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Composer John Luther Adams Wins Columbia's Lifetime Achievement William Schuman Award, Known for Pulitzer Prize-Winning 'Become Ocean' and 2015 Grammy Award Nom

Visionary American composer John Luther Adams has been awarded the coveted Columbia University School of the Arts William Schuman Award.The William Schuman Award is a recognition which has been given over the past three decades. The award is named for the first recipient of the prize and offers a $50,000 unrestricted grant to its recipients. According to Columbia, the goal of the award is to recognize lifetime achievements of an American composer whose works have been widely performed and generally acknowledged to be of lasting significance.“John Luther Adams's work anticipates a complex yet poetic intertwining of music and space. Whether he is writing for nontraditional sites or evoking the expansiveness of outdoor landscapes inside the concert hall, his writing radically redefines the relationship between sound and locality. We are thrilled to honor him with the Schuman Award,” says Carol Becker, dean of the Columbia School of the Arts.Adams is a composer who uses the natural world as inspiration for his life and work. He has won the Heinz Award for his contributions to raising environmental awareness. He also received the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for "Become Ocean," an orchestral work that evokes thoughts of melting polar ice and rising sea levels. The piece was performed at Carnegie Hall and recorded by the Seattle Symphony and has been nominated for a 2015 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition.
By Jaime Prisco

  • Broadway's 'If/Then' Starring 'Frozen' Star Idina Menzel Will Close Due to Low Ticket Sales: Play Features 'Rent' Co-Star Anthony Rapp

    "If/Then," the Broadway musical starring "Frozen" star Idina Menzel, will be closing March 22 after gradually deflating sales.Menzel, who has staked her claim on the Broadway stage in the original cast of "Rent" and "Wicked," is known to the non-theater world as the voice of Elsa in the Disney movie "Frozen." She also achieved mainstream success after the notorious name flub by John Travolta during last year's Oscars. But excitement about her return to Broadway slowly diminished, with the play peaking early in its run."If/Then" follows Elizabeth, played by Menzel, a city planner who moves back to New York to restart her life, which splits into two parallel paths told simultaneously, based on a single inconsequential decision. Some believe the unfamiliar title and the challenging storyline are what led to the show's closing, especially with family-friendly, crowd-pleasing Broadway shows such a "The Lion King" and "Aladdin" on the landscape. Also, reviews for the show have been mixed, with some raves and other pans. The possibility of a recoup for the $10 million show is still unknown.The play reunited Menzel with her "Wicked" producer David Stone and "Rent" director Michael Greif, as well as Anthony Rapp, who co-starred with her in "Rent." Music for the show was by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey.
    By Jaime Prisco

  • Lindsey Stirling Added to Grammy Legacy Concert 'Lean on Me: A Celebration of Music and Philanthropy' Line-Up: Robin Thicke, Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and More

    Acclaimed violinist Lindsey Stirling has been added to the lineup of the 17th annual Grammy Foundation Legacy Concert "Lean on Me: A Celebration of Music and Philanthropy.” Other performers include Melissa Etheridge, Cyndi Lauper, Willie Nelson, Robin Thicke, Aloe Blacc, John Mellencamp and Rozzi Crane.“Lean on Me” will be a part of Grammy Week, which highlights the Grammy Foundation’s ongoing work to safeguard music’s history. The Grammy Foundation hopes that by preserving our musical past, future generations will be able to benefit and grow in their own appreciation of history-making musical giants. Grammy Week will include a number of different events, culminating with the premiere of the 57th annual Grammy Awards.“Lean on Me” will bring together an extraordinary range of artists for a unique evening featuring live musical performances and archival footage from the Grammy Foundation’s preservation grant archives. The night will explore the history of and evolution of songwriting. By presenting an array of versatile artist, “Lean on Me” will celebrate the invaluable contributions of historic musicians and their impact on the American cultural landscape.
    By Jaime Prisco