https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1 daily 0.75 2025-05-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/99427de3-9502-4767-aabd-1aaeda203c52/NETWORK_FINAL_AHAOK.jpg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/db156ac5-267f-439e-b400-99b4df8a55f5/UP_AHAOK_FINAL.jpg Work https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/05c29158-9fef-47c5-8687-6ec4d7ebbdd0/NOTEN_FINAL_AHAOK.jpg Work https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/from/mazes/to/light/lera/auerbachs/artistic/universe/in/berlin monthly 0.5 2025-05-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/42c6d5bd-c70c-4b2d-9d8c-b1ee5d4b682d/Lera%2BAuerbach%2B_%2BKonzerthaus%2BBerlin%2B_%2B%C2%A9%EF%B8%8FCezary%2BRucki.jpg Work - From Mazes to Light: Lera Auerbach's Artistic Universe in Berlin - Make it stand out Lera Auerbach | Konzerthaus Berlin | ©️Cezary Rucki, 2024 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/e9873407-bf69-4f06-b59c-f97ee16aaa5d/Labyrinth%2B%C2%A9Lera%2BAuerbach.jpg Work - From Mazes to Light: Lera Auerbach's Artistic Universe in Berlin - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/f7f35451-6abd-407f-b07b-24daf0dc1881/Flight%2Bof%2Bthe%2BAngakok%2B%C2%A9%2BNeatherland%2BKamerkoor.jpeg Work - From Mazes to Light: Lera Auerbach's Artistic Universe in Berlin - Make it stand out Flight of the Angakok ©Neatherland Kamerkoor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/996addb6-ecbe-4cd6-9b36-3b83d84b1c21/Silent%2BPsalm%2BSculpture%2B%C2%A9Lera%2BAuerbach.jpeg Work - From Mazes to Light: Lera Auerbach's Artistic Universe in Berlin - Make it stand out Silent Psalm Sculpture | Bronze | Lera Auerbach 2018 https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/transmutations-between-fragility-and-permeance monthly 0.5 2023-09-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/26e19d03-a149-477d-9b6d-a258ff222877/347270985_908899630184056_3106893768412868131_n+%281%29.jpeg Work - Transmutations: Between Fragility and Permeance - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/18b818f9-ddbc-44cf-be1a-14162e52e568/AUERBACH-BRONZES-NYX_25-1024x724.jpg Work - Transmutations: Between Fragility and Permeance - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/baablg3paseghndm2jtn615fumrbac monthly 0.5 2023-09-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/1695914324541-DENRY58EQ7WFK9P9D8GD/Emelyanov%252525252540Olympia%252525252BOrlova6%252525252B%2525252525281%252525252529.jpgcropped.jpg Work - Artist Spotlight - Pianist Konstantin Emelyanov https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/the-3rd-international-competition-of-polish-music monthly 0.5 2023-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/177e1741-ab3c-40eb-9c89-ee86ba3c5fe8/IMG_5207.jpg Work - The 3rd International Competition of Polish Music - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/n21osb6l6og1a8hx6w1plbb42vgmp9 monthly 0.5 2023-08-29 https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/researchstudy monthly 0.5 2023-07-23 https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/vessels-of-light monthly 0.5 2023-07-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/cdc91e7b-1687-4f0d-ba95-26911991c71a/ba7e60_84d7372ac3f54587bf564d8ecc678e83%7Emv2.jpeg Work - The Art of Breakage and Repair — Lera Auerbach’s new symphony - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/d153f6b4-d878-4e37-bef7-3970f64dbc75/ba7e60_c25234dd03b14aea9d0a8c33ff1c0f9d%7Emv2.jpg Work - The Art of Breakage and Repair — Lera Auerbach’s new symphony - Make it stand out (Photo Credit: Alon Shafransky) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/50f0d9bd-b9da-4fca-ae1d-aa1398c7ec61/ba7e60_6cb0a1f62f8242d293cb921900ff589c%7Emv2.jpg Work - The Art of Breakage and Repair — Lera Auerbach’s new symphony - Make it stand out (Photo Credit: Lina Matuleviciene, from the Premiere in Kaunas, with the Kaunas Symphony Orchestra and Constantine Orbelian, who will also conduct the Carnegie Premiere) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/768c1fd5-0f75-4cba-b886-81a7e092d8d6/ba7e60_f3332eb645864a9ca7dfa98c4a20cb27%7Emv2.jpg Work - The Art of Breakage and Repair — Lera Auerbach’s new symphony - Make it stand out (Photo: Chiune Sugihara, Yad Vashem Archives) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/e7739c01-c09b-4542-9e29-03ea97c347e4/ba7e60_f6aa822784f443acb05334d4cee041b6%7Emv2.jpg-2.jpeg Work - The Art of Breakage and Repair — Lera Auerbach’s new symphony - Make it stand out (Photo Credit: Raniero Tazzi – Lera Auerbach) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/7859e58c-6fd9-4c1d-983d-57a5d599c69e/ba7e60_0382508025a147269fc9115e3088fae1%7Emv2.jpeg Work - The Art of Breakage and Repair — Lera Auerbach’s new symphony - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/970102a4-1b54-42a4-80e6-bb444d939c44/ba7e60_c44b3af978e3413291c5d27b84e3bac9%7Emv2.jpeg Work - The Art of Breakage and Repair — Lera