Imani Winds Named Artistic Advisor of Hartt Chamber Music

Imani Winds. Photo by Matthew Murphey.

The following is a message from Hartt School Dean Aaron A. Flagg.

I am pleased to announce that the Grammy-nominated ensemble, Imani Winds, has been appointed Artistic Advisor of Hartt Chamber Music.

This new role will have Imani work with Hartt faculty coaches and administrators in overseeing the creation of a comprehensive vision for all chamber music activities at the School. Imani will also offer master classes to all ensembles and teach a spring semester course for undergraduate and graduate students on engaging audiences.

This new vision will seek to build upon The Hartt School's vision for 21st century collaborative artists as well as its enviable history in chamber music. This history includes the early Hartt String Quartet in the 1950s, the Emerson String Quartet's two-decade residency beginning in 1980, the Lion's Gate Trio residency, the 20/20 honors program and the Richard P. Garmany Chamber Series. The ensemble hopes to extend the innovative performance and collaborative projects currently underway, including chamber music performances with dance, theatre, poetry, live painting, computers, and silent films.

Imani Winds is a genre-bending woodwind quintet made up of Valerie Coleman (flute and composer), Toyin Spellman-Diaz (oboe), Mariam Adam (clarinet), Monica Ellis (bassoon), and Jeff Scott (french horn and composer). They have performed in France, China, Singapore, Brazil and every important venue and series in North America, including last year at the University of Hartford as part of the Richard P. Garmany Chamber Music Series. The quintet has collaborated with Paquito D'Rivera, Yo-Yo Ma and Elliott Carter among others. In addition to performing and teaching internationally, Imani runs a summer chamber music festival. They also organize diverse and innovative projects including the Legacy Commissioning Project, Zafir Project, and the Wayne Shorter Collaboration.

Let's welcome them to the University of Hartford family.

Aaron A. Flagg
Dean, The Hartt School