John Corigliano, Composer-in-Residence
The Colorado Music Festival welcomes Pulitzer Prize-winning John Corigliano as 2023 composer-in-residence.
Conducted by Music Director Peter Oundjian, our retrospective program examines three stages of Corigliano’s vast career, beginning with his pastoral Gazebo Dances.
Corigliano penned the song cycle One Sweet Morning in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the events of 9/11, borrowing text from four poems of varying intensity and ultimately ending with, as he explains, “the dream of a world without war – an impossible dream, perhaps, but certainly one worth dreaming.” The tender words of these poems are performed here by the highly sought-after mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke.
Corigliano’s most recent work on our program is Triathlon, written for guest saxophonist Timothy McAllister, who returns to the Chautauqua stage after dazzling Festival audiences in 2022. Triathlon demonstrates McAllister’s musical athleticism in three dynamic movements which feature in turn soprano, alto, and baritone saxophone.
Experience iconic American composer John Corigliano’s music this summer:
- July 13: John Corigliano: Living Legend
Joshua Bell, Artist-in-Residence
The Colorado Music Festival welcomes violinist Joshua Bell as its 2023 artist-in-residence.
With a career spanning almost four decades, Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated artists of his era. At age 14, Bell debuted with Riccardo Muti and the Philadelphia Orchestra and made his Carnegie Hall debut at age 17 with the St. Louis Symphony. At age 18, Bell signed with his first label, London Decca, and received the Avery Fisher Career Grant. In the years following, Bell has been named 2010 “Instrumentalist of the Year” by Musical America, a 2007 “Young Global Leader” by the World Economic Forum, nominated for six Grammy awards, and received the 2007 Avery Fisher Prize.
Festival attendees have four opportunities to see Joshua Bell perform this summer:
- June 29/30: Joshua Bell performs Bruch’s First Violin Concerto (June 29 / June 30)
- August 3: Joshua Bell performs 3 movements from Elements: “Fire” (composed by Jake Heggie); “Water” (Edgar Meyer); and “Space” (Jessie Montgomery)
- August 6: Joshua Bell performs 2 movements from Elements: “Air” (composed by Jennifer Higdon) and “Earth” (Kevin Puts)
Bonus fact: In 1998, Joshua Bell partnered with composer John Corigliano and recorded the soundtrack for the film The Red Violin, which elevated Bell to a household name and garnered Corigliano an Academy Award. In 2018-19, Bell commemorated the 20th anniversary of The Red Violin (1998), bringing the film with live orchestra to various festivals and the New York Philharmonic.
Past Artists-in-Residence
John Adams (2022)
Takács Quartet (2022)
Augustin Hadelich (2021)
Jon Kimura Parker (2019)
Jan Swafford (2019)