Dawn Upshaw

Scofield: Can you tell us a little bit about how Tanglewood trains the singers, and what it’s doing in its education program?

Dawn: Sure, because I feel like the musical and performance world is evolving constantly, and this new generation of singers, pianists, and instrumentalists are so gifted and so talented and has such a beautiful vision, I want Tanglewood to be able to support their imaginations and their visions, and to try to give them opportunities to do all kinds of music and to perform in different ensembles. There are some chamber music, some songs along with piano, and some larger ensembles or orchestral music. My hope is with our very small classes of about fifteen singers and five pianists, to give each of them a very unique experience, unique to their own gifts and talents. That is a summer of projects that are built around their own unique gifts.

Scofield: That is a very interesting point, about the new vision young people are bringing into the music scene. And for you yourself, in addition to working with young people, you have also been a major exponent in the United States of new music, and the creation of new music. I see here in your bio that you have actually premiered more than 25 new works just in the last 10 years. That’s quite an accomplishment.

Dawn: Oh thank you! I really feel that my work is most alive when I am collaborating with other musicians and with living composers. This has always been an interest of mine and has never felt particular challenging, or special work on my part, but what has come most naturally to me. Because in my musical upbringing, I was much more preoccupied with music being written today than all of the older music, which of course is spectacular. I have spent a lot of my professional life singing Bach and Mozart, for instance, and I’m better person for it of course. I realize that that is great music. But for me it’s very important, it’s vital that I work on music that is being written today by my colleagues.