History & Mission

"Deeply felt, and impeccably prepared"
"Enterprising."
The Boston Globe

"An evening of spontaneous delights"
The South End Times

Founded in 2001, Florestan Recital Project is a unique organization that performs and promotes song repertoire in concerts, master classes, and educational residencies. By combining a roster of world-class artists with outstanding research and programming, Florestan has delighted audiences with a wide range of both established and unfamiliar repertoire. Our artists are singers and pianists who regularly perform with leading opera companies, orchestras, and festivals around the world. In only its sixth season, Florestan Recital Project has emerged as a premier presenter of song recitals in North America.

Florestan Recital Project is named after the fiery character of Florestan, one of the creative alter egos of composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856). In addition to composing approximately 150 songs that are cornerstones of the song repertoire, Schumann left a legacy of an immense amount of music and writings, and he invented the revolutionary character of Florestan as a voice for many of his impetuous and passionate works. Florestan Recital Project displays that fiery passion in its devotion to exploring and presenting the full spectrum of song repertoire, drawing from a wealth of old and new music to create fresh and exciting programs for audiences.

Highlights of our first five seasons have included:

• The acclaimed Boston premiere of American composer Ned Rorem's evening-length song cycle, Evidence of Things Not Seen. Mr. Rorem directly assisted in the preparation of the music and performance.
  
• An engagement to program and perform the centerpiece event at the 2004 symposium celebrating 'Nadia Boulanger and American Music' at the American Music Research Center in Boulder, Colorado.
  
• The commissions and world-premieres of new song sets by composers Daniel Pinkham, Lior Navok, and Paul Preusser. The 2006-2007 season includes two commissions: a vocal chamber work by acclaimed American composer Elena Ruehr and a new evening-length song cycle by celebrated Boston composer John McDonald as part of Florestan's continuing mission to enhance the canon of song.
  
• A co-presentation with the San Francisco Song Festival, featuring the winning selection of the 2004-2005 American Art Song Competition for Composers.
  
• Appointment as 'Ensemble-In-Residence' at the prestigious Boston Conservatory, encompassing Florestan's activities as concert presenters and mentors to the next generation of song performers.
  
• The initiation of a residency at the State University of New York at Fredonia, focusing on the performance and programming techniques specific to the song recital.
  
• FrancisFest! A three-day, four-concert presentation of the complete songs for voice and piano by Francis Poulenc, performed by 26 artists. An unprecedented Boston event.

Florestan Recital Project is rapidly becoming an important resource and touchstone for song in today's music scene. As the expressive power of words and music is explored by more collaborations across the globe, Florestan's passion and energy will continue to foster performances and educational activities that strengthen those explorations.

ARTISTIC DIRECTORS:
Aaron Engebreth, Joe Dan Harper, Anne Kissel Harper, and Alison d'Amato

ARTISTIC ADVISORS:
Karl Paulnack
Director, Music Division
Boston Conservatory

Dr. Daniel Pinkham
Professor
New England Conservatory of Music

Chad Smith
Artistic Administrator
New York Philharmonic

Ned Rorem
Composer