Auerbach’s new symphony - Make it stand out (Photo Credit: Rafael DeStella at Noack Foundry, Lera Auerbach during the preparatory work for her sculpture “Silent Psalm”) https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/Blog Post Title One-sj9ph monthly 0.5 2023-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/d679118f-883e-4ea2-933b-11a491a047d4/ba7e60_2a0097c45f374519b323f64169632621%7Emv2.jpg Work - Nicolas Namoradze featured in Pegasus’ season finale - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/bf019ed0-dbcc-48af-acea-cce2efe33dae/ba7e60_ec2c778ce85d4fa6b1284fd12928f05f%7Emv2.jpg Work - Nicolas Namoradze featured in Pegasus’ season finale - Make it stand out (Photo Credit: Nathan Elson) Nicolas Namoradze https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/4bdfca4c-1da9-4a6b-a018-82054987bdc2/ba7e60_255b8c89320f48de97bedfd1169af191%7Emv2-1.jpeg Work - Nicolas Namoradze featured in Pegasus’ season finale - Make it stand out Photo Credit: Emma Kazaryan https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/sonia-simmenauer monthly 0.5 2023-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/eca85953-ccd7-4c3e-b3b7-6bdf3bd02b9d/92a58b_921743136bc8478a9a23cd3e2879cb8a%7Emv2.jpeg Work - Sonia Simmenauer – changing leadership roles in the music industry - Make it stand out Photo Credit: Lennart Rühle. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/6fbd945e-06b9-4d01-b95d-66e503a6e882/92a58b_e2d344e625194fc5baf8276c8576b773%7Emv2.jpg Work - Sonia Simmenauer – changing leadership roles in the music industry - Make it stand out The photo shows from left to right: Michaela Russ, Daniel Domdey, Johannes Everke, BDKV President Sonia Simmenauer, Stephan Thanscheidt, Verena Krämer, Vice President Christian Doll, and Christian Gerlach.Photo Credit: Britta Herrström https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/f3b0efd8-4927-44b8-afc7-cf870555f503/92a58b_ac3ea9eece2f4253a5fc811473e58b6c%7Emv2.jpeg Work - Sonia Simmenauer – changing leadership roles in the music industry - Make it stand out Photo Credit: Lennart Rühle https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/garrett-keast monthly 0.5 2023-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/d96e041b-4a6a-44af-b7f0-fc0a72a3a546/92a58b_0f7efce5f8904985b0614036f13c1701%7Emv2.jpg Work - Transatlantic Music Man – Garrett Keast’s Academy of American Music in Berlin - Make it stand out (Photo Credits: Kiran West and Simon Van Boxtel) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/e47b1dcc-9c2d-4922-86a3-e55f0a1e5b53/ba7e60_255b8c89320f48de97bedfd1169af191%7Emv2.jpeg Work - Transatlantic Music Man – Garrett Keast’s Academy of American Music in Berlin - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/b87a41ad-4279-460d-a6fa-11fcb7f6ad0b/92a58b_dc658f7209ab408388bcff36330f2f12%7Emv2.jpeg Work - Transatlantic Music Man – Garrett Keast’s Academy of American Music in Berlin - Make it stand out Transatlantic establishes the ensemble's first official joint venture as the newly formed Berlin Academy of American Music and features next to the Greek flutist Stathis Karapanos, Israeli soprano Chen Reiss, Berlin Philharmonic concertmaster Noah Bendix-Balgley, and Berlin Philharmonic harpist Marie-Pierre Langlamet. In November 2021, BAAM performed its first concert in Berlin's Siemens Villa. In 2022 they performed at Villa Elisabeth, and this year's venue will be the Werner Otto Saal at Berlin's Konzerthaus. At Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, where Keast previously conducted the TONALi Orchestra, he performed a program of Bernstein, Caroline Shaw, Copland, Gershwin, Milhaud, and Stravinsky with BAAM. https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/terrance-mcknight monthly 0.5 2023-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/52243eb3-ebdf-42f1-a536-bc243b54e018/92a58b_7a98b53aef5340da9e1afd719a4c43cf%7Emv2.jpg Work - Concert Black– Terrance McKnight personalizes the Black experience in classical music’s culture - Make it stand out While our collective awareness of bias and injustice towards Black people has recurrently ebbed and flowed throughout American history, Black contributions to Western classical culture are timeless and universal. We presume that the centuries-old treasure trove of Black music among the canon’s powerful, visceral accessible experiences have reached all hearts equally. Providing evidence to the contrary of that narrative, WQXR’s Juneteenth Special broadcast in 2020, coined “the Black experience in the concert hall,” curated and hosted by Terrance McKnight, featured accounts by industry leaders and testimonials from Black musicians describing a vastly different reality. In the wake of the killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and the following nation-wide protests, many music institutions are faced with an increased urgency to not only have a necessary dialogue about social justice and inclusion, but