Hartt School Receives $53,000 For Richard P. Garmany Chamber Music Series

The Hartt School, the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford, is pleased to announce that the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has grantEd Hartt $53,000 to support The Richard P. Garmany Chamber Music Series for 2011-2012. The inaugural 2009-2010 season was made possible by a $30,000 grant from the Garmany Fund. Thanks in part to the tremendous success of the Series, the gift was renewed and increased to $45,000 for the 2010-2011 season and to $53,000 for the 2011-2012 season, an increase of more than 75% from the first gift. The Fund and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving's continuing commitment to support this unique and distinctive concert Series allows Hartt to bring some of the world's best chamber artists to perform for Greater-Hartford audiences. The roster of artists for the 2011-2012 season will be announced in coming weeks.

Mr. Garmany, who lived in Avon and was an executive at Aetna, created the Fund at the Hartford Foundation before his death in July 2008, and Hartt's chamber series was among the first recipients of a grant awarded by the Fund. David Polk, executor of the Garmany estate, is "extremely pleased with how the Series has evolved over the past few years," and considers the Series a "wonderful community asset." He adds, "I am thrilled at the diversity of people in the audiences for these concerts - faculty, members of the community, students - I especially love to see the students there, and I know Richard would, too." In speaking about Mr. Garmany, Polk said he is "thrilled that [Richard's] name is becoming synonymous with the advancement of musical arts in the area."

"This generous grant from the Richard P. Garmany Fund is a great gift not only to The Hartt School, but also to the entire community. It will enable us to continue bringing to town some of the world's most celebrated and important musical artists," said Steve Metcalf, Director of Instrumental Studies for The Hartt School and Curator of the Series, as he expressed his gratitude for the Fund's continuing and increased support. Dr. Aaron Flagg, Dean of The Hartt School, added, "In a year when we are celebrating The Hartt School's 90th anniversary, it is fitting to see the tradition of bringing a diversity of world class artists to the Greater-Hartford area continued by this generous support. We are extremely grateful."

The 2009-2010 Series brought capacity crowds to delight in the tremendous talents of the American Brass Quintet, Bolcom and Morris, David Finckel and Wu Han, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. Full houses have continued in 2010-2011 for An Evening with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Bang on a Can All-Stars, and most recently the Brentano String Quartet, which received a glowing review in the Hartford Courant: http://articles.courant.com/2011-02-18/entertainment/hc-review-brentano-string-20110218_1_serena-canin-misha-amory-haydn. Another sign of the significance of the Series Greater-Hartford's cultural scene: This season's Bang on a Can All-Stars concert had to be moved to the University's much larger Lincoln Theater weeks before the concert to allow for additional ticket sales due to an early sell-out. The 2010-2011 Series concludes with the New York Woodwind Quintet on April 7.

The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving is the community foundation for the 29-town Greater Hartford region, dedicated to improving the quality of life for area residents for the past 85 years. The Foundation receives gifts from thousands of generous individuals and families, and last year, awarded grants of nearly $26 million to a broad range of area nonprofit organizations. For more information about the Hartford Foundation, visit www.hfpg.org or call 860-548-1888.

The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded in 1920, Hartt has been an integral part of the University of Hartford since its charter merged the then Hartt School of Music, the Hartford Art School, and Hillyer College to create the University in 1957. 2010 markEd Hartt's 90th year of providing world class performing arts education to students in Greater-Hartford and around the world. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, master classes, dance performances, and musical theatre productions a year, performance is central to Hartt's curriculum. For more information about The Hartt School, visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Pictured: The New York Woodwind Quintet (Carol Wincenc, flute; Stephen Taylor, oboe; Charles Neidich, clarinet; Marc Goldberg, bassoon; and William Purvis, horn), who will perform the final concert in the 2010-2011 Richard P. Garmany Chamber Music Series on Thursday, April 7, 2011, at Millard Auditorium, University of Hartford.

 

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