Frost School of Music Brings Music Back to 'Live'

FROST MUSIC FEST ’21 WITH SPECIAL GUEST SUPERSTAR SOPRANO RENÉE FLEMING

In her first live outdoor festival appearance since the start of the pandemic,

she will join maestro Gerard Schwarz conducting the all-student Frost Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, March 20, 2021/4–10 p.m.

This event is not open to the public. In-person attendance is restricted to the University of Miami community.

The festival lineup features Frost’s GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Award-winning faculty leading gifted student ensembles.

You Tube Festival Livestream –https://youtu.be/-shHcBInvtg

Tip jar proceeds during the live stream will benefit the Travis Quinn Memorial Scholarship Fund

Internationally renowned superstar soprano Renée Fleming, one of the most honored singers of our time, will make her first live outdoor appearance since the pandemic began, singing at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami on Saturday, March 20, 2021. The U. S. National Medal of the Arts recipient and four-time GRAMMY winner will perform with the all-student Frost Symphony Orchestra led by world-renowned maestro Gerard Schwarz. Her appearance is the highlight of the festival line-up, which features talented Frost School students performing in various music ensembles of jazz, pop, classical, Latin music, and more, led by the school’s award-winning faculty. A talented Frost School alumnus will close out the night with a special set. Frost Music Fest ’21 is open only to University of Miami students, faculty, and staff and UHealth frontline workers.

The first live festival of its kind will take place outdoors on the University of Miami Coral Gables Campus and will follow strict COVID-19 safety protocols, including limiting attendance, mandatory use of face coverings, physical distancing, and completion of a health questionnaire by all guests and staff at the event. The festival was inspired by Frost School Dean Shelton G. Berg, who wanted to create an unforgettable memory for University of Miami students and frontline workers.

When asked about participating in the festival, Renée Fleming stated, “I’m so happy to be able to join this outdoor festival at the Frost School of Music. It’s always a joy to make music with Gerard Schwarz. And I can’t wait to perform with these gifted students. It’s the resilience of young musicians like these that has really kept me hopeful through the pandemic.”

 “As we approach a year of living through the pandemic, our students miss the joy of performing for live audiences,” Berg said. “We have had great success with our COVID-19 safety measures and have decided to bring music back live in a spectacular way —and it doesn’t get any bigger than performing with Renée Fleming.”

Schwarz, who is a Distinguished Professor of Music Frost Symphony Orchestra music director, stated, “This is a very exciting and important moment for our school. Having Renée Fleming choose our Frost Symphony Orchestra as her very first live orchestral performance since the pandemic began is not only a testament to our gifted student orchestra, it also confirms the commitment of our school to creating safe environments that support the highest level of experience and education one can receive.”

FROST MUSIC FEST ’21/SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2021/4–10 p.m. ET

Event is not open to the public

 FESTIVAL LINE-UP:

• Café con Leche (Frost Latin Songwriters Ensemble)
• Frost Band of the Hour
• Frost Extensions Vocal Ensemble
  • Martin Bejerano –Frost faculty/guest artist
• BisCaydence A Capella
• R&B Ensemble
• Frost Concert Jazz Band
  • With GRAMMY Winners:
  • Dafnis Prieto – conductor (Frost faculty)
  • John Daversa – Frost faculty/guest artist
• Frost Percussion Group with
  • Svet Stoyanov (Frost faculty/director)
• Sunshine State
• RUCK Ensemble

SPECIAL GUESTS

• Frost Symphony Orchestra (7:45 PM)
  • Renée Fleming – Special Guest
  • Gerard Schwarz – Conductor / Frost faculty
  • Shelly Berg – Guest Pianist / Frost dean
• American Music Ensemble (9:00 PM)
  • John Splithoff – Special Guest / Frost alumnus/singer-songwriter

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