to determine solutions that offer sustainable changes to classical music’s pedagogy and traditional performance culture. A publisher, listening to the timely broadcast, immediately realized the importance of these essential conversations and the significant urgency to feature them beyond their current format. As the longtime host of WQXR’s “Evenings with Terrance McKnight,” where he shares his in-depth perspectives on classical, jazz, and gospel – music he loves – on air, McKnight is currently on sabbatical until the end of May to finish the manuscript for his upcoming book, Concert Black, to be published by Abrams Books, that will continue in the vein of conversations initiated by the Juneteenth broadcast. This article includes samples of McKnight’s on-air conversations and his personal outlook on his upcoming book. Among some of the featured personal accounts of artists about how being Black in musical America and operating in a predominantly white concert culture transcended their lives and careers, McKnight describes his own journey and resulting advocacy. A revised edit of this article by Ilona Oltuski, was previously published on Classical Voice North America. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/8b16d1a2-c2a3-4970-aec1-d1e4ee46eba0/92a58b_d0f4734675ea4fccb22867ee2f905fe6%7Emv2.jpg Work - Concert Black– Terrance McKnight personalizes the Black experience in classical music’s culture - Make it stand out Terrance McKnight is a longtime New York music-radio host and devoted musical multiculturalist. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/cfb410bb-7c3b-41e1-8a42-94193142fc74/92a58b_1f4e522d40fd43e087742ec7598ad576%7Emv2.jpg Work - Concert Black– Terrance McKnight personalizes the Black experience in classical music’s culture - Make it stand out Soprano Julia Bullock is among the artists featured in Terrance McKnight’s new book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/b0ffbb38-9960-43c4-8da9-634829203c57/92a58b_0cd8d9e91ec54af28868a6ad538f0ada%7Emv2.jpeg Work - Concert Black– Terrance McKnight personalizes the Black experience in classical music’s culture - Make it stand out (Photo: Downes, left with Regina Carter) Exploring her own identity, rooted in Jewish and Jamaican heritage, the classical pianist has crossed over time and again into the neglected chronicle of recovery of works by Black composers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/76af334a-5192-487f-b49d-6889b12ff821/92a58b_950394fc6de94dd4928a3b74e1fa83f5%7Emv2.jpg Work - Concert Black– Terrance McKnight personalizes the Black experience in classical music’s culture - Make it stand out Former League of American Orchestras President and CEO Jesse Rosen ( Photo: WQRX) McKnight intersperses observations from industry leaders, like music critic and Juilliard Professor Greg Sandow, and Jesse Rosen, who was at the time of the show the President and CEO of the League of American Orchestras, with personal accounts by Black performers, composers, and conductors, like soprano Martina Arroyo, founder of the Martina Arroyo Foundation, and virtuoso trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Silken-voiced, McKnight intimately swaps anecdotes from his youth with those of some of his guests on air. His own experiences carry mixed messages, telling some stories about being overlooked, made to feel like an outsider, while others talk about being equally nurtured and encouragingly inspired. “In grad school, I was accompanying in our studio class when a few months into the semester, the professor stood next to me in the elevator, saying: ‘How is the basketball team?’ … ‘I did not even know we had a basketball team,’ I replied: ‘I am in your studio class playing the piano.’ But to counter this, I had a wonderful, inspiring piano teacher, Mark Buser, and at Georgia State, Kerry Louis, who talked about the ownership of emotions. ‘Music is colorless,’ he said, ‘and does not belong to any one group. If you understand what love and pain feels like, on a human level – how Rachmaninov felt it – you can take ownership of this music and make it yours.’ ” It is experiences like these that continue to motivate McKnight to advocate for the artists and the art form. Addressing Jesse Rosen, who in September of 2020 left his post as President and CEO of the League of American Orchestras, McKnight says: “I know your organization has had its share of conversations about the racial makeup in the concert hall today,” opening the forum for Rosen’s account. Rosen responded, “Indeed, we had done two major studies, a couple of years back, one more quantitative and one more qualitative, showing artistic and social development and looking into the experience. Until now, sadly, there was hardly any movement at all. On stage, there are only about 1.8 percent Black musicians. Having that data available is turning some lights on, finally. The qualitative study gave some critical information with some