Widely acknowledged as one of today’s leading interpreters of Classical and Romantic music, pianist Richard Goode will join the full-time faculty of the Peabody Conservatory as Distinguished Artist Faculty beginning in the 2021-22 academic year. “We are simply thrilled to welcome Richard Goode to the Peabody faculty,” said Dean Fred Bronstein in announcing the appointment. “Richard is one of those rarified artists today whose depth of musical thinking and communicative qualities make his concert performances and master classes truly memorable events. He will be an inspiring presence for faculty, students, and our entire Peabody community.” Goode has for many years presented an annual master class at Peabody, and he is scheduled to conduct master classes again this spring, ahead of assuming his more formal role on the faculty.

Recently I announced the formation of the Peabody Conservatory Post-COVID Think Tank. The impetus was a study published by the Brookings Institution in August documenting the unprecedented short-term damage of COVID-19 on the arts and culture industry in the United States. As we think about the long-term impact of this pandemic in the context of challenging audience trends for classical music over the past several decades, coupled with demographic changes that will require a new approach to developing audiences in the future, there is a critical opportunity for Peabody to ask important questions through the Think Tank, charged as follows:

With the development of the Breakthrough Curriculum and the launch of new programs of study at Peabody, the Conservatory has staked out a distinct position around creating highly trained, flexible, adaptable musicians and dancers for a constantly changing environment that characterizes the 21st Century. Now, with the impact of COVID-19 and its devastating short-term impact on already fragile arts institutions and artists, and with the expected residual impact likely to be felt for years to come, it is reasonable to see the impact of the pandemic not as a temporary interruption but rather as an acceleration of trends already underway prior to the pandemic. Within this framework, Peabody will again examine its mode of training and challenge itself as to whether we are being bold enough in how we think about training artists now in a post-COVID, 21st-century environment. The Peabody Conservatory Post-COVID Think Tank will devote itself to these questions and issues, with the intention of making broad recommendations for further changes to the Peabody curriculum to be delivered by May 2021.

This focus on the future is critical, and I look forward to exciting ideas that I know will emanate from this work.

At the same time, Peabody has a long and distinguished tradition, no more so than in its piano program. It is not difficult to see how this is the case when one considers the tremendously gifted faculty who have taught piano at Peabody over the years. Of course, at the pinnacle for many years, and indeed a star in Peabody’s firmament, was Leon Fleisher. With the loss of Leon last summer, a void was inevitable. And while we all recognize that Leon was and is irreplaceable, when it came time to plant another flag in the long and remarkable history of the piano program, for me, there has been only one person who I could imagine that to be. For that reason, I was so thrilled for us to announce very recently the full-time appointment of Richard Goode as Distinguished Artist Faculty at Peabody. Richard enjoys a stellar career as a solo performer. As we have also learned through his annual master class at Peabody, Richard is an extraordinary teacher. Beginning in fall 2021, Richard will have a small, select studio in the piano program and conduct a regular series of master classes at Peabody. We are delighted to be welcoming such an extraordinary artist as Richard Goode to the Peabody family.

Fred Bronstein, Dean

Assistant Professor of Harp June Han performs a free online solo harp concert including works by Alphonse Hasselmans, Louis Spohr, Marcel Tournier, and more. The concert is presented as part of the Bowdoin International Music Festival.

Adam Golka (’08, Piano) joins the Verona Quartet to present Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata in back-to-back performances of two different visions of the work, with David Plylar’s transcription for string quartet followed by the composer’s original version for piano. The performance is presented as part of the Library of Congress’ (Re)Hearing Beethoven Festival.

Jacomo Bairos’ (GPD ’11, Conducting) Nu Deco Ensemble presents a livestreamed performance from North Beach Bandshell featuring Rebecca & Megan Lovell of Larkin Poe. The performance includes a world premiere arrangement by Pascal le Boeuf, in partnership with the National YoungArts Foundation, and a symphonic reimagining the music of Led Zeppelin. Ticket buyers will have access to the performance on-demand for 72 hours following the livestream.

Con Alma is an album and live digital experience of original works by composer Paola Prestini (’95, Composition) and vocalist and composer Magos Herrera that explores the question of how we can find communion in a time of isolation. Created and recorded in quarantine, it features over 30 musicians from three continents, including the Young People’s Chorus of NYC, the Mexican Orquesta Sinfónica de Minería, Silk Road Ensemble clarinetist Kinan Azmeh, and arrangers Gonzalo Grau and Diego Schissi.

The Concert Truck, co-directed by Susan Zhang (GPD ’18, Piano), continues its Dallas Symphony Orchestra residency through Friday, December 18, with free pop-up concerts in locations throughout the city. The outdoors, safely distanced shows feature performers from the DSO, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts, Dallas Theater Center, and Dallas Black Dance Theatre performing alongside Zhang and co-director Nick Luby.

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Peabody Notes highlights select off-campus performances featuring Peabody performers. For other events, please visit our Peabody Conservatory Facebook page.

Peabody faculty and alumni were well-represented among the 2021 GRAMMY nominees announced last week. The 63^rd GRAMMY Awards will be presented on Sunday, January 31.

Every day, all over the world, Peabody alumni, faculty, and students are performing, creating, and achieving great things. And it makes us #PeabodyProud to share your news! If you have upcoming performances (online or on stage), collaborative projects, new professional appointments, recent competition wins, or other career highlights to share, please use this form to tell us, so we can tell the Peabody community.