Bienen students win 2025 Luminarts Fellowships

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Four Bienen School of Music students have been named 2025 fellows by the Luminarts Cultural Foundation.

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Mallory Thompson, conductor; James Giles, piano

The ensemble’s first winter performance is centered around the inspiration composers have found in music from the past. Neo-classical composer Igor Stravinsky’s Circus Polka was commissioned by the Barnum and Bailey circus and written for a performance featuring 50 trained elephants and 50 dancers. Stravinsky’s Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments, featuring Bienen faculty pianist James Giles, takes its inspiration from the 18th century three-movement form. Giovanni Gabrieli’s timeless Canzon primi toni, showcasing resplendent brass choirs, is followed by Kathryn Salfelder’s Cathedrals, directly influenced by Gabrieli and 16th-century counterpoint. Closing the program is Paul Dooley’s Masks and Machines, which takes inspiration from Stravinsky’s ballet Pulcinella as well as Renaissance-inspired dance performances by Oskar Schlemmer.

Igor Stravinsky (orch. David Raksin), Circus Polka
Igor Stravinsky, Concerto for Piano and Wind Instruments
Giovanni Gabrieli (ed. Robert King), Canzon primi toni from Sacrae symphoniae
Kathryn Salfelder, Cathedrals
Paul Dooley, Masks and Machines

Is Featured 1184808 No On Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for students with valid ID. Off https://ci.ovationtix.com/36542/performance/11389626?performanceId=11389626 Yes No Off 1184808 Friday, January 26, 2024 at 7:30pm CST Pick-Staiger Concert Hall Off

Bienen pianist selected for Ensemble Connect

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Chelsea Wang, a doctoral piano student at the Bienen School of Music, has been chosen as a member of the prestigious Ensemble Connect.

Two Bienen students awarded 2023 Luminarts Fellowships

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Master’s horn student Momoko Hasselbring Seko and doctoral piano student Wenting Shi have been named 2023 Fellows in Classical Music by the Luminarts Cultural Foundation.

Two Bienen students awarded 2022 Luminarts Fellowships

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Doctoral students Joseph Connor ’19 MMus (saxophone) and Qi Kong (piano) have been named 2022 Fellows in Classical Music by the Luminarts Cultural Foundation.

Two Receive 2021 Luminarts Fellowships

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Zachary Good, a doctoral clarinet student of Steven Cohen, and Muzi Zhao, a dual-degree Bienen-Medill piano student of James Giles, have been named 2021 Fellows in Classical Music by the Luminarts Cultural Foundation.

Two Receive 2020 Luminarts Fellowships

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Byeol Kim, a doctoral piano student of James Giles, and Julian Velasco ‘20 MMus, a former student of Taimur Sullivan, have been named 2020 Fellows in Classical Music by the Luminarts Cultural Foundation.

Two Bienen ensembles compete in virtual Fischoff

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Two student chamber ensembles from the Bienen School of Music – Fuse Quartet and Trio Noré – advanced in the 47th Annual Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, which moved to an online format for 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Two Bienen ensembles to compete in MTNA Finals

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Two Bienen School of Music student ensembles have advanced to the finals of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Chamber Music Competition.

DMA piano student Nansong Huang receives Luminarts Fellowship

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Doctoral piano student Nansong Huang was named a 2019 Luminarts Fellow in Classical Music by the Luminarts Cultural Foundation. 

Two Bienen School ensembles advance to Fischoff Competition

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Two Bienen School student ensembles – Fuse Quartet and Galvin Trio – have been invited to the 46th Annual Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

Bienen School of Music hosts fourth annual Skyline Piano Artist series

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 Six internationally acclaimed pianists will take the stage when Northwestern's Bienen School of Music presents the fourth annual Skyline Piano Artist Series.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2018/october/bienen-school-of-music-hosts…

Concert series brings world-renowned artists to the North Shore

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The Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music’s 2018-2019 subscription season begins this fall, with four concert series offering award-winning virtuosity and artistry from around the globe.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2018/may/concert-series-brings-world-reno…
James Giles

Coordinator, Piano Program. Director of Music Performance Graduate Studies.

