Cali Immersive Residency Program
2023-24 Season
Join us for our third annual re-imagined professional residency program at the John J. Cali School of Music. The week-long residencies include a rotation of seven top-rated artists and ensembles. Each residency will contribute to an ongoing exploration of the ever-changing landscape of music today, introducing students to a future that will be, at times, less traditional. Through the multiple opportunities to learn and collaborate with guest artists, Cali students will broaden their understanding of their future musical careers. (Subscribe to the full residency Google Calendar!)
PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE PUBLIC EVENTS AT THE CALI SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND THE CO-HOSTED BRIDGES SERIES CONCERTS AT MERKIN CONCERT HALL IN NEW YORK CITY.
Co-presented with Kaufman Music Center
Our 2023-24 Guests
PAOLA PRESTINI SEP 20, SEP 25, OCT 4, OCT 11, NOV 14-16, FEB 6-8
Composer, Co – Founder & Artistic Director of National Sawdust and VisionIntoArt
Paola Prestini is an “enterprising composer and impresario” and a “human resources alchemist” (The New York Times). As Artist in Residence for 2023-2024, the Montclair community is in for a treat as she aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among the departments, engage teachers and students in the creative process, explore the craft and discuss the current state of the field, and create an outward-facing collaborative work that engages with the community.
“New York retains a remarkable cadre of composers…but chief among these is the singular figure of Paola Prestini.”
– FINANCIAL TIMES
MICHAEL FABIANO SEP 18
Acclaimed American Powerful and Expressive Tenor
Watching Fabiano sing was akin to watching a superhero lift a heavy object.
—The Daily News | Palm Beach
Join us as Michael Fabiano shares his wealth of experience with young voices at Montclair State University. Born right here in Montclair, NJ Michael Fabiano is notably one of the greatest tenors in the world today. He has performed in leading opera houses, including the San Francisco Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opera, Sydney Opera, Teatro alla Scala, Canadian Opera Company, The Royal Opera, and Teatro Real de Madrid among many others. Fabiano’s philanthropic pursuits include CoFounder of ArtSmart whose mission is to transform the lives of youth in under-resourced communities across the US through tuition-free music lessons and mentorship. Experience the thrill of Italian Opera 1820-1940 as Fabiano leads us on a musical journey featuring promising young voices of tomorrow at the Cali School of Music. This appearance is in conjunction with ArtSmart and the Cali Immersive Residency Program.
LARA DOWNES OCT. 2-4
Renowned American Trailblazing Pianist and Composer
Honored as 2022 Classical Woman of the Year by Performance Today, American pianist Lara Downes is an iconoclast and trailblazer. Her dynamic work as a sought-after soloist, recording artist, a producer, curator, arts activist and advocate positions her as a cultural visionary on the national arts scene. Join us for fascinating conversations, performances and explorations of how Lara amplifies her work.
DAVID KRAKAUER OCT. 30-NOV. 4
World-renowned Virtuosic Clarinetist
“David Krakauer, Grammy nominated “…genre-fluid clarinet genius” (NPR) along with his longtime musical collaborator: pianist, composer and producer Kathleen Tagg, will explore the intersections of written music and improvisation. During the week at Cali, Krakauer & Tagg will put together a performance of their visionary cultural dialogue composition: Keepers of the Flame”
ARTURO SANDOVAL DEC.7-10
World-renowned Cuban Jazz Trumpeter, Pianist, and Composer
Trumpeter and Composer Arturo Sandoval is one of the most dynamic and vivacious live performers of our time, and has been seen by millions at the Oscars, the Grammy Awards, and the Billboard Awards. During his residency, Sandoval will not only inspire the students as the star guest for the Crawford Concert performing with the Wind Symphony, but also with masterclasses and a deep dive into his Cuban roots at the Cali Conversations.
VIJAY GUPTA FEB.6-8
American Violinist and Social Justice Advocate
MacArthur “Genius” Grant and violinist Vijay Gupta is dedicated to creating spaces of wholeness through music. As a citizen artist, Gupta will work with the students and describe to the community what it means to make a sadhana – a daily practice – of the world we envision. What it means to be a musician and how music can inspire healing from within.
A “visionary violinist…one of the most radical thinkers in the unradical world of American classical music,”
—THE NEW YORKER
TIME FOR THREE MAR. 4-6
Ranaan Meyer, Double Bass
Nick Kendall, Violin
Charles Yang, Violin
Innovative and Genre-defying American String Trio
During their four-day residency at the Cali School of Music, the Grammy and Emmy-winning, genre-bending string and vocal trio Time For Three will share their story of becoming a “classically trained garage band” and their creative process for making music together. Through workshops, masterclasses, rehearsals and performances, TF3 will inspire our students (and the public) to find a unique sound with the tools they have and offer tips on building a career. Their residency ends with a culminating performance at Merkin Hall for the BRIDGES series where TF3 will perform alongside students form the Cali School of Music, the Cali Pathways Project and the Special Music School of the Kaufman Music Center.
ERIC WHITACRE APR. 24-26
Renowned American Composer and Conductor Known for His Exceptional Choral Works and Innovative Use of Technology
Join us as we submerge our ears and hearts into the glorious music of Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor, Eric Whitacre. During his three day residency, Eric will lead students and faculty in workshops exploring creativity as a vehicle for fostering collaboration and unity, juxtaposed with rehearsals and performances of choral and instrumental music spanning his thirty-year career.
SEASON 3: Cali Immersive Residency Program 2023-34 Highlights
SEASON 2: Cali Immersive Residency Program 2022-23 Highlights
SEASON 1: Cali Immersive Residency Program 2021-22 Highlights