equally unsatisfying findings,” says Rosen, further describing how Black musicians in orchestral fellowships largely feel “tolerated” rather than supported by their respective organizational cultures. “In 2020, more and more organizations started to come up with a shift in mission statement of equity, diversity, and inclusion, and we are finally addressing a perpetuation of a system, to address their own internal structures of racism,” says Rosen. Currently 180 Black musicians receive mentorship and audition training through programs in collaboration with the Sphinx Organization and the Mellon Foundation, which Rosen believes are essential steppingstones in the journey toward the removal of existing barriers. With 80 orchestras on board, these initiatives carry a hopeful message of change, especially with Rosen’s vision of a changing artistic mission altogether. “So how would the ideal orchestra look now, what would be different?” asks McKnight. “If we were to contract an ideal orchestra right now, our guiding principles ought to start with the question of who is in the orchestra, what would they sound and look like. I would also like the work to be grounded in an expansive artistic vision, not bound by the structures we build for concert construction, constraining orchestral musicians to rehearsals and performances; we got mechanized in the process. There should be a variety of repertoire and a wider engagement with the audience. Musicians are people, who are guiding the artistic evolution of the ensemble; there should be ownership. There are ways to break down some of these barriers to strengthen and revitalize the artistic work of the orchestra,” confirms Rosen. And, as Alex Ross points out: “with a vibrant roster of younger talents moving to the fore—Tyshawn Sorey, Jessie Montgomery, Nathalie Joachim, Courtney Bryan, Tomeka Reid, and Matana Roberts, among others—the perennial solitude of the Black composer seems less marked than before.” The problem, however, is not only with representation and repertoire. Issues of equity and diversity reach into the echelons of arts organizations’ leadership and are anchored in the structures of its breeding ground: the unequal access to music education within the American public school system. Titus Underwood, https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/05a08b22-a10b-4a62-a148-828bd0e46036/92a58b_ff6fd70e71f246d5a4a7913c394ee744%7Emv2.jpg Work - Concert Black– Terrance McKnight personalizes the Black experience in classical music’s culture - Make it stand out Titus Underwood, principal oboist of the Nashville Symphony (photo: WQXR) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/fea864fc-70ca-46e3-8985-081d2ef16231/92a58b_ec8d519e52a74a3bb0ad08b7e6e1ff06%7Emv2.jpg Work - Concert Black– Terrance McKnight personalizes the Black experience in classical music’s culture - Make it stand out Conductor Leslie Dunner Conductor Leslie Dunner, (photo: WQXR) who started his music training as a clarinetist only thanks to the bussing initiative of the 1960s that transferred him to a different neighborhood – which was predominantly Jewish and white – where access to music education was available. “Now I am working with High School kids,” he says. “We as professional [performers] have to instill a firm belief that we believe in what we are doing. We are role models for youth. When I was studying conducting at Eastman, some of the other students did not take me seriously. My professor supported me by [telling those students]: ‘He will be the one hiring you for your next gig…’ that was empowering,” he shares. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/914e55ff-aef2-433a-aa19-4850e2cf3e35/92a58b_c74bb1d76fa44def9a32976e7a94943b%7Emv2.jpg Work - Concert Black– Terrance McKnight personalizes the Black experience in classical music’s culture - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/5ad4b587-2ecf-4df2-b556-58a731741b37/92a58b_a05a370ffa544e7eabb0def170fa7a89%7Emv2.jpg Work - Concert Black– Terrance McKnight personalizes the Black experience in classical music’s culture - Make it stand out ( photo: Chester Higgins, NYTimes, Terrance McKnight at home) Making use of the pandemic-induced solitude, next to working on his manuscript, McKnight has devoted himself creatively, to arrange Beethoven’s piano music to poetry readings of works by Langston Hughes, describing this artistic realm as “a place I always lives in.” “Bringing these two different giants together helps break down barriers,” he affirms. Crossing time from the 19th to the 21st centuries, through the artistic process, is possible. Concerning social realities, he says: “It is an important time to devote to what works – so far what we have tried has not been working – let’s try something more internal…perhaps. Naturally, not everyone has a microphone…but during the last pandemic, just about 100 years ago, Black art flourished. I think in a time of so much crisis, Black