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Bienen School of Music Hosts 2017 American Liszt Society Festival

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Franz Liszt, the profoundly influential piano star of the Romantic movement, will be celebrated during the American Liszt Society’s premier annual event.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2017/april/bienen-school-of-music-hosts-2…

EunAe Lee to Perform in Cliburn International Piano Competition

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EunAe Lee, a doctoral candidate at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, will perform in the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, which is widely recognized as one of the most important piano competitions in the world.

Winter chamber music festival hosts internationally acclaimed artists

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Seven-concert series features treasured classics and compelling new works

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2016/12/winter-chamber-music-festival-201…

Northwestern University Music in November

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A performance by classical guitarist Marcin Dylla and a vocal master class led by mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard will open two year-long concert series as part of a busy November events calendar from the Bienen School of Music.

Four Bienen students receive 2016 Luminarts Fellowships

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Four Bienen School of Music students have been awarded 2016 Luminarts Fellowships in Classical Music, along with $5,000 each, from the Luminarts Cultural Foundation.

Skyline Piano Artist Series Continues Through Spring

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The 2015-16 inaugural season of the Skyline Piano Artist Series continues through spring with recitals by some of the world’s top artists, including Garrick Ohlsson, James Giles, Andrew Tyson and the Cheng-Chow Trio.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2016/01/skyline-piano-artist-series-conti…

Bienen School’s Winter Chamber Music Festival Celebrates 20 Years

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The Dover Quartet and Jupiter String Quartet are both scheduled to perform during the 20th season of Northwestern University’s annual Winter Chamber Music Festival.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2015/12/winter-chamber-music

Former Bienen professor returns to perform piano recital featuring modern works

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The former Bienen professor will return to Northwestern on Saturday for a piano recital that will kick off the Skyline Piano Artist Series at the Bienen School of Music.

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2015/11/12/ae/former-bienen-professor-returns-to-…

Bienen School Hosts Inaugural Piano Artist Concert Series

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World-renowned artists Ursula Oppens, Stephen Hough, Garrick Ohlsson, James Giles and the Cheng-Chow Trio, and important emerging artist Andrew Tyson are the key players in Northwestern University’s inaugural “Skyline Piano Artist Series,” premiering in mid-November.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2015/11/skyline-piano-artist-series-bienen

Northwestern Spring Choral Season Combines Ensembles

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The Midwest premiere of “Lost Objects” by three Bang on a Can new music composers -- and the world premiere of “Canticle” by composer Imant Raminsh during a concert commemorating the 150th anniversary of the end of the American Civil War -- are among the choral and collaborative performances taking place at Northwestern University this spring.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2015/04/northwestern-spring-choral-season…

Bienen School to Present a Variety of New Music Programs

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Performances by acoustic and electric cellist Maya Beiser, Wilco percussionist Glenn Kotche; flutist Claire Chase, pianist James Giles and two of the Bienen School’s new music ensembles will be among the artists who will push the boundaries of contemporary instrumental and vocal sounds at Northwestern University this spring.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2015/03/bienen-school-to-present-a-variet…

Steinway selection: Bienen School faculty choose pianos for new music building

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Bienen School piano faculty traveled to the Steinway & Sons factory in late January to select pianos for the new music building.

World-famous pianist Garrick Ohlsson visits Northwestern

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This week, world-famous pianist Garrick Ohlsson visited campus for a three-day series of events at the Bienen School of Music.

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2015/03/04/ae/world-famous-pianist-garrick-ohlsso…

Prize-Winning Pianist to Visit Bienen School of Music

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Northwestern University will welcome world-renowned pianist and 2014 Jean Gimbel Lane Prize in Piano Performance winner Garrick Ohlsson to campus for two master classes and a Q&A session.

https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2015/02/prize-winning-pianist-to-visit-bi…

Bienen School Student Places Second at International Piano Competition

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Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music student EunAe Lee was awarded second prize in the 19-32 year-old category at the prestigious 7th Biennial Bösendorfer Yamaha USASU International Piano Competition, held January 4-11 at Arizona State University (ASU).

Bienen School Stars of Tomorrow Perform at Kennedy Center

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Four exceptional Bienen School student soloists will be featured in a concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, April 22.

Institute for New Music Pays Tribute to Ned Rorem

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The Institute for New Music at the Bienen School of Music will present a two-day celebration of composer Ned Rorem’s 90th birthday October 10-11.