Curtis Institute of Music's Vince Ford Discusses its New Record Label

Curtis Studio's newest release of pianist Michelle Cann playing solo works by Florence Price and Margaret Bonds is coming May 5

 

The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA, recently launched its own record label, Curtis Studio, making it one of few conservatories to have its own label. Distributed by artist services company Platoon and dedicated to the discovery of new and traditional works, Curtis Studio aims to make classical music recordings more accessible through streaming services.

Released late last year, the label's first recording featured the Curtis Symphony Orchestra performing Nikolai Rimsky-Kosakov’s “Scheherazade” with Finnish conductor Osmo Vänskä.

Future releases on Curtis Studio will include a solo piano recording with pianist Michelle Cann performing works by Florence Price and Margaret Bonds, to be released on May 5, 2023. Curtis Studio will also present several commissions, the recording premiere of Trio Zimbalist, and recordings of the Dover Quartet and other Curtis ensembles.

We had the chance to chat with Vince Ford, Curtis' Senior Vice President of digital strategy and innovation and the Field-McFadden Chair in Digital Studies, among others, to get an inside look at the new initiative and what's to come.

 

 

Can you tell us about the new addition to the Curtis Institute of Music, Curtis Studio?

Curtis Studio is an expansion of our media program at Curtis. In addition to performance and recital videos, we want to provide our students with professional studio recording experience. We also want to create opportunities for faculty and alumni to present their artistic ideas.

We are one of the only conservatories to offer a label, and the Curtis Studio programmatic philosophy is quite unique. Most classical music recordings present performances that have already happened, such as live recordings or reference recordings. But our focus is on recordings that support attending a live performance. It’s a similar approach to how other music genres approach recordings. Artists will introduce a project or recording, then present it live in performance. For example: Beyonce released Renaissance last summer and is now out touring Renaissance. Our first recording released in November was Scheherazade, which the Curtis Symphony Orchestra will perform on its U.S. tour this spring.

 

Where did the idea come from?

The idea for Curtis Studio emerged organically from Curtis’s “learn by doing” philosophy. There is a type of detailed music-making that is unique to the recording process and invaluable to a musician.

Curtis has a robust digital media program with very high production values. We provide students with the experience of performing on camera and in professional sessions to develop their recording experience and professional profile. The label is a natural extension of our media offerings. Commercial recordings provide additional points of access and visibility, including on digital music stores and classical radio stations worldwide.

 

What is your long-term goal with this new label?

Long term, we see the label as contributing to a well-rounded Curtis education, helping our students gain experience and skills to use throughout their professional lives. The label also provides a platform for our alumni and faculty to share their artistic ideas and support their professional profile.

We also hope the label will contribute to increased access to and interest in classical music. Classical music is beautiful and meaningful. The Curtis community is passionate about this music and eager to share it with audiences worldwide.

 

What was the inspiration behind the new Scheherazade album? 

Scheherazade emerged from our “Pandemic Project.” In the absence of live performances, we undertook an ambitious project to record the orchestra and create a digital installation of that performance that allowed audiences to experience the work from the perspective of sitting on stage. The undertaking provided an incredible four-day professional recording session for our students, working with conductor Osmo Vänskä. We presented the installation as Immersive Scheherazade in Philadelphia, and audiences loved it! We even had to expand the run by two weeks to meet demand. And the work is traveling with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra on tour later this spring. The first album released on Curtis Studio represents the audio recording from the project.

 

Does the label also provide video recordings?

We are planning music videos for some of our future releases.

 

At what stage of their studies do you think students should start building their portfolio of professional recordings?

We begin producing professional-level media with our students as soon as they arrive at Curtis. As a musician’s artistry continues to evolve and blossom, they might decide to archive older recordings or performances. But it is essential to have recordings throughout your career to build an individual musical profile and support your artistic ideas and professional projects.

 

How do you feel about physical CDs in today’s digital era?

CDs are wonderfully nostalgic for me. I love the moment of opening a CD booklet and diving into a recording. I have similar feelings about vinyl and even cassettes. Digital music is the definitive format of our time and provides an amazing array of options for listening and for sound quality. However, there are opportunities to create moments of anticipation—similar to opening a CD booklet—in the streaming world that we will explore with Curtis Studio.

 

What recording projects are you currently working on?

There is an amazing diversity of music being created and performed every day at Curtis. Curtis Studio aims to reflect that spirit through a broad collection of programs. For example, we began with a staple of the orchestral repertoire (Scheherazade). Our second release is a recording from Michelle Cann in a stunning performance of solo piano works by Price and Bonds. Michelle’s album will arrive this spring. Later this fall, we will release a recording from Trio Zimbalist, which includes a spectacular piano trio program of Weinberg, Auerbach, and Dvořák. Looking ahead, we will present 1 to 2 recordings per year. These recordings represent programs that the artists will present in future performances and tours.