artists wanted to bring forward their strongest fearless voice, in the vein of speaking one’s truth – it has a strong potential to change us all a little bit.” About Terrance McKnight: As a teenager, McKnight played trumpet in the school orchestra and played piano for various congregations around Cleveland. At Morehouse College and Georgia State University, he performed with the college Glee Club and New Music Ensemble respectively and subsequently joined the music faculty at Morehouse. While in Georgia, he brought his love of music and performing to the field of broadcasting. In 2010, McKnight was awarded an ASCAP Deems Taylor Radio Broadcast Award, and for the past 13 years, he has hosted his evening shows on WQXR. https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/midori monthly 0.5 2023-06-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/22afc866-c6da-4953-bf38-38699ffb456b/92a58b_ffabfafb908a4c2d87cfd709cd2bf9a1%7Emv2.jpg Work - Midori: Building Connections Between Music and the Human Condition - Make it stand out Art work credit: @annetteback / www.annettebackfineart.com https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/2ee57621-895d-4e6c-ac6d-70284a0decfc/92a58b_2016163e039348b485dbd6684d4038b1%7Emv2.jpg Work - Midori: Building Connections Between Music and the Human Condition - Make it stand out At times, especially in the opening section, one misses some of the dramatic energy often presented in the work. Its forward-driven direction is slightly diminished in favor of a more extenuated, delicate approach. Midori still sparkles, true to herself, in finely calibrated passages and a minutely detailed account. More variety and intricate interlacing of instrumental sections become apparent in the concerto’s second movement and its dance-like variations, leading into the glorious finale. Here, one can follow her own description more clearly when she says: “I get lost in the music of Beethoven–forget time. He takes me out of the realm of my world, and I can’t even remember a time I did not know these works intimately, except for the G Major Romance, which I learned a little later,” she says. Remarkably–given her international performance career spanning more than 35 years during which she has clearly lived with Beethoven’s pieces–the recording constitutes Midori’s first ever soundtrack fully devoted to the composer. “To record a work, even if it is in your hands, poses different practical aspects. It does not always come together easily in respect to timing, and usually needs to be planned out well in advance,” she explains. “And then your repertoire also keeps evolving, performed with different partners at different times; we always keep discovering new things. That’s what makes it so engaging.” She is thankful that it worked out this time. “We worked very collaboratively with the orchestra, it felt more like playing chamber music together, where one reacts intensely to the other, listening to each other through the context of these beautiful pieces,” she says. Whether addressing her recent recording experience or discussing her long-established and continuously growing advocacy and educational projects, Midori has an energetic and refreshingly openminded approach. One recurring aspect of her discourse, which confirms her true leadership, is her evident realization that she cannot do it all alone. When she founded her first nonprofit, Midori & Friends, in 1992, unlike today there were limited numbers of advocacy programs in New York City, and her activism has impacted the transformation of how the arts are integrated into local schools. “There was no ‘blueprint’ in existence,” she says, referring to the generally accepted guidelines designed by the Department of Education and Culture for teaching music. “Now,” she explains, “things have improved tremendously, but it was different when we started, and efforts are still needed.” “I am so happy to see how much things have changed since I started with a true grassroots approach,” she says. “Today there are many wonderful organizations dedicated to the arts and motivated to make things better. Because of that, we are a richer community. I believe the key today is about creating meaningful collaborations instead of creating more and more new organizations: the standards change, our awareness changes, we constantly evolve. And it’s important we keep revaluating our achievements and realize how our current situation will translate into the future.” Geared to provide music education for students in Pre-K through Grade 12 at schools that have little or no access to the arts, Midori & Friends serves over 70 schools in the city, offering instrumental instruction, performance, and workshops, as well as programs for young children not yet ready for formal instruction, expanding minds with musical interaction in song and games. Instead of compiling different projects under her initial organization, Midori realized early