School Notes: School of Music
March/April 2014

Music and drama schools stage joint production

The School of Music and the School of Drama are collaborating on a production of Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Tale. The idea for the project originated with faculty clarinetist David Shifrin, artistic director of the Yale in New York concert series (which will present the performances). Liz Diamond, chair of the directing program at YSD, has written a new translation of the original libretto and will direct the production, which brings together faculty, students, and alumni to work side by side. Michael Cerveris ’83 is the Reader, with YSD students in the roles of the Soldier, Devil, and Princess; Shifrin and faculty violinist Ani Kavafian will perform alongside YSM student musicians. Additional YSD faculty on the creative team are scenic designer Michael Yeargan ’73MFA, costume designer Ilona Somogyi ’94MFA, and choreographer Emily Carson Coates ’06, ’11MA. Performances take place in early April in New Haven and at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Alumnus to head Scottish conservatory

Jeffrey Sharkey ’88MusM will be the new principal at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, beginning in September 2014. The Conservatoire includes a school of music and a school of drama, dance, production, and screen; the role of principal is equivalent to that of a university president. Sharkey, a pianist who studied composition at Yale, is currently the director of the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University; previously, he was the dean of the Cleveland Institute of Music. 

Accolades for YSM pianists

Pianist Henry Kramer ’13ArtA, ’15MusAM, was selected to receive the prestigious Arthur W. Foote Prize from the Harvard Musical Association. The award is given to performer(s) of the highest musical caliber at university or conservatory level who are about to launch professional music careers. Yevgeny Yontov ’14MusM won the gold medal and the Shehee Award at the 63rd Wideman International Piano Competition, held in Shreveport, Louisiana, in December. Wenbin Jin ’09MusM won second prize in the Sixth China International Piano Competition in Xiamen, China, in November. Earlier that month, YSM pianists took the top prizes in the 15th International José Roca Piano Competition, held in Valencia, Spain: Esther Park ’12ArtA, ’13MusAM, won first prize, and Xiaoxi Wu ’11MusM won second prize.