School Notes: School of Music
May/June 2013

Tenor receives Sanford Medal

Operatic tenor Matthew Polenzani ’94MusM received the Sanford Medal, the highest honor conferred by the School of Music, on February 15. Dean Robert Blocker presented the medal to Polenzani before opening night of Yale Opera’s production of Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi. In his career, Polenzani has sung more than 250 performances at the Metropolitan Opera. This season, in addition to his Met roles, Polenzani appears at the Royal Opera, Covent Garden; La Scala; and Lyric Opera of Chicago. He was the recipient of the 2004 Richard Tucker Award and the 2008 Beverly Sills Artist Award from the Metropolitan Opera.

Student, alumni garner honors

Three YSM composers are among the recipients of this year’s music awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Steven Burke ’94MusM will receive the Arts and Letters Award in Music, which honors outstanding artistic achievement and acknowledges the composer who has arrived at his or her own voice. It also includes funds to support a recording project. Ted Hearne ’08MusM, ’09MusAM, is one of two composers to be awarded the Charles Ives Fellowship. Stephen Feigenbaum ’12, ’13MusM, is a recipient of the Charles Ives Scholarship, given to composition students of great promise. 

Two YSM pianists have been selected to compete in the 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition this month in Fort Worth, Texas. Sean Chen ’14ArtA and Lindsay Garritson ’10MusM, ’11ArtA, are among the 30 young musicians selected through a jury screening to compete in the prestigious event. Chen, 24, is a student of Hung-Kuan Chen at the School of Music. Garritson, 25, studied with Boris Berman. In the event’s semifinal round, all remaining competitors will perform a commissioned work by YSM faculty composer Christopher Theofanidis ’97MusAD.

Musical tribute to the Levins

On Valentine’s Day, the School of Music presented Levin, Opus 20, a musical tribute to Jane and Richard Levin. The event celebrated the Levins’ contributions to musical life at Yale: the enrichment of the faculty, the renovation of the campus, the broadening of academic offerings, and their vision for Yale in an ever-changing world. The event included a broad variety of musical selections, from Bach and Mozart to Mitch Leigh ’51MusB, ’52MusM, as well as prerecorded video messages from musicians Paul Simon, Angélique Kidjo, and Emanuel Ax.