PAST SEASONS — 2021

Our virtual festival, held online between June 8-July 1, 2021, featured industry-leading guest artists, masterclasses, workshops, and virtual collaborations, including our signature Composer/Choreographer Workshop with S. Ama Wray and Derek Bermel.

Guest artists included: cellist Seth Parker Woods (University of Chicago), composer Gabriela Lena Frank (Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Arts Academy), violinist Kelly Hall-Tompkins (Music Kitchen), composer/violist Jessica Meyer, violist Ashleigh Gordon (Castle of Our Skins), Aizuri Quartet, violinist David Radzynski (Concertmaster, Israel Philharmonic), hornist Jeff Scott (Imani Winds, Oberlin Conservatory), electroacoustic violist/composer Trevor New, conductor Lina Gonzalez-Granados (Unitas Ensemble), pianist Donna Weng Friedman (Heritage And Harmony), director/designer Karin Fong (Imaginary Forces), composer Derek Bermel (American Composers Orchestra), choreographer S. Ama Wray (UC Irvine), Jonathan Alsberry (Hubbard Street Dance Chicago), dancer/choreographer Darshan Singh Bhuller, social media/marketing consultant Jamie Benson, composer Aaron Jay Kernis, conductor/composer Peter Askim (Next Festival’s Artistic Director), arts attorney Brian Goldstein, and Center for Artistic Activism. Additional artists offering mentorship and project guidance include percussionist Ross Karre (Artistic Director, International Contemporary Ensemble) and Elaine Grogan Luttrull (Minerva Financial Arts).

The festival schedule was organized by themed sections, including Business & Entrepreneurship, Social Justice & Activism, Artistry & Musicality, and Multidisciplinary Collaboration.