April 26 :
During the weekend of April 19-21, Indian-American composer Reena Esmail participated in seminars and gave a free concert showcasing her music at the Music Institute of Chicago. Currently serving as artistic director of Shastra, a nonprofit that promotes cross-cultural music integrating music traditions of India and the West, Esmail is also the Swan Family Artist in Residence with the Los Angeles Master Chorale from 2020 to 2025.In its "One Composer, One Community" programme, which highlights the career and compositions of one under-appreciated composer each academic year, the Music Institute of Chicago chose her to be the featured composer this year, according to a news release from the institution.
Several albums by Esmail have been nominated for Grammys, and she has composed commissions for groups such as the Kronos Quartet, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, the Seattle Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and the Seattle Symphony (Reenaesmail.com). Esmail bridges the gap between Indian and Western classical music by fostering inclusive performance venues that welcome everybody.
Esmail spent all day Saturday, April 20, taking part in student workshops in areas such as voice, woodwind and brass, composition, strings, and piano. Evening concertgoers heard Esmail's compositions performed by students and faculty of the Music Institute. On April 21st, she was also the instructor at a Suzuki Workshop. Nichols Concert Hall, located at 1490 Chicago Avenue in Evanston, was the site of all the events.
"Most of our students had never met a living composer before," remarked Mark George, president and CEO of the Music Institute. According to George, "Reena taught students vocal and instrumental techniques characteristic of Hindustani tradition, worked with them on how to shape the phrasing and structure of her music, and introduced the tabla to students during a session with the Academy Orchestra. She shared her insights about the creative process, her journey as a composer, and her unique style of weaving together Western classical music with Hindustani classical music."
"Reena really sought out the perspectives of the faculty and students on their experiences with learning and performing her music," George remarked.
The Music Institute of Chicago has been around since 1931, and its stated mission is to foster "a lifelong engagement with music through unparalleled teaching, exceptional performances, and valuable service initiatives that educate, inspire, and build strong, healthy communities." So says the organisation.
With seven Community Music School facilities in Chicago, Downers Grove, Evanston, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, and Winnetka, in addition to online, the Music Institute offers individualised music lessons to over 1,500 students annually, irrespective of age, experience level, or financial situation. Thousands of Chicagoans benefit from the Music Institute's music education, arts curriculum integration, professional development, performance, and engagement opportunities; students at the Community School and the Academy, a nationally acclaimed training centre for exceptionally talented pre-college string players and pianists, are eligible for scholarships; and Nichols Concert Hall hosts over 15,000 visitors per year for concerts, master classes, and other events.