on that to stay true to each of the diverse missions she wanted to pursue, each initiative had to stay its own entity, each equally important to her. Midori’s organization Music Sharing began as the Tokyo branch of Midori & Friends and was certified as an independent organization in 2002. Focused on Western and Japanese music traditions alike, its ambition is to foster global connectivity by building relationships that transcend kids’ own culture. Working with the United Nations, charitable groups, and government agencies, Music Sharing has taken Midori and selected young musicians for workshops and performances beyond Japan to Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Laos, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, and India. With Partners in Performance (PIP), Midori aims to stimulate interest explicitly in classical music, co-presenting chamber music concerts throughout the US, especially in areas outside major culture centers. Midori and pianist Jonathan Biss perform with musicians from PIP’s young artist program with the aim of attracting audiences and donors to stimulate performance presentation. While PIP focuses on chamber music, Orchestra Residencies Program (ORP) was designed by Midori as a means of supporting the American youth orchestra and establishing its presence within the communal context. In contrast to Midori & Friends, both PIP and ORP focus on classical music and forging opportunities for young musicians, built in line with Midori’s own approach to teaching classical repertoire and mentorship. Midori holds the post of Dorothy Richard Starling Chair in Violin Studies at the Curtis Institute of Music and operates a teaching studio in Philadelphia. During the pandemic, Midori has begun charting the terrain of online instruction, previously unknown to her. “I had to find out that I am technically not as well equipped as I thought. I am usually very hands-on in my instruction, which makes it a bit difficult for me to be removed. … We are all still trying to figure out the technical limitations, time delayed sound transmission, and, for example, not being able to see the whole body when close enough to the camera to get a better sound projection. With most of my students returning home to Asia, it becomes hard to accommodate the different time zone.” Despite the challenges, Midori finds meaningful context in her online teaching, as she does with every aspect of her musical pursuits. She says, “I am able, even when travelling for performances in Europe, to keep up with continued lessons, which I feel is especially important.” Midori’s personal goals vary for her teaching, the many projects she engages in, and organizations she has founded, but she approaches all of her endeavors with enormous passion and enthusiasm. Her extraordinary devotion to community engagement has been awarded twice, first in 2007 when she was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and again in 2012 when she was presented the prestigious Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum in Davos. “I strongly believe that music can provide the context that can bring people together and make important things happen,” says Midori, and her record and recognition clearly illustrate her belief in this vision. https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/work-1/piano-cleveland monthly 0.5 2023-06-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/6338029f-f425-4193-a304-ba967f185493/virtualoso2.jpg Work - Piano Cleveland and its Virtu(al)oso Efforts - Make it stand out Illustration by Masha Potemkin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/e93931f8-8539-42e2-8fcb-e00d20d1d809/92a58b_5b8cfc9283e142ab9d68d8de5905c218%7Emv2.jpg Work - Piano Cleveland and its Virtu(al)oso Efforts - Make it stand out There is no question this is a role made for the artist, who, born in Jerusalem in 1983, has established a name for himself as one of Israel’s top pianists. Mentored by some of Israel’s most respected professionals, including the eminent Arie Vardi, Kohlberg graduated from Tel Aviv University’s Buchmann-Mehta School, described as “the pianist with golden hands.” Perhaps an even more congruous element between his positions as president and pianist is that his convincing pianistic talent seems to be an extension of his comprehensive communication skills. This capacity to connect with a large audience as easily as in a personal dialogue distinguishes Kohlberg in performance, and with fluency in six languages, including Mandarin Chinese, he is truly an effective communicator in a variety of areas. Kohlberg has also proven his ability to reach new audiences through interactive performances, his own transcriptions, and collaborations with other musicians in diverse settings. While living in China, he launched the company KY Music, one of his most entrepreneurial successes, with the mission “to build musical connections between China and the West.” The