Lenfest Hall RAs celebrate that Curtis Is Here with Appassionato holiday style in the L. Medveckis Media and Entertainment Room at Lenfest Hall.

The Sarasota Regional Committee looks forward to welcoming back Curtis musicians this winter for performances in Sarasota and Lake Wales. A complement to Curtis On Tour, these performances in Florida are a vibrant part of Curtis’s regional program outreach, raising the national and international profile of the school while providing valuable performing opportunities for Curtis students.

Curtis Is Here in Dresden this summer, where bass-baritone Allen Boxer (Voice '09, Opera '11) is beginning his tenure as a young artist at the Semperoper. Allen's wife, Sophie, Curtis's orchestra and production manager, snapped this candid last week during a break.

Editor's note: In a brilliant end to the Appassionato season next May, the entire Curtis Symphony Orchestra travels to Europe, for the first time in ten years, to open the Dresden Music Festival!

Curtis On Tour musicians visited the Philharmonie to hear a concert with eminent conductor–and Appassionato Honorary Chair–Simon Rattle, as he led the Berlin Philharmonic. Earlier in the week, the ensemble gave recitals, and faculty gave master classes, as part of the school's ongoing partnership with the American Academy in Berlin. Berlin was one of several stops on this summer's European Curtis on Tour itinerary.

Backstage at the Berlin Philharmonic: Curtis President Roberto Díaz, violist Jessica T. Chang, violinist Ike See, Simon Rattle, violinist Amalia Hall, Curtis trustee Bruce Jay Gould, M. D., Cellist Nathan Vickery, and mezzo soprano Jazimina MacNeil.

Fourth year violinist Amalia Hall strikes a pose in Paris on break from a busy European Curtis On Tour schedule this May. Photo taken by colleague and classmate, third year violist Jessica T. Chang.

The home of Napoleon's tomb played host to Curtis musicians this May. Curtis On Tour played two programs (program one, program two) in Paris's majestic former hospital for wounded soldiers, Les Invalides. Paris was one of several cities on this summer's European Curtis On Tour itinerary.

Curtis Is Here at "the Curtis stand" of the Sydney Symphony bass section.

Curtis On Tour offers a public concert in Nantucket on July 19, 2011. (learn more) This concert is the last stop on a domestic tour including other appearances in Nantucket and Maine. Earlier in the summer Curtis On Tour traveled to Europe, with recitals in France, the United Kingdom, Spain, and Germany.

Update (August 2011): After the concert, Curtis President Roberto Díaz and the students with Pulitzer Prize winning composer, Curtis alumnus Ned Rorem ('44) and Robin Rubenstein and her husband, Curtis trustee, Mark Rubenstein.

Curtis is always here - no matter whether I am conducting a Mahler symphony, playing a Mozart piano concerto - or catching a wave. Looking forward to seeing everyone in September!

Daniel is Music Director and Conductor of the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra (OCYSO) and Director of Instrumental Studies at the Chapman University Conservatory of Music. www.danielalfredwachs.com; www.chapman.edu/music ; www.ocyso.org.

The Reijans family enjoying a fantastic day Baden-Baden! Marcel (Opera '96) was singing in 'Salome' at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and Catherine (Flute '95) came to visit for a few days with Gabriel (6), Caitlin (4) and baby Eva (9 months).  We also had the pleasure of spending time with violinist Elita Kang who was playing in the Festspielhaus orchestra!

 
Curtis Is Here at the International Society of Bassists Convention in San Francisco - well, at the Oakland Airport. I'm happy to share that I won the Orchestral Competition there last week! I'll spend a week with the San Francisco Symphony during the upcoming season, as a prize.