The Academy of International Ballet Appoints Ms. Jennifer Nicole Campbell As 'Composer In Residence'

The Academy of International Ballet (AIB) in Media, PA is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Jennifer Nicole Campbell as Composer In Residence. In the words of AIB's Artistic Directors Anastasia Babayeva and Denis Gronostayskiy, "This amazing opportunity makes our ballet academy the first in the region. Indeed, among the 5000 plus ballet schools in the nation very few have a professional classical composer in residence."

In addition to holding her M.M. and B.M. degrees from Peabody Conservatory, a division of The Johns Hopkins University, Ms. Campbell brings a wealth of composing and performance experience to our students and our performances. She has performed at notable halls including Lincoln Center, the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, the Grand Opera House in Delaware, and the Musikhauset Aarhus in Denmark among others, and her compositions have been aired on Philadelphia's WRTI and New York's WQXR.

Ms. Campbell said, "I am delighted to have the opportunity to collaborate with the Academy of International Ballet over the 2017-2018 season. I know Denis and Anastasia will bring to my compositions their unique insights from their many years of professional performances on international stages and their choreographic experiences. During many preparatory visits to their academy I have observed their dancers demonstrate an exceptional level of passion, technique and commitment towards exploring new music which is quite inspirational to me as a composer. To merge art forms takes an enormous amount of trust and generosity and I see these necessary qualities at AIB."

The creative collaboration began in February when the musicians of the Delaware County Symphony opened the third chamber concert of their 2016-2017 season in the Meagher Theater at Neumann University with a unique European style Chamber Ballet. The concert featured a new composition by Ms. Campbell titled Butterfly Whispers. The work was commissioned especially for AIB dancers and was a result of multiple visits by Ms. Campbell to their ballet studio to observe the motion and energy of their dancers and to work in close collaboration with AIB Artistic Director Denis Gronostayskiy. The artistic matching of the Muses through a fusion of classical music and classical ballet onstage was met with delight and excitement from the audience. This unique appointment marks a unique and collaborative relationship between the creative worlds of classical ballet and classical music. It will mark the next significant step in the evolution of the AIB ballet academy because it will lead to more opportunities for regional communities to experience the unique artistic fusion of these two beautiful arts forms. Having a classically trained composer in residence is unique and appreciated in the world of ballet.

Click here to view Ms. Campbell explaining the appointment.

To view a beautiful performance video of Butterfly Whispers performed in the Meagher Theatre at Neumann University just click here.

For more information about Ms. Campbell's upcoming concerts and commissions, visit www.jennifernicolecampbell.com. For more information about AIB visit www.academyballetru.com or call 866-908-5666.

Photo Credit: Rick Prieur

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