Peabody’s Tuned-In program will enrich and expand its offerings with the support of a new $1.25 million gift from William H. “Bill” Miller III, a member of the Johns Hopkins University Board of Trustees and founder and chairman of Miller Value Partners. Established in 2007 at the Peabody Preparatory, the Tuned-In program provides Baltimore City Public Schools students with a complete Preparatory education for free, using music as a tool for youth empowerment and opening doors for success in college and career. Miller’s gift will provide needed technology devices and upgrades for students, expand summer programs to provide deeper engagement for students and families, and strengthen the program’s ability to retain enrolled students by increasing investment in those at risk of attrition. Tuned-In and the Baltimore-Washington Musical Pathways initiative are key components of the Peabody Institute’s comprehensive efforts to change the face of classical music by increasing the diversity of performers, programming, and audiences.

We are now about a month into the fall semester, and I am pleased to report that the word from our students and faculty is that things are generally going very well. The exclusively remote modality, while not perfect, is providing new opportunities and ways of thinking for both teaching and learning. It is clear that the work and investments made in the months leading up to the fall have provided a solid base for online pedagogy, including the one-to-one applied instruction which is so central to our training. Of course, this does not mean that we are not eager to be back on campus. Indeed, I sent a message to our students last week indicating that we are already starting the planning for the spring with an eye, and I would say real determination, to bring as many activities back to campus for the spring semester as we can within the protocols critical to keeping all members of our community safe. In the coming weeks we’ll have much more to report on as planning accelerates.

For now, while we have all been challenged by this pandemic, and indeed by so many other issues we face across our country, we are fortunate that in a few weeks we all have an opportunity to shape the response to the pandemic and other issues when we express our hopes and dreams at the ballot box. However you view any individual issue or challenge and no matter your beliefs, please vote. This election will determine so many things and you owe it to yourselves to make your voices heard.

Fred Bronstein, Dean

Cello professor Alan Stepanky and his students performed and recorded Kol Nidrei by Max Bruch, as arranged by David Johnstone. The audio and video were produced by Steven Chen, a student in the Stepansky studio.

The Boulanger Initiative presents the Bergamot Quartet, comprised of Ledah Finck (BM ’16, MM ‘18, Violin), violin; Sarah Thomas (BM ’17, MM ’19 Violin), violin; Amy Tan, viola; and Irène Han (MM ’18, Cello), cello, in three live shows at Fadensonnen Beergarden in Baltimore. The program features works by Caroline Shaw, Tanner Porter, Fanny Mendelssohn, Jessie Montgomery, Suzanne Farrin, and Finck.

Inspired by Maya Angelou’s poem, “Phenomenal Woman,” Baltimore Musicales presents a virtual program celebrating the music of Amy Beach, Clara Schumann, Poldowski, Juliana Hall, Ellen Mandel, Gwyneth Walker, Vítězslava Kaprálová, Betty Jackson King, Florence Price, and Undine Smith Moore. Featured alumni include Teresa Ferrara (MM ’18, Voice), Angeli Ferrette (GPD ’06, Voice), Claire Galloway (MM ’15 Voice), and Annie Gill (GPD ’08, Voice).

MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, multi-instrumentalist, and newly appointed artistic director of Silkroad, Rhiannon Giddens joins Peabody Dean Fred Bronstein in a conversation about her music and career, followed by a short question-and-answer session with the audience. A part of the fall 2020 Dean’s Symposium Series, this event takes place on Zoom.

The 2020 Sonus International Music Festival is presented under the artistic direction of its founder, Nancy Roldán (MM ’76, DMA ’89, Piano), and celebrates the life and work of composer Carlos Guastavino. Pre-recorded performances will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook at 8:00 pm each evening, featuring Roldán, Enrique Graf (BM ’78, Piano), and José Cueto (BM ’78, MM ’81, Violin).

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Peabody Notes highlights select off-campus performances featuring Peabody performers. For other events, please visit our Peabody Conservatory Facebook page.

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