Artis—Naples Appoints Violinist James Ehnes as Artistic Partner

ARTIS—NAPLES ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT

OF VIOLINIST JAMES EHNES

AS ARTISTIC PARTNER

 

NAPLES, FL (October 31, 2022) –Artis—Naples, home of The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, announced today the appointment of violinist James Ehnes as an artistic partner for the 2022-23 season. As the search for the next Sharon and Timothy Ubben Music Director continues, Ehnes will work with Naples Philharmonic musicians in a variety of settings with a focus on inspiring and embodying a high level of artistry with the Naples Philharmonic.

In announcing the appointment, CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen noted that Ehnes has been a longtime artistic friend of Artis—Naples, and this partnership only solidifies an already significant artistic relationship.

“James has been an artistic friend of Artis—Naples for many years and naming him an artistic partner this season shows the high regard in which we—and the musicians of the Naples Philharmonic—hold him,” van Bergen said. “We look forward to working with him in this new capacity.”

“I’m thrilled to be embarking on this new adventure with the Naples Philharmonic, an orchestra I’ve known for over two decades,” Ehnes said. “I’ve enjoyed many wonderful experiences working with these remarkable musicians in a variety of contexts over the years and relish the opportunity to work with them this season in greater depth. Artis—Naples is a truly inspiring organization, and I am honored to be able to play a role in shaping the institution’s artistic product.”

Ehnes will appear on the stages of Daniels Pavilion and Hayes Hall in both orchestral and chamber settings during the 2022-23 season. He will perform the Schubert Octet with musicians of the Naples Philharmonic as part of the Sypert Salon Series on March 7 and 12, and on December 9 and 10 he will perform the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Naples Philharmonic and guest conductor Sir Mark Elder.

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ARTIS—NAPLES

Home of The Baker Museum and the Naples Philharmonic, Artis—Naples is unique among

cultural institutions nationwide, equally dedicated to both the visual and performing arts

featuring artists of global distinction.

 

KIMBERLY K. QUERREY and LOUIS A. SIMPSON CULTURAL CAMPUS

Led by CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen, we offer audiences more than 800 paid and

free events annually within a variety of venues and settings situated throughout the 8.5-acre

Kimberly K. Querrey and Louis A. Simpson Cultural Campus. Artis—Naples welcomes

thousands of visitors each year for a broad array of artistic and educational opportunities

perfect for audiences of all backgrounds and interests. The cultural campus is home to five

buildings, including two performance halls (Frances Pew Hayes Hall and Myra J. Daniels

Pavilion), The Baker Museum, the Toni Stabile Education Building and the Kohan

Administration Building.

 

NAPLES PHILHARMONIC

The Naples Philharmonic has long been recognized as one of the cornerstones of Southwest

Florida’s arts community. As part of Artis—Naples, the Naples Philharmonic performs more

than 140 orchestral and chamber music concerts, as well as opera and ballet, education,

community and special event concerts annually between September and June in the 1,477-seat

Hayes Hall, the 283-seat Daniels Pavilion and around the Southwest Florida region.

The Naples Philharmonic has enjoyed a history of working with world-class music directors,

with Andrey Boreyko being the fourth and most recent. Following the completion of Boreyko’s

eighth and final season in 2022, a search is underway for the Sharon and Timothy Ubben

Music Director position. Other podium leadership includes Principal Pops Conductor Jack

Everly, celebrating 13 years in this role in the 2022-23 season and bringing pops performances

that celebrate music in its many forms. In 2017, conductor Radu Paponiu was named assistant

conductor of the Naples Philharmonic and director of the Naples Philharmonic Youth

Orchestra, and in 2019 he was promoted to associate conductor. Starting with the 2022-23 season, Alvin Ho

has joined the artistic team as assistant conductor of the Naples Philharmonic.

 

THE BAKER MUSEUM

The Baker Museum is one of the foremost fine art museums in Southwest Florida. The museum

hosts several traveling exhibitions annually to complement installations of works from its

permanent collection. Comprising more than 4,000 objects, the museum’s broad holdings of

20th- and 21st-century art reflect the generosity and commitment of area collectors. Of

particular strength are The Baker Museum’s collections of American and Mexican modern art,

including significant gifts from the collection of Olga Hirshhorn.

 

With more than two decades of collecting and exhibiting, the museum is dedicated to

stewardship and scholarship from both its growing permanent collection and outside sources.

At the same time, The Baker Museum seeks out the best traveling exhibitions from the leading

arts institutions in the world—including recently the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

and the Smithsonian Institutions—to enrich the Southwest Florida community. In fall 2020,

Artis—Naples celebrated the opening of an 18,000-square-foot expansion of The Baker

Museum, designed by Weiss/Manfredi Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism, that created new

spaces for multidisciplinary exploration and social interaction.

 

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY

In addition to creating and presenting visual and performing arts, Artis—Naples provides

robust education and community activities for students of all ages. Each season thousands of

Collier County Public Schools interact with Artis—Naples education programming both on its

cultural campus and in classrooms. The Lifelong Learning program provides engaging lectures

and study opportunities for adults seeking to engage more deeply with the arts.

 

The Friends of Artis—Naples, with more than 3,400 households who give $75 or more, offers

activities, travel experiences and events geared toward creating a deeper relationship between

patrons and the arts.

 

In 2017, Artis—Naples acquired the Naples International Film Festival (NIFF), expanding its

film offerings and providing a platform for the festival’s continued excellence and growth. In

2019, NIFF was named one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the

World,” and in 2022 celebrates its 14th year in the community.

 

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