On Sunday, January 20th at Chamber Music America's national conference in New York, Yellow Barn was honored with a 2013 Award for Adventurous Programming. Yellow Barn was selected from a national pool to receive the award reserved for a large-scale presenter of mixed repertoire.
Established jointly by Chamber Music America and ASCAP, the annual Adventurous Programming awards recognize U.S.-based professional ensembles and presenters for distinctive programming of music composed within the past 25 years. The recipients, chosen by an independent panel of judges, were evaluated on the basis of their programming and innovations in attracting audiences to performances of new music.
“Innovative presenters and artists in the chamber music community are introducing this music to audiences around the country," said Chamber Music America’s CEO, Margaret M. Lioi. "This year we are pleased to recognize eight ensembles and presenters whose accomplishments in this area are particularly inspiring,”
Yellow Barn Board member and former Board President Victoria Roth was present on Sunday to receive the award on behalf of Artistic Director Seth Knopp. “What a tremendous honor for Yellow Barn to receive this award and to have Seth Knopp's inspiring and exciting programming recognized by two national organizations,” said Roth before continuing to acknowledge Yellow Barn audiences for the critical part that they play in bringing Yellow Barn’s programming to life. “One of the wonderful elements of Yellow Barn concerts and events is the curiosity that the audiences bring to the concerts. They expect to hear something new or to hear something familiar in a new context. Those audience members will be delighted to learn that the unique programs they've come to expect at Yellow Barn have been recognized by Chamber Music America and by ASCAP.”
Composers have been a part of the Yellow Barn community since its founding in 1969, and resident composers have included George Crumb, John Cage, Brett Dean, Karel Husa, Aaron Jay Kernis, John Harbison, Philippe Hersant, Melissa Hui, Fred Lerdahl, David Ludwig, Mario Davidovsky, Osvaldo Golijov, Harold Meltzer, Melinda Wagner, Christopher Theofanidis, Steven Mackey, and Stephen Coxe. New music is woven throughout Yellow Barn's long history of performances, and today this includes not only the summer festival, but also the Young Artists Program (for composers and performers ages 13-20) and the fall, winter, and spring Artist Residencies. In 2013 eight composers will be on campus writing new works in collaboration with performers, and Yellow Barn will present the premiere performances of six new works by David Fulmer, Lei Liang, Steven Mackey, Hilda Paredes, Hebert Sandrin, and Arlene Sierra.