Musical America Names Warren Jones 'Collaborative Pianist of the Year' for 2010
For Immediate Release November 23, 2009
Contact:
Tim Dougherty
805.695.7908
Santa Barbara, CA – Celebrated pianist Warren Jones, who serves as director of vocal piano and interpretation at the Music Academy of the West and is a principal performer with the acclaimed Santa Barbara-based chamber ensemble Camerata Pacifica, has been named Collaborative Pianist of the Year for 2010 by Musical America. He will be recognized along with four other honorees in a ceremony at Lincoln Center on December 14.
"There are many fine collaborative pianists, as we now say in lieu of the dated term ‘accompanist,' who support soloists admirably. But what strikes us at Musical America in Mr. Jones's performances is his idiomatic singing line, subtle rubato, and ability to adapt to his various partners' unique musicianship without subjugating his own character," said Sedgwick Clark, editor of Musical America International Directory of the Performing Arts.
Also receiving Musical America honors for 2010 are incoming Chicago Symphony Orchestra Music Director Riccardo Muti (Musician of the Year), Louis Andriessen (Composer of the Year), violinist Joshua Bell (Instrumentalist of the Year), and mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča (Vocalist of the Year). The awards announcement earlier this month coincides with the publication of the 2010 Musical America International Directory of the Performing Arts, which pays tribute to the honorees in its editorial pages.
"This richly deserved honor serves to underscore how blessed we are to have Warren as a faculty member. Those of us fortunate enough to see him perform and interact with our Fellows on a regular basis readily appreciate how special he is," said NancyBell Coe, president of the Music Academy of the West. "He is truly a one-of-a-kind musician and teacher."
"Those of us who have worked with Warren for years are delighted, but not surprised, by this award. Warren's sensitivity and finesse, combined with his intellect and breadth of reference, make him a remarkable musician and extraordinarily thoughtful collaborator. All of us at Camerata Pacifica are thrilled that he's being honored by Musical America," said Adrian Spence, artistic director of Camerata Pacifica, which Mr. Jones joined as principal pianist in 2002.
A member of the Music Academy faculty since 1993, Mr. Jones frequently performs with many of today's most acclaimed singers, including Stephanie Blythe, Denyce Graves, Samuel Ramey, Ruth Ann Swenson, Salvatore Licitra, Anthony Dean Griffey, Bo Skovhus, Frederica von Stade, and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. "Matchless" (The New York Times), "Indispensable" (The Washington Post), "Exquisitely sensitive" (The Miami Herald), and "A singer's greatest partner" (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) are just a few of the plaudits he's received from adoring reviewers.
In addition to serving as principal pianist with Camerata Pacifica, Mr. Jones has been a guest artist with the Juilliard, Borromeo, and Brentano string quartets. In 2007 he made his debut with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and has since toured with CMS throughout the United States. Mr. Jones has appeared in recital at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, as well as the festivals of Tanglewood, Ravinia, and Caramoor. His international appearances include the Salzburg Festival, Milan's Teatro alla Scala, Paris' Théâtre des Champs-Elysées and Opéra Bastille, Wigmore Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, the Cultural Centre in Hong Kong, Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, and theaters throughout Scandinavia, Japan, and Korea. Currently a faculty member at Manhattan School of Music, Mr. Jones was assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera for 10 years and at the San Francisco Opera for three seasons. His many recordings include Grammy-nominated CDs with Samuel Ramey and Håkan Hagegård. Mr. Jones has been invited to the White House to perform at concerts honoring the president of Russia and the prime ministers of Italy and Canada, and has thrice appeared at the U.S. Supreme Court as a specially invited performer for the justices and their guests.
His masterclasses have long been among the most popular events during the Music Academy's annual Summer School and Festival.
"He's one of the greatest musicians I've ever known," said Ruth Ann Swenson. "He's easygoing and makes me feel confident and comfortable. He's kind and extremely patient, has a great sense of humor, and I trust him completely. He has a huge knowledge of the song repertoire and a great understanding of voices. Whatever he's suggested has always suited my voice perfectly." Stephanie Blythe, Musical America's Vocalist of the Year for 2009, said Mr. Jones "has a way of coaching that makes learning like a series of light bulbs getting switched on." Recalling a concert the pair performed together, she said Mr. Jones showed her "all the things that a true partnership with a pianist can achieve."
Founded as a weekly newspaper in 1898, Musical America through the years has appeared in a variety of formats. Today, it is both the International Directory of the Performing Arts and www.musicalamerica.com. The annual directory features over 14,000 detailed listings of worldwide arts organizations, with more than 10,000 artists indexed both alphabetically and categorically. The first directory was published in 1960. Returning to Musical America's newspaper roots, MusicalAmerica.com was launched in December 1998.
Founded in 1947, the Music Academy of the West is among the nation's preeminent summer schools and festivals for gifted young classical musicians. The Academy provides these promising musicians with the opportunity for advanced study and frequent performance under the guidance of internationally renowned faculty artists, guest conductors, and soloists. Admission to the Academy is strictly merit based, and Fellows receive full scholarships (tuition, room, and board). Academy alumni are members of major symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, ensembles, opera companies, and university and conservatory faculties throughout the world. Many enjoy careers as prominent solo artists. Based in Santa Barbara, the Music Academy of the West presents more than 200 public events annually, including performances by faculty, visiting artists, and Fellows; masterclasses; orchestra and chamber music concerts; and fully staged opera. The Music Academy began screening live performances by the world-renowned Metropolitan Opera at Hahn Hall in October 2008. For more information, visit www.musicacademy.org.
