NEC Update Vol. 2, No. 8, December 26, 2005

NEC at First Night Boston

Margaret Garner: alumni connection

Little Women in review

Bob Brookmeyer at IAJE

Boston Children's Chorus at NEC

Give in a season of giving

Mozart 2006

NEC at First Night Boston

photo by Andrew Hurlbut

First Night Boston is a 30-year tradition that ushers in the new year with a celebration of the arts. This year's schedule includes groups from NEC's Preparatory School as well as partner organization Project STEP. (In photo: NEC Children's Chorus.)

Get details of First Night performances by NEC musicians.

Margaret Garner: alumni connection

photo by Christopher Barbeau & Marcus Küchle

Margaret Garner, the exciting new American opera, heads to its third and final premiere production at Opera Company of Philadelphia, fueled by the talents of NEC alumni. In addition to composer Richard Danielpour '80 and star Denyce Graves '88 DP, OCP Artistic Coordinator Laurie Rogers '87 M.M. has been involved in the project from its inception.

Rogers (seen in photo with Danielpour at a 2004 Margaret Garner workshop) is assistant conductor on the production and has been involved since 2003 in composer workshops, the Detroit premiere earlier in 2005, and working with Danielpour on the piano-vocal score. Rogers will be present at NEC's exclusive Margaret Garner evening at OCP on February 18, where Danielpour and Graves will also speak.

Get tickets for NEC's Margaret Garner evening.

Little Women in review

photo by Tim Morse

Earlier in December, NEC gave New England audiences their first look at a full production of Mark Adamo's 1998 opera Little Women, based on Louisa May Alcott's Concord classic. The Boston Globe wrote that "the NEC forces deserve praise for alowing us to see and hear it."

If you missed the production, or would like to relive it, you may now visit an online slide show that walks through the entire story. (In photo: Andrea Coleman '05 M.M. as Jo March.)

See a slide show from Little Women.

Bob Brookmeyer at IAJE

photo by Andrew Hurlbut

When the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) and Chamber Music America conferences take over New York in January, it's a great opportunity to get together with your fellow alumni. This year, the IAJE spotlight is on Bob Brookmeyer of the NEC faculty (in photo with NEC students), who was recently named an NEA Jazz Master.

IAJE will host the NEA Jazz Masters Awards Concert on Friday, January 13. NEC jazz chair Ken Schaphorst also brings his Big Band to IAJE for a performance, at the conclusion of a day of NEC Alumni Reception activities on Saturday, January 14.

Register for New York club activities, including IAJE reception.

Boston Children's Chorus at NEC

With NEC as its lead artistic partner, the Boston Children's Chorus has taken the city by storm in its three years of existence. On Martin Luther King Day (January 16, 2006), the chorus joins its Chicago and New York counterparts in NEC's Jordan Hall to celebrate Dr. King's legacy with a concert that will be televised live by WCVB-TV Channel 5.

While the concert is already sold out, tickets are still available to the afternoon open rehearsal.

Find out more about this Martin Luther King Day event.

Give in a season of giving

photo by Andrew Hurlbut

'Tis the season for giving--and your gift to the NEC Annual Fund will help us reach our goal to raise 15% more than we did last year.

Every aspect of daily life at NEC is supported by this all-important fund, including scholarships, faculty recruitment, free concerts, masterclasses, library resources, travel to competitions--not to mention electricity, paint, and heating fuel.

It's never too late to make an impact--give today and help us end the year on a high note!

You may make an online gift at any time by following the link below. You may also call NEC's development office at (617) 585-1151; this line will be staffed December 26, 27, 29, and 30. Normal business hours will resume at NEC on Tuesday, January 3, 2006. 

Make a donation now online.

Mozart 2006

In 2006, NEC joins the rest of the world in celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791). Watch this space for a month-by-month schedule of activities.

January 15, 2006: BSO winds perform Sonata in A Major, K.526 and excerpts from The Magic Flute.

On January 27, 2006 (Mozart's birthday), NEC Distinguished Artist-in-Residence Russell Sherman begins a five-concert series with Boston's Emmanuel Music dedicated to the complete Mozart piano sonatas, along with vocal and instrumental chamber works by Mozart. Sherman has also recorded Mozart piano concertos with Emmanuel Music, and has long been the mainstay of this annual tradition of Mozart birthday concerts. For more information, go to www.emmanuelmusic.org.

Celebrate Mozart at NEC in 2006.