MONTEREY SYMPHONY ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF JOHN WINEGLASS AS COMPOSER-IN-RESIDENCE

Image of Press Release #122
Monterey Symphony Composer-in-Residence John Wineglass
July 27, 2020

The Monterey Symphony announced the appointment of John Wineglass as Composer-in-Residence. Wineglass collaborated with the Symphony in 2016 for Big Sur: The Night Sun, a massive symphonic work featuring a drum made from a redwood tree (the premiere can be viewed on the Symphony's YouTube channel). He spent time at Glen Deven Ranch in Big Sur, thanks to the Big Sur Land Trust.

This appointment, a new title for the organization, brings with it a new set of responsibilities: creating more music. "We wanted John to continue in the Big Sur theme. The idea of creating new art and new music during this complicated time of shelter-in-place seemed really important," said Symphony Executive Director Nicola Reilly.

Wineglass will work on a Concerto for Violin and Orchestra which the Symphony will premiere in 2022 with Edwin Huizinga as soloist. The creative process will be documented with local filmmaker Doug Mueller capturing the artists at work. Wineglass will again have the opportunity for a residency at Glen Deven Ranch.

"This next Concerto is another part of a series," said Reilly. "We want John to document this moment in time musically, and we want to be essential in supporting that. There are two other projects in the works, which will be announced soon."

"After the premiere of Big Sur: The Night Sun with the Monterey Symphony back in 2016 to commemorate the centennial of the city of Carmel, I am once again thrilled to partner with and continue to tell and expose compelling stories through the symphonic medium," said Wineglass.

Wineglass received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Composition with a minor in Viola Performance at The American University and later received his master's degree in Music Composition with an emphasis in Film Scoring for Motion Pictures, Television and Multi-Media at New York University, studying primarily with Justin Dello-Joio of the Juilliard School.

His latest symphonic 2019 premiere of three movements, Unburied, Unmourned, Unmarked: Requiem for Rice was dedicated to the lives of millions and numerous contributions of African and African-American forced laborers who cultivated the immense, expansive, and particularly wealthy rice economy in the Lowcountry. With a libretto and extensive research by historian Dr. Edda Fields-Black of Carnegie-Mellon University, this work has taken them with a team of researchers and film documentarians from the shores of South Carolina to the inner villages of Senegal, Guinea- Bissau and The Gambia. A 2020-2021 (pre-COVID) world premiere of six movements with full chorus in Washington, DC in conjunction with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) where Dr. Fields-Black has an installation is planned accompanied by the moving images by LA-based filmmaker and director Julie Dash.