Chicago, IL– Chicago Sinfonietta's innovative programming has been recognized again. Today, it was announced that the 33 year-old orchestra is the proud recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Grant for Arts Projects award. The Grant will support the Sinfonietta's new Artist in Residence program, which champions and highlights a composer of color each season.
A new initiative, the Artist in Residence program was introduced this 2020-21 season by Chicago Sinfonietta's new Chief Executive Officer Blake-Anthony Johnson after learning that Music Director Mei-Ann Chen wanted to explore a closer relationship with composers of color, especially during this time of myriad cancellations of new works due to the pandemic. It is just one of Chicago Sinfonietta’s many efforts to champion important voices while evolving the relationship between audience and artist. The program is designed with the intention of marrying current events, the organization's institutional mission, and opportunities to explore new creative spaces.
Celebrated Black composer Kathryn Bostic, the program's first composer, is involved in several activities throughout the season. In October 2020, the Sinfonietta commissioned and presented the world-premiere of her work, Portrait of a Peaceful Warrior, in its opening season online concert. During her time with the Sifonietta, Ms. Bostic is also involved in helping to program and curate activities in the Sinfonietta's community and education outreach programs, including Masterclasses with students from the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative* and individual coaching to fellows in the Sinfoinetta's industry leading Project Inclusion Freeman Fellowship. As part of her tenure, Chicago Sinfonietta will present an orchestral reduction of one of her premiere works in 2021, and will present the full performance in 2022.
Chicago Sinfonietta Chief Executive Officer Blake-Anthony Johnson, in announcing the award, said, "We at Chicago Sinfonietta are honored to receive a Grant for the Arts Projects award from the NEA. The Artist in Residence Program is a natural evolution of the work we have been doing, and an outgrowth of our Project W, which showcased women composers, champions new music, and resulted in a recording, helping to expand the audience for classical music. With her background in film, television and live theater, we are excited to be working with Kathryn Bostic as our first resident artist in this initiative."
"The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support this project from Chicago Sinfonietta," said Arts Endowment Acting Chairman Ann Eilers. "Chicago Sinfonietta is among the arts organizations across the country that have demonstrated creativity, excellence, and resilience during this very challenging year.”
Jeff Handley, Education Outreach Manager for Chicago Sinfonietta added,
"Having an artist such as Kathryn Bostic inject new ideas into our programming allows for the continued growth and creativity of our work. This award helps us to continue to reach our current and new audiences in exciting ways, especially during this time of COVID-19, when the majority of our work must be online."
Chicago Sinfonietta's Artist in Residence program is among 1,073 projects across America totaling nearly $25 million that were selected during this first round of fiscal year 2021 funding in the Grants for Arts Projects funding category.
About composer Kathryn Bostic
Composer and singer/songwriter Kathryn Bostic is known for her work on film, TV and live theater. A recipient of many fellowships and awards, her honors include the prestigious Sundance Time Warner Fellowship, Sundance Fellowship for Feature Film Scoring, Sundance / Skywalker Documentary Film Scoring and the BMI Conducting Fellowship. Kathryn served as Vice President of the Alliance for Women Film Composers from 2017-2019. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and Television Academy of Arts and Sciences.
About Chicago Musical Pathways*
Chicago Musical Pathways is a part of a multi-city Andrew W. Mellon Foundation-supported consortia with the shared goal of diversifying American Orchestras through identifying and training student musicians from underrepresented backgrounds.
About Chicago Sinfonietta
Groundbreaking. Dynamic. Innovative. An acclaimed cultural leader and a powerful champion of diversity, equity and inclusion, the award-winning Chicago Sinfonietta was founded in 1987 by the late Maestro Paul Freeman to address diversity in orchestras. Dedicated to changing the face of classical music, and making classical music accessible to everyone, what began as a mission to represent the city of Chicago has evolved into an international position at the forefront of progressive change in the arts. Led by international conductor and Music Director Maestra Mei-Ann Chen since 2011, today Chicago Sinfonietta is a pioneering organization and positive influencer in the orchestral world, renowned for its defiantly different outlook, innovative and collaborative programming, and artistry of the highest caliber. The ensemble's success has been recognized with numerous industry honors, including a 2020 League of American Orchestras Catalyst Award for Institutional Development and Anti-racism Training, a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions - the "genius award" for non-profit organizations, an ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming, and a First Place Award for Programming of Contemporary Music.
Celebrated for its daring, cutting-edge programs ranging from its popular subscription concert series with guests of national and local renown, the organization's commitment to parity and diversity for all is ubiquitous in its myriad education and community programs. Amongst them: Audience Matters, targeting 4th - 6th grade students in partnership with more than 23 CPS schools and nine Aurora schools; Student Ensembles with Excellence and Diversity (SEED) a mentoring program for talented high school musicians; and Residents Orchestrate, re-imagining the role that an orchestra can play in historically underserved Chicago neighborhoods. Its nationally recognized Project Inclusion Fellowships, with training and mentoring of young musicians in the areas of administration, orchestral and ensemble performance, conducting and now composition, is the largest and most successful of its kind. Through the above performances and initiatives, as well as various events, Chicago Sinfonietta continues to expand its mission and strengthen its leadership in the world of classical music, redefining the orchestra experience for today's and future generations. www.chicagosinfonietta.org
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