Curtis Institute to Offer Studies in Historical Improvisation
I am happy to announce that in January 2025 I will begin teaching improvisation at The Curtis Institute of Music on a part-time basis (while retaining my current position and residence in Ohio). Curtis, located in Philadelphia, is often called the most selective conservatory in the world.
Our first project will be an intensive course on improvising concerto cadenzas in Classical style. The course will be open to keyboard and instruments, with enrollment limited in order to facilitate individual instruction. Five in-person visits will consist of private lessons as well as two-hour meetings in a masterclass format. Between visits, students will practice, read history and theory, and provide sample videos of improv exercises that I will evaluate remotely.
Alongside the cadenza course, I will also take private students for improvisation lessons.
This opportunity is surely gratifying on its own terms, but also significant in that Curtis – an influential conservatory with a weighty reputation – is eagerly embracing historical improvisation as a viable skill for the next generation of musicians.
Upcoming Events:
October 16-19 Sapienza University, Rome, Italy – ImproComp Workshop
Improvised performances, lectures, individual lessons. In collaboration with Profs. Sanguinetti and Mastroprimiano, this event will be devoted to keyboard improvisation in the styles of the Romantic era.
November 12-15 Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien
Conference keynote, improvisations, individual and group instruction. This is an international conference on partimento and its potential for musicianship in the modern era.
Recent Events:
January 26 Denison University, Granville, Ohio – Improvised Concert
February 21 The Juilliard School, New York – Lecture and Improvisations
February 22 Rice University, Houston, Texas – Lecture and Improvisations
March 28 Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland, Ohio – Lecture and Improvisations
April 11 The Curtis Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Lecture and Improvisations