Organizers of a symphony orchestra academy in Powell River are thrilled with the response from prospective students and faculty for this year’s event.
Student applications to Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy (PRISMA) closed on April 8. Over 100 students applied and now organizers will select participants.
The academy takes place from June 17 to 29 in Powell River. The intensive program is designed to immerse students and young professionals with in-depth orchestral training to assist with obtaining the necessary tools required to win a professional orchestral position.
Many musical treasures hide in books, said Maestro Arthur Arnold, PRISMA music director, many of them written a long time ago by masters. “Only those who are initiated to the secret language of music can transform the signs in the books into sound,” he said. “People have this calling to come together to bring masterworks, musical architecture to life. It’s as if you can only see the Notre Dame in Paris in the moment that there are enough people to ‘make the cathedral happen.’ It is so important we keep places where this musical miracle happens. I cannot imagine a world without it.”
PRISMA was established in 2012 to continue the summer symphony academy and music festival that was initiated by Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific (SOAP). SOAP was established in 2003 by Powell River Academy of Music. By carrying on the excellent work that SOAP featured over nine seasons, PRISMA continues to contribute to the world of fine music and to the cultural richness of the region.
The response from around the world has been very exciting, said Arnold, who is also chief conductor of the Moscow Symphony Orchestra. “One of the great things that has happened is that a very famous violinist, Soyoung Yoon, is coming to Powell River for the full length of the program. She is very excited about the program and very excited to be here to be part of it.”
Yoon, one of the leading violinists of her generation, is a faculty guest artist for both weeks of PRISMA. She won first prize at the 2002 Yehudi Menuhin International Violin Competition at the age of 17. She is a prize winner of the top four violin competitions in the world: the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2007; the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2009; the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis in 2010; and the Wieniawski Violin Competition in 2011. Students admitted to PRISMA will have the opportunity to work with Yoon on a daily basis and perform the Tchaikovsky violin concerto with her as soloist.
The PRISMA faculty also includes Herbert Greenberg from the Peabody Institute, Montreal Symphony Concertmaster Andrew Wan, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra Principal Violist Carrie Dennis, as well as Arnold.
In 2015, Arnold said, the concertmaster of one of the world’s most famous orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic, will be on the PRISMA faculty. “That is incredible,” said Arnold. “For students to be able to come here and work with these faculty, you just don’t get the chance, there’s no opportunity.”
There are five concerts scheduled during the festival, including full symphony performances and faculty chamber music concerts. As well, there will be opportunities to watch master classes take place.
PRISMA held a wine and cheese event at April White’s gallery on Friday, April 5. It featured chamber music, with Arnold on cello, Cathy Reckenberg on violin and Josiah Schweitzer on piano. Pianist Olga Tereshchenko accompanied Arnold as well.
Another wine and cheese fundraiser will be held from 7 to 9:30 pm on Thursday, April 25, also in White’s gallery. The event is by invitation only. Interested readers can email [email protected] or call 1.855.5PRISMA (1.855.577.4762).
PRISMA is seeking both volunteers and financial support. Interested readers can find more information on the PRISMA website.
