Sarasota Music Festival
Encyclopedia
Sarasota Music Festival is an American
classical music festival held annually during the month of June in Sarasota, Florida
under the sponsorship of the Sarasota Orchestra
. The Festival was founded in 1965 by conductor Paul Wolfe
who remained director of the festival through the summer of 2006. After Wolfe's retirement, conductor and composer Robert D. Levin
became the festival's director.
Like the Aspen Music Festival and School
and the Tanglewood Music Festival
, the Sarasota Music Festival not only presents concerts by established artists but also consists of a summer music academy in which emerging professional musicians participate in performances, master classes and workshops designed to provide an intense training and networking experience. In 1984 the festival was designated by the Florida State Legislature as the "Official Teaching and Performing Festival of the State of Florida." Every year the festival receives hundreds of applications from students in America's best music schools such as the Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles
, the Curtis Institute of Music
in Philadelphia, the New England Conservatory, the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, the Juilliard School
in New York City
, the Shepherd School of Music
of Rice University
, and the Eastman School of Music
in Rochester, New York
. However, less than 60 students are chosen to participate in the program each year. Since the festival's debut 45 years ago, dozens of former festival students have gone on to join such prestigious American orchestras as the New York Philharmonic
, the Cleveland Orchestra
, the Chicago Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra
, the Boston Symphony Orchestra
, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
. Likewise, former festival students are now on the faculty at most of the major conservatories and music schools throughout the United States.
Each year the festival hires roughly 40 guest artists to not only provide training to the students at the festival but also to perform in a series of public concerts at the Sarasota Opera House
and the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center throughout the month of June. Some of the faculty artists, such as violinist and conductor Joseph Silverstein
, have been faculty members at the festival for decades. Former students at the festival who have since become faculty artists include violist Robert Vernon
, violinist Ani Kavafian
, oboist Allan Vogel
, bassoonist Nancy Goeres, and cellist Timothy Eddy among others. Students at the festival are also given the opportunity to perform for the public as part of the festival's orchestra and in chamber music concerts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
classical music festival held annually during the month of June in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
under the sponsorship of the Sarasota Orchestra
Sarasota Orchestra
Sarasota Orchestra, formally known as the Florida West Coast Symphony, is an American symphony orchestra located in Sarasota, Florida, which performs symphonic and chamber works for the Manatee, Sarasota, and Charlotte counties...
. The Festival was founded in 1965 by conductor Paul Wolfe
Paul Wolfe
Paul Wolfe is a NASCAR crew chief and former driver. From 2003-05, Wolfe raced in numerous Busch Series events....
who remained director of the festival through the summer of 2006. After Wolfe's retirement, conductor and composer Robert D. Levin
Robert D. Levin
Robert D. Levin is a classical performer, musicologist, and composer, and is the Artistic Director of the Sarasota Music Festival.-Education:...
became the festival's director.
Like the Aspen Music Festival and School
Aspen Music Festival and School
The Aspen Music Festival and School, founded in 1949, is an internationally renowned classical music festival that presents music in an intimate, small-town setting...
and the Tanglewood Music Festival
Tanglewood Music Festival
The Tanglewood Music Festival is a music festival held every summer on the Tanglewood estate in Lenox, Massachusetts in the Berkshire Hills in western Massachusetts....
, the Sarasota Music Festival not only presents concerts by established artists but also consists of a summer music academy in which emerging professional musicians participate in performances, master classes and workshops designed to provide an intense training and networking experience. In 1984 the festival was designated by the Florida State Legislature as the "Official Teaching and Performing Festival of the State of Florida." Every year the festival receives hundreds of applications from students in America's best music schools such as the Colburn School of Music in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, the Curtis Institute of Music
Curtis Institute of Music
The Curtis Institute of Music is a conservatory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that offers courses of study leading to a performance Diploma, Bachelor of Music, Master of Music in Opera, and Professional Studies Certificate in Opera. According to statistics compiled by U.S...
in Philadelphia, the New England Conservatory, the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio, the Juilliard School
Juilliard School
The Juilliard School, located at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, United States, is a performing arts conservatory which was established in 1905...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the Shepherd School of Music
Shepherd School of Music
The Shepherd School of Music is a university school of music located on the campus of Rice University in Houston, Texas. Shepherd School is itself very selective, accepting overall about 10-15% of all graduate applicants and 15% of all undergraduate applicants...
of Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
, and the Eastman School of Music
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is a music conservatory located in Rochester, New York. The Eastman School is a professional school within the University of Rochester...
in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. However, less than 60 students are chosen to participate in the program each year. Since the festival's debut 45 years ago, dozens of former festival students have gone on to join such prestigious American orchestras as the New York Philharmonic
New York Philharmonic
The New York Philharmonic is a symphony orchestra based in New York City in the United States. It is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five"...
, the Cleveland Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is one of the five American orchestras informally referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1918, the orchestra plays most of its concerts at Severance Hall...
, the Chicago Symphony, the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
, the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra
The Boston Symphony Orchestra is an orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the five American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five". Founded in 1881, the BSO plays most of its concerts at Boston's Symphony Hall and in the summer performs at the Tanglewood Music Center...
, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
. Likewise, former festival students are now on the faculty at most of the major conservatories and music schools throughout the United States.
Each year the festival hires roughly 40 guest artists to not only provide training to the students at the festival but also to perform in a series of public concerts at the Sarasota Opera House
Sarasota Opera House
The Sarasota Opera House is an historic theater, now opera house, located at 61 North Pineapple Avenue in Sarasota, Florida. The vision of a local man, A. B...
and the Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center throughout the month of June. Some of the faculty artists, such as violinist and conductor Joseph Silverstein
Joseph Silverstein
Joseph Silverstein is an American violinist and conductor.As a youth, Silverstein studied with his father, Bernard Silverstein, who was a public school music teacher...
, have been faculty members at the festival for decades. Former students at the festival who have since become faculty artists include violist Robert Vernon
Robert Vernon
Robert Vernon is a classical violist and teacher.Robert Vernon has served as the Principal Violist of the Cleveland Orchestra since 1976. Vernon occupies the endowed Chaillé H. and Richard B. Tullis Chair, and along with Franklin Cohen has served longer in a Principal position than any other...
, violinist Ani Kavafian
Ani Kavafian
Ani Kavafian is a classical violinist and professor at the Yale School of Music.Kavafian was born in Istanbul to parents of Armenian descent. In 1956 she moved with her family to Detroit, by which time she had begun playing piano. She began on violin at age nine, studying under Ara Zerounian and...
, oboist Allan Vogel
Allan Vogel
Allan Vogel is an American oboist and educator. He is currently Principal Oboe of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.-Education:Vogel originally studied piano and voice at the New York High School for Music and Art, but eventually changed his focus to oboe. "From the moment I heard it, I fell in...
, bassoonist Nancy Goeres, and cellist Timothy Eddy among others. Students at the festival are also given the opportunity to perform for the public as part of the festival's orchestra and in chamber music concerts.