The chamber opera/ballet Cracked Orlando, Dramma per Musica e Fractals, by graduate studies and Evening Division faculty member Jonathan Dawe (MM ’91, DMA ’95, composition), premiered at Columbia University’s Italian Academy in October. The work, which combines Italian Baroque sounds with fractal geometry-based composition, was choreographed by Company XIV, led by Austin McCormick (BFA ’06, dance), with music performed by the Second Instrumental Unit, conducted by Ryan McAdams (MM ’06, orchestral conducting). Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo sang the title role.

Organ department chair Paul Jacobs gave a lecture-presentation on J.S. Bach’s Clavier-Übung, Part III, at Christ and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in New York City in October. In November, he performed the work with the Clarion Choir, conducted by Steven Fox, at the Alice Tully Hall organ’s rededication; the concert was part of Lincoln Center’s White Light Festival. Jacobs and Dean and Provost Ara Guzelimian gave preconcert talks before the Tully Hall concerts.

Unstuck, by Literature and Materials of Music faculty member Raymond Lustig (DMA ’10, composition), has just been released on Albany Records with Emily Freeman Brown conducting the Bowling Green Philharmonia. Also on the disc are works by Avner Dorman (DMA ’06, composition), Steven Stucky, former Juilliard faculty member Elliot Carter, and Marilyn Shrude.

Pre-College piano faculty member Victoria Mushkatkol performed in a jubilee commemorating the 100th anniversary of her teacher Vladimir Vladimirovich Nielsen. The concert took place in October at the St. Petersburg (Russia) Philharmonic’s Small Hall. On December 2, she will give a recital at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, also in honor of Nielsen.

Pre-College faculty member Tali Roth (MM ’93, guitar) can be heard in the recurring guitar theme of Woody Allen’s film You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, which opened in September. Roth is featured in solo and quintet versions of movements from Boccherini’s Guitar Quintet in D Major, G. 448, arranged by Jon Geist and adapted by Roth. The soundtrack was released by Milan Records in September.

Literature and Materials of Music and Evening Division faculty member Samuel Zyman’s (MM ’84, DMA ’87, composition) Música para Cinco was presented by the Da Capo Chamber Players, comprising faculty members André Emelianoff (BS ’65, cello) and Curtis Macomber (BM ’74, MM ’75, DMA ’78, violin), Blair McMillen (MM ’95, piano), flutist Patricia Spencer, and clarinetist Meighan Stoops. The concert took place at New York City’s Merkin Concert Hall in October.

STUDENT NEWS

Presented by the Waveny Chamber Music Society, Juilliard’s graduate quartet in residence, the Afiara String Quartet—comprising violinist Valerie Li, Yuri Cho (BM ’02, MM ’04, violin), David Samuel (BM ’02, MM ’04, viola), and cellist Adrian Fung—performed in Waveny Park’s Carriage Barn in New Canaan, Conn., in October.

Dance student Craig Black received a Princess Grace Foundation Award in August. The awards, created by the family of Princess Grace of Monaco after her death, are given each year to promising artists in dance, theater, and film. 

Last month, master’s degree piano student Yunjie Chen was among five finalists at the 2010 Isang Yun competition, which is held annually in conjunction with Korea’s Tongyeong International Music Festival.

Doctoral piano student Edvinas Minkstimas (MM ’05, piano) was one of the organizers of Fashion for Autism, a fund-raiser that took place in New York City’s financial district in June.

In October, it was announced that doctoral clarinet student Sean Rice (MM ’07, clarinet) had been selected for the position of second clarinet with the National Arts Center Orchestra in Ottawa.