts at the Armory (Somerville, MA), the Metropolitan Waterworks Museum, Bully Boy Distillers, District Hall, and Aeronaut Brewing Company, among others. Additionally, Phoenix became the first ensemble in residence at Aeronaut Brewing Company in Somerville (2017-2020). The residency was the first between an orchestra and a brewery in the United States, and a direct result of both Phoenix's drive to engage a wider audience for classical music and Aeronaut's investment in culture and events. During its residency with Aeronaut, Phoenix was a vital fixture in the brewery's Pindrop Sessions, a series in partnership with GBH and 99.5 CRB.

Phoenix is committed to the expansion of the orchestral and chamber music repertoire and has worked with composers Jonathan Bailey Holland, Jeffrey Mumford, Maria Finkelmeier, Alice Jones, Cody Forrest, and Mary Bichner on new works. The orchestra collaborated on a commission of a cello concerto by Jeffrey Mumford for cello soloist Deborah Pae, which was supported by a grant from the Cricket Foundation. In May 2019 Phoenix gave the world premiere of Mumford's of radiances blossoming in expanding air... with Ms. Pae. In September 2019, Phoenix gave the world premiere of Jonathan Bailey Holland's El Jaleo, which was commissioned by and presented at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Additionally, Phoenix has collaborated with percussionist and composer Maria Finkelmeier, flutist Paula Robison, soprano Margot Rood, mezzo-soprano Britt Brown, tenor Omar Najmi, actor Will Lyman, composer Marti Epistein, and author Jen Deadrick.

When its sixth season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Phoenix immediately pivoted to connect with audiences through a virtual platform. In fall 2020 Phoenix launched "The Chronophone," an episodic series that journeys through musical time from 1685 through the present day. In each of the episodes Phoenix presents chamber music performances of music both familiar and unfamiliar to classical audiences and contextualizes the music within the historical space. "The Chronophone" and Phoenix are the recipients of the 2021 Boston Cultural Council Grant. phoenixorch.org

About New England Conservatory (NEC)

Founded by Eben Tourjée in Boston, Massachusetts in 1867, the New England Conservatory (NEC) represents a new model of music school that combines the best of European tradition with American innovation. The school stands at the center of Boston's rich cultural history and musical life, presenting concerts at the renowned Jordan Hall. Propelled by profound artistry, bold creativity and deep compassion, NEC seeks to amplify musicians' impact on advancing our shared humanity, and empowers students to meet today's changing world head-on, equipped with the tools and confidence to forge multidimensional lives of artistic depth and relevance.

As an independent, not-for-profit institution that educates and trains musicians of all ages from around the world, NEC is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools. It cultivates a diverse, dynamic community, providing music students of more than 40 countries with performance opportunities and high-caliber training from 225 internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. NEC pushes the boundaries of music-making and teaching through college-level training in classical, jazz and contemporary improvisation. Through unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships, it empowers students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC's mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, the Preparatory School and School of Continuing Education delivers training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students and adults.

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