The Philip Glass Festival

Deborah Sommers, Executive Director at the Modlin Center for the Arts offers an introduction to and overview of the Philip Glass Celebration.

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Philip Glass’ 75^th 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 75^th 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. 
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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.