School Notes: School of Music
September/October 2019

A memorable 2019 season at Norfolk

The Yale Summer School of Music / Norfolk Chamber Music Festival began in June with a captivating gala performance by the Grammy-winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth. The theme of this summer’s Faculty Artist Concerts series was “Hidden Influences”; it featured works by composers whose influence on classical music went underappreciated during their time, including Fanny Mendelssohn, Florence Price, and Clara Schumann. The Emerging Artist Showcase series featured a variety of chamber ensembles comprising Norfolk fellows.

School of Music welcomes new faculty

Drs. Lynette Bowring and Seth Monahan were appointed to the school’s faculty as assistant professor adjunct of music history and visiting associate professor adjunct of music analysis and musicianship, respectively.

William Boughton was appointed associate professor (adjunct) of music at the School of Music and at the University’s Department of Music. Boughton was also appointed conductor of the undergraduate Yale Symphony Orchestra, of which he served as interim conductor during the 2018–19 academic year.

Mezzo-soprano Bernarda Fink will join the YSM and ISM faculties as lecturer in voice for the fall 2019 semester, while Professor in the Practice of Voice James Taylor is on sabbatical.

Distinguished organist and pedagogue Jon Laukvikwas named visiting professor of organ for the 2019–20 academic year and will serve the YSM and the ISM.

New fellowship quartet-in-residence

The Omer Quartet is the school’s new fellowship quartet-in-residence. The quartet first won acclaim in 2013 upon winning the grand prize at the FischoffNational Chamber Music Competition and since has won international competitions and performed around the world. The group will be mentored by the Brentano String Quartet, YSM’s quartet-in-residence, and, in turn, will mentor undergraduates studying at the Department of Music, while maintaining an active performance schedule.