experience he brings to Cleveland allows him to further engage the local community while heightening the competition’s audiences’ commitment and participation. “We put a lot of emphasis on elements like the “jury roundtable,” were jurors speak about their experience in the competition and answer audience questions,” he says. This summer, pitched to offer economic relief during times of cancelled performances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in an effort to make up for the fate of CIPC’s 2020 installment, which had to be moved to 2021, Piano Cleveland introduced its first online Virtu(al)oso global competition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/e19721d5-8d9e-44c1-a0cd-e60528308712/92a58b_d34696c38eb2417e8dccaf948abf2a86%7Emv2.jpg Work - Piano Cleveland and its Virtu(al)oso Efforts - Make it stand out Like CIPC, Virtu(al)oso presents young musicians of high artistic caliber from around the world. Pre-recorded at different Steinway & Sons locations in Cleveland, New York, London, Hamburg, and Beijing, 30 chosen contestants from 18 countries submitted recorded performances without having to travel to the United States. In the able hands of Mark Dumm, a violinist with The Cleveland Orchestra, and longtime technical partner of CIPC’s video production team, the first round of performances was streamed from July 30th - August 4th with the final round of six performance broadcasts taking place on August 7th and 8th. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/437ea790-d3f8-4210-bb51-9781a5e675b3/92a58b_4e48a22ec8554c4fa6b0fb990c2a6bbb%7Emv2.jpg Work - Piano Cleveland and its Virtu(al)oso Efforts - Make it stand out Martin James Bartlett, a young British pianist, took first prize, commenting: “Performance is a driving force for artists. Not having any opportunities to play for an audience kind of makes you feel like the bottom has fallen out beneath you. This competition has given me much-needed inspiration and motivation.” While Virtu(al)oso’s big brother’s coveted Mixon First Prize of $75.000, a Carnegie Hall debut, a recording contract on the Steinway & Sons label, and professional management, as well as its performance opportunity with The Cleveland Orchestra, remains only in the hands of actual CIPC winners, the online competition did a little to support its participating artists, who all received $1000 with three receiving $2500 medal prizes. Virtu(al)oso certainly did plenty to enhance Cleveland’s leadership in U.S.-based virtual presence, among various global piano presentations, and provided a much-needed artistic outlet for the artists involved. https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/about daily 0.75 2026-04-03 https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/home daily 1.0 2025-05-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/950991fd-af19-4604-a07d-cc4d2b008c2c/DSC_5731.jpg https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/developments daily 0.75 2024-05-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/e35dd0e2-c8a0-4311-93fe-d13d52987fb0/ACTUAL+IT+Pitch+Deck.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/ff007d85-df59-4a39-adf0-2cd034fb2b21/408777060_7035419906516502_1528054320047506762_n.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/fee05289-79ec-47c3-ac96-501055e40404/410053111_18377653903070063_5809021318835229973_n.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/4ef1038f-1fd4-49fd-b754-a9af7e6fe419/IMG_0352.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/58048837-2862-4731-956e-2e28cd1e0408/SophiaHegewald_VeritaEnsemble-8348-Bearbeitet.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/0befc898-937d-4db0-b78e-cc37f4d6e32d/image.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/132536b5-f332-43d0-a668-1812c1ee2d0a/2020URMuseumFritzAscherExhibit-0475.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/c646f393-f89a-4051-a2f0-78b2a71af30b/20221210_190134-%2BM11.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/03b04963-d3d5-43d2-9049-75983f586a8c/M101919GClass-283.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/4338863a-954e-4c04-a5cb-0ccdc1a8e6b8/moment1.jpg https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/artists daily 0.75 2023-10-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1618497259178-6XJGK9GR6YAVBQL5L519/20140301_Trade-151_012-2.jpg Artists https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694583486-2PQT0LQ193RL7MCB6DX4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg Artists https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1607694644871-IC85FNH781UNZSZEGHDR/Aro+Ha_0428.jpg Artists https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/1776e23f-8cf0-4ee1-b58e-494b2a2cfa83/TALK_AHAOK_FINAL.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64904fded6448545d116a3c2/b69810f3-790a-434e-891f-776eefbd87e4/M101919GClass-355.jpg https://www.ilonaoltuski.com/contact daily 0.75 2023-06-29