Deborah Sommers, Executive Director at the Modlin Center for the Arts offers an introduction to and overview of the Philip Glass Celebration.
__________________________________Philip Glass’ 75th birthday year is being celebrated worldwide in a host of ways. Even his larger work such as his operas have been remounted and are touring internationally. At the Modlin Center for the Arts, we decided to present a festival of events to mark this occasion. Since Glass, however, is such a prolific composer, choosing what to present was not an easy task.
Besides
being Philip Glass’s 75th birthday year, the Modlin Center is
hosting this celebration for a number of reasons. Philip Glass’ compositions not
only reflect his own creativity and pioneering work, which have influenced many
artists and composers, but also his collaborative efforts which extend across
disciplines and genres including music, dance, film, visual arts, poetry, and
more. Collaboration is a key element in much of Glass’
work. Therefore, a vast majority of his compositions were written in
conjunction with, and to be performed with, other art forms. Since Glass’ work
extends into other genres and film, it is widely recognizable. Therefore, it
was a great opportunity to work with such a talented and creative living
composer, and to share this occasion with him.
Personally, the idea of creating a Glass
celebration intrigued me as I have followed his work for many years. I have been directly influenced by his compositions
as an artistic director working in the performing arts, and in developing my own
skills as an artist. I have worked with many who were also directly influenced
by Philip Glass, and who have created work based on his music. In addition,
this is a great opportunity for me to create a celebration of events that will
allow us to explore and share with Philip Glass -- his thoughts and experiences
on the idea of creativity and collaboration.
Through
Philip Glass’ operas, symphonies, compositions for his own Philip Glass
Ensemble, and his wide-ranging collaborations with other artists ranging from
Twyla Tharp to Allen Ginsberg, Woody Allen to David Bowie, Philip Glass has had
an extraordinary and unprecedented impact upon the musical and intellectual
life of his times. His many associations, both personally and professionally,
with leading rock, pop, and world music artists, date back to the 1960s.
Including the beginning of his collaborative relationship with artist Robert
Wilson. Indeed, Glass is the first composer to simultaneously win a wide,
multi-generational audience in the opera houses, concert halls, within the
dance world, in film, and in popular music.
In
the past 25 years, Glass has composed more than 20 operas; eight symphonies;
two piano concertos and concertos for violin, piano, timpani, and saxophone
quartet and orchestra; soundtracks to films ranging from new scores for the
stylized classics of Jean Cocteau to Errol Morris’s documentary about former
defense secretary Robert McNamara; string quartets; and a growing body of work
for solo piano and organ. He has collaborated with Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt,
Yo-Yo Ma, and Doris Lessing, among many others. He presents lectures,
workshops, and solo keyboard performances around the world, and continues to
appear regularly with the Philip Glass Ensemble.
We
will be showing three films, which will be accompanied by an introduction from
the University’s Department of Music faculty. The films were chosen because
they are either about Philip Glass or are excellent examples of his film scores
that reflect the idea of creativity and collaboration. In addition, Philip Glass will be speaking about
his unique approach to creation in our Artist Voices series entitled “Collaboration
and the Creative Process.” Glass will also perform in concert with the
violinist Timothy Fain. University of
Richmond’s Grammy-winning ensemble-in-residence, eighth blackbird, will perform
an evening concert of works by Glass and composers influenced by Glass. With
all of these events, we have created many wonderful opportunities for students
from all schools and the community to discuss these ideas and concepts with
Glass.
The Philip
Glass Festival will provide a unique opportunity to meet a composer who has had
a profound artistic impact, and who has had many interesting and
ground-breaking collaborations. We are
delighted that Phillip Glass was able to take the time from his busy
celebration year to come to the Modlin Center and to share in a number of
events with the University of Richmond and with the community.
____________________________________
The Philip Glass Festival begins Sunday, September 16 at 3pm in Camp Concert Hall with the film Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts, and will continue through October 5. The festival will include films, lectures, a ModlinArts Artist Voices Series presentation with Philip Glass and Philip Glass and Tim Fain in concert. Visit modlin.richmond.edu for a full schedule of events.
____________________________________
The Philip Glass Festival begins Sunday, September 16 at 3pm in Camp Concert Hall with the film Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts, and will continue through October 5. The festival will include films, lectures, a ModlinArts Artist Voices Series presentation with Philip Glass and Philip Glass and Tim Fain in concert. Visit modlin.richmond.edu for a full schedule of events.
About Deborah Sommers
As
Executive Director of the Modlin Center for the Arts, Deborah Sommers is
responsible for the more than 45-event ModlinArts Series, four main stage
productions by the University's Theatre and Dance department and
the University Players and Dancers, 30 musical performances in the
Department of Music's Free Concert Series, plus community events and
performances throughout the year. Sommers also directs and teaches the
University of Richmond's Arts Management program, and works with faculty
across the disciplines and schools to design academic components that
coordinate with the Modlin Center's artistic programming.
Prior
to joining the Modlin Center, Sommers was director of programming at Fairfield
University's Quick Center for the Arts. At the Quick Center, Sommers produced
an 80-event season of national and international artists that attracted patrons
from across the New York area. She also presented a strong K–12 outreach
program reaching 14,000 students with long- and short-term artist
residencies in public schools, supervised an internship program for
university students, and oversaw a children's theatre summer camp and
adult summer festival chorus.
Before
joining the Quick Center, Sommers was company manager/administrator of the
Performing Arts Center at the State University of New York at Purchase,
which presented a 60-event season, presenting and coordinating the professional
season programming, artists, and residencies. She also worked for a a
number of festivals including the PepsiCo Summerfare Festival, and throughout
the years has been a consultant in the performing arts field and managed some
artists.
A
graduate of Hunter College with a bachelor's degree in music and education and
film, Sommers subsequently earned both an M.B.A. and Doctor of Jurisprudence from Pace University. She is admitted to the New York and
Connecticut bars. Currently, Sommers sits on the Board of Directors of
CultureWorks, Inc. in Richmond, and sits on various committees at the
University and public communities. Previously Sommers has sat on several boards
and committees, including the United Nations Development Fund for Women
USA-Connecticut Chapter, Fairfield Arts Council, and Connecticut Dance
Alliance. Other experiences include working as a legal intern at Pace Investors
Rights Clinic, Westchester Human Rights Commission, and Pro Bono Legal
Partnership, which serves the legal needs of nonprofits.
