In February, graduate studies and Vocal Arts faculty member Kent Tritle (BM ’85, MM ’88, organ, choral conducting) conducted the Choir and Chamber Orchestra of the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola in New York City in a performance of J.S. Bach’s Cantatas Nos. 4 and 12, and Agostino Steffani’s Stabat Mater. 

Jazz faculty member Kenny Barron was one of eight recipients of the 2010 N.E.A. Jazz Masters Award. He received a $25,000 grant and was honored with a ceremony and concert in January at Frederick P. Rose Hall, the home of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Also in January, People Time: The Complete Recordings (Universal/Emarcy), a box set of seven CDs recorded by Barron and Stan Getz, received the Académie du Jazz 2009 Award for best reissue or best unreleased.  

Jazz faculty member Ron Carter was named Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris on January 12. Conferred by Frédéric Mitterand, minister of culture and communication, the insignia recognizes significant contributions in advancing the arts and literature in France and throughout the world. This award, limited to 20 recipients each year, is France’s highest civilian cultural honor. 

Guitar faculty member Sharon Isbin received a Grammy Award for best instrumental soloist performance (without orchestra) for her Sony Classical album Journey to the New World, which features folksinger Joan Baez and violinist Mark O’Connor. Isbin also performed in the Grammy pre-telecast ceremony.

In January, composition faculty member Christopher Rouse was elected president of the Aaron Copland Fund for Music. 

Evening Division faculty member Emily White (MM ’85, piano) performed at Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium in October as part of a gala of Polish music celebrating the 20th anniversary of musician and promoter Jan Sporek’s artistic work in the United States. Also in October, White released an album of Karol Szymanowski’s piano works on Arabesque Recordings.

Violin faculty member Lewis Kaplan (BS ’58, MS ’60, violin), director of the Bowdoin International Music Festival, accepted the Chamber Music America/ASCAP Award for innovative programming in contemporary music on behalf of the festival on January 17. ASCAP’s vice president, Frances P. Richard, presented the award.

STUDENT NEWS

Marika Bournaki, a bachelor’s piano student of Yoheved Kaplinsky, gave a concert of works by Schumann and Chopin that was broadcast on CBC Radio at the National Arts Center in Ottawa in January. 

Bachelor’s violin student Hwi-Eun Kim played the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Daegu Genius Youth Orchestra, under the baton of Jae-Joon Lee, at Alice Tully Hall in February.

Bachelor’s piano student Alvin Zhu was inducted into the Young Steinway Artists roster in December. On New Year’s Eve, Zhu performed for senior citizens with bachelor’s violin student Diomedes Saraza at the Baptist Homes retirement community in Pittsburgh.