Bart Howard News

These young men have got the world on a string.

Copland House announces six Fellows selected to participate in CULTIVATE 2018, its acclaimed, annual emerging composers institute. The composers chosen areCarlos Bandera, 25 (Baltimore, MD); Ethan Braun, 30 (Tarzana, CA); Theo Chandler, 25 (Hillsborough, NC); Annika Socolofsky, 27 (Princeton, NJ); Phil Taylor, 28 (Boulder, CO); Liliya Ugay, 27 (New Haven, CT). Ugay was named CULTIVATE's Nashville Symphony ComposerLab Fellow, in connection with Copland House's collaboration with the orchestra's young composer initiative. Bret Bohman, 35 (Columbia, MO) was selected as an Alternate.

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the 19 writers of 9 new musicals in this summer's Rhinebeck Writers Retreat. This year's writers include 2018 Jonathan Larson winners Andrew Farmer and Andrew Butler, 2018 Kleban winner Amanda Yasnowitz, Tony-winner Ken Davenport, 2018 Lucille Lortel winner for Outstanding Musical (KPOP) Max Vernon, Emmy winner Doug Katsaros, Obie winner Erin Courtney, and the writers of the podcast musical 36 questions who are developing their next musical, Chris Littler and Ellen Winter.

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is presenting a private reading of the new musical, THE PROXY MARRIAGE, book and lyrics by Michele Lowe and music and lyrics by Adam Gwon, on May 7 in New York City, which includes actors Jason Tam (Jesus Christ Superstar Live on NBC, Broadway: A Chorus Line, If/Then), Whitney Bashor (The Bridges of Madison County), Anika Larsen (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Avenue Q), and Daniel Jenkins (Mary Poppins, Billy Elliot, Big River). The reading is directed by Lonny Price (Sunset Boulevard starring Glenn Close) and music directed by Vadim Feichtner (Falsettos Broadway revival).

May is the perfect month to unveil Spring Collection, internationally acclaimed West End and New York singing star Lorna Dallas' sparkling new show at Crazy Coqs.

On her lovely and coolly sensual new recording, 'Ármame,' vocalist Lauren Henderson delivers an eclectic set of jazz, Latin jazz, and other styles in a program reflecting her African-American and Caribbean heritage and her omnivorous musical tastes. Produced by veteran broadcaster and Sirius/XM jazz host Mark Ruffin, the CD will be released March 30 on her new label, Brontosaurus Records.

Music inspired by transformations - life and loss, vice and virtue, and past and future - will resound throughout Copland House's 9th spring season of acclaimed concerts at Westchester County's magnificent Merestead estate in Mount Kisco, NY.

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Jane Chu has approved more than $25 million in grants as part of the NEA's first major funding announcement for fiscal year 2018.  Included in this announcement is an Art Works grant of $10,000 to Rhinebeck Writers Retreat for their musical theatre writer residencies and Triple R program - 2 readings and a residency. The Art Works category is the NEA's largest funding category and supports projects that focus on the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and/or the strengthening of communities through the arts.

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced applications are open for this summer. Nine musical theatre writing teams will be hosted for 9 consecutive weeklong residencies in the Hudson Valley between July 2 and September 3. All writers are eligible and their musical can be at any stage of development, as long as it has not been published or licensed. Selected writers pay nothing to participate and receive a $500 stipend. All costs are covered by donations to Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, including travel up to $750.  Writers with children are welcomed to apply and Rhinebeck Writers Retreat will accommodate their housing needs. There is no fee for applications received by February 16 and there is a fee of $20 for the final deadline of February 23.  All information, guidelines, and online application can be found at www.rhinebeckwriters.org.

The Mabel Mercer Foundation announced this week that Adela and Larry Elow have established a $50,000 endowment fund, created specifically to 'encourage teenagers to learn and perform The Great American Songbook, as composed between the years 1900-1970.'

Founding Executive Director Kathy Evans announced the 19 writers and 9 new musicals selected for development at this summer's Rhinebeck Writers Retreat. 

Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is presenting the first reading of the new musical, BHANGIN' IT, book by Rehana Lew Mirza and Mike Lew and music and lyrics by Sam Willmott, on May 1 in New York City for an invited industry audience. The reading includes actors Shoba Narayan (Natasha Pierre & The Great Comet), Tony Sheldon (Amelie), Dan Rosales (Spamilton), Angel Desai (Company), and Salena Qureshi.  The reading is directed by David Ruttura (School of Rock) and music directed by James Dobinson (The View UpStairs).

Kathy Evans, Founding Executive Director of Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, announced that applications are open to all musical theatre writers for this summer's retreats. Rhinebeck Writers Retreat will host 9 musical theatre writing teams for 9 consecutive weeklong residencies in the Hudson Valley, New York.

Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate and South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) are one of only five composer and orchestra pairs selected through a peer review panel process to participate in Music Alive, a national three-year composer-orchestra residency program of the League of American Orchestras and New Music USA.

Berkeley Symphony and composer Anna Clyne have been chosen from a field of 59 applicant pairs to participate in a three-year composer-orchestra residency program, Music Alive, created by the League of American Orchestras and New Music USA. Berkeley Symphony and Clyne are one of only five composer-orchestra pairs to be selected by their peers, who represent a cross-section the U.S. orchestra world.

Five composer and orchestra pairs have been selected through a peer review panel process to participate in Music Alive, a national three-year composer-orchestra residency program of the League of American Orchestras and New Music USA.

The Dramatists Guild Fund and Program Chairs Michael Korie, Laurence O'Keefe, and Diana Son have announced the 2016-2017 class of DG Fellows James Christy, Khiyon Hursey, Patricia Ione Lloyd, Michael R. Jackson, C.A. Johnson, David Mallamud, Zoey Martinson, Madeline Myers, Nicole Pandolfo, and Len Schiff.

An appearance by multi-Grammy Award winning clarinetist and composer Paquito d'Rivera; a world premiere by Rome Prize-winner Derek Bermel; a concert haunted by Bach, Schubert, and musical ghosts of past centuries; song settings of the mystical, powerful poetry of celebrated Austro-German author Rainer Maria Rilke; and music inspired by the American West highlight the 8th season of Copland House concerts at Westchester County's majestic Merestead estate in Mount Kisco, NY.

Ronny Whyte epitomizes everything gracious, refined, and sophisticated that's become rare in music presented by artists under a certain age and temperament. Even with jazz interpretation, his accessible choices and deceptively casual delivery present songs as their authors intended. When he composes, tacit symbiosis with lyricists creates melody and images that seem to come from a less complicated era. Last Saturday night, Whyte was joined by veteran collaborators--Boots Maleson on bass, David Silliman on drums, and guest guitarist Sean Harkness--for a show that featured mostly eclectic American Songbook standards and originals from his own oeuvre.

?Rhinebeck Writers Retreat is presenting a reading of the new musical, INTO THE WILD, book and lyrics by Janet Allard and music and lyrics by Niko Tsakalakos, on June 13 in New York City for an invited industry audience. INTO THE WILD is based on the acclaimed best selling book by Jon Krakauer and "Back to the Wild" by the Christopher J. McCandless Foundation.