School Notes: School of Music
May/June 2009

Renowned musicians to join faculty

Emanuel Ax, one of the world's most celebrated keyboard artists, and Masaaki Suzuki, the eminent Bach scholar and conductor, will join the School of Music faculty next fall.

Emanuel Ax has been appointed visiting professor of piano. His distinguished career has encompassed solo recitals, chamber music performances, and appearances with orchestras in the world's great concert halls. Ax has appeared several times at Yale in performances and master classes over the years and has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the university. Masaaki Suzuki will be visiting professor of choral conducting and conductor of Yale Schola Cantorum, the university's celebrated chamber choir. He is a conductor, organist, and harpsichordist acclaimed for his artistry and insightful interpretations. The founder and director of Bach Collegium Japan, he has recorded 40 volumes of Bach's choral music on the BIS label and works with leading European ensembles. His scholarly work includes a translation into Japanese of the entire Genevan Psalter, a book of psalm settings developed in the Reformation.

In addition, two other faculty members will work in expanded roles. William Purvis's term as interim director of Yale's distinguished Collection of Musical Instruments has been extended by two years. A noted horn player and conductor, Purvis is also a professor of horn and coordinator of winds and brass. Violinist Syoko Aki will serve as coordinator of strings. Upon joining the Yale faculty in 1968, she became a member of the renowned Yale Quartet. She has also served as concertmaster of the New Japan Philharmonic, Waterloo Festival Orchestra, and the New Haven and Syracuse symphonies, and has appeared as soloist with several leading conductors. Her recordings appear on the Delos, Pro Arte, and Epson labels, among others.

School's website revamped

On March 1, the School of Music launched its new website at http://music.yale.edu. This fresh online presence for the Yale School of Music offers many features for current, past, and prospective students, staff, faculty, concertgoers, and music lovers. Design manager Monica Ong Reed sees the website as "a place where the Yale School of Music fosters relationships with a broad range of people. We took that into consideration in every aspect of its design, from the user interface to the photography to the use of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter." The school has also entered the blogosphere with a news blog offering press releases and announcements for and about the YSM community. More features are still to come; the new site offers the flexibility to expand into new media, such as streaming concerts live and on demand.