Congratulations to Esperanza Spalding, the Jazz Journalists Association's Up and Coming Artist of the Year for 2009. Don't miss her appearance as part of the 09/10 Da Camera jazz series. Other award winners include SFJAZZ Collective, Sonny Rollins, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Brian Blade and Kurt Elling, all of whom have appeared on the Da Camera Jazz series. Read more about the awards.

Read more about it here.

Da Camera of Houston launches the Young Artist Program, a chamber music and jazz professional development program for instrumentalists, singers and composers, in the fall of 2009.  This pilot program is designed to provide career-expanding experiences and training to the next generation of artists and educators, encouraging them to advocate for music in the community throughout their careers. Another primary goal is to give HISD students and under-served audiences up-close and personal experiences with great music and talented performers, encouraging the students to use music as a vehicle for exploration of what they are learning in the classroom.

“More and more, musicians are expected to go beyond formal concert hall performances and to create other meaningful ways to engage the communities where they live and perform,” said Da Camera Artistic Director Sarah Rothenberg. “Yet there are too few programs in which young artists can develop these skills. We hope to help fill the gap. Also, young musicians today are seeking a broader definition of career success.  Inventing innovative programming, relating music to the world around them, talking to diverse audiences, self-presenting-- these are all aspects of developing a full life as a successful performing musician, and we're pleased to share our experience in these areas with young professionals."

Da Camera’s program is notable for utilizing the organization’s experienced staff extensively as mentors and for the diversity of settings in which the young artists perform. It is also notable that an organization of Da Camera’s size is launching such a program independent of an educational institution.

Applicants included aspiring professional musicians between 18 and 30 years of age, who were required to submit a resume, cover letter and list of repertoire. The finalists were selected by audition and interview with the director of the program, Da Camera’s Education Manager Evan Leslie; Artistic Director Sarah Rothenberg and an advisory committee consisting of Norman Fischer, Professor of Cello at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music; Timothy Hester, Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music; Richard Lavenda, Professor of Composition at the Shepherd School; jazz educator Dr. Robert Morgan.

The recipients of the 2009/2010 Young Artist Program fellowship are David Keck, baritone; Matthew Roitstein, flute; Carlos Cordeiro, clarinet; Caitlin Hickey, trombone; David Huntsman, violin; Joseph Maile, violin; Marisa Winship, viola; Cherry Kim, cello; Ted Botsford, bass; Yi Zhang, piano; Craig Hauschildt, percussion and Andrew Nishikawa, composer. The participants range from graduate students at the Shepherd School of Music and the Moores School of Music to freelance musicians who have already completed their degrees.

The Young Artist Program provides opportunities in four major areas:

• Performance Training: Da Camera Young Artists receive guidance through master classes and other activities with Da Camera’s Artistic Director, Sarah Rothenberg; Da Camera visiting artists, including Seymour Lipkin, Steven Isserlis, Eliot Fisk, Jennifer Koh, Ben Allison, Brandon Lee, the Enso String Quartet and members of the advisory committee.
• Performance Opportunities: Da Camera Young Artist performances will include appearances at The Wortham Theater Center on Da Camera of Houston’s A Little Day Music series, The Menil Collection on Da Camera of Houston’s Stop Look and Listen series and other education and outreach events. 
• Education and Outreach Training: Da Camera Young Artists learn how to effectively engage young students in a classroom and how to perform effectively for diverse audiences. The artists collaborate with Da Camera staff and HISD teachers to create innovative lesson plans that integrate live music performance with core academic curriculum.
• Career Expansion: Da Camera Young Artists gain an up-close perspective on nonprofit arts management.  Through workshops with Da Camera’s experienced staff, they learn about grant writing, fundraising and marketing. 

The Young Artists Program has received initial support from the Immanuel & Helen B. Olshan Foundation. Da Camera plans to expand the program in the future to serve more artists, school children and its audience for chamber music and jazz events.