Campus & Community

OfA grants to foster artistic initiatives

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More than 700 students will participate in 27 projects in dance, music, theater, and multidisciplinary genres at Harvard University this fall, sponsored in part through the grant program of the Office for the Arts (OfA). These grants are designed to foster creative and innovative artistic initiatives among Harvard undergraduates.


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The projects, selected by the Council on the Arts at Harvard, include concerts featuring the Mozart Society Orchestra, theater productions including a new adaptation of Euripides’ “Alcestis” featuring a student-composed original score, and a showcase and a celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Association of Black Harvard Women.

Awarded to undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff, OfA grants fund projects that combine artistic merit, artistic experimentation, and educational benefit to undergraduates. They must also aim for a ripple effect within the University, which involves the undergraduate population and provides visibility for their artistic efforts.

Council on the Arts members at the time of selection include Robert J. Kiely (chair), Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Professor of English; Elizabeth Bergmann, director, OfA Dance Program; S. Allen Counter, director, Harvard Foundation; Deborah Foster, assistant dean for undergraduate education; Jorie Graham, Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory; Annette Lemieux, profe ssor of the practice of studio arts in visual and environmental studies; Cathleen McCormick, program director, OfA; Jack Megan, director, OfA; Robert J. Orchard, managing director, Loeb Drama Center and the American Repertory Theatre; Stephen Prina, professor of visual and environmental studies; Kay Kaufman Shelemay, G. Gordon Watts Professor of Music and professor of African and African American Studies; Marcus Stern, associate director, American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) and the A.R.T./MXAT Institute for Advanced Theatre Training; and John Stewart, senior preceptor in music.

The OfA also offers grants for projects taking place during spring semester 2006 and Arts First 2006, Harvard’s annual celebration of the arts.

Fall 2005 grants for dance

Dancing Through the Decades, Mainly Jazz Dance Company, Christine Fitzgerald ’07: Esther Kahn Grant for a concert collaboration with TAPS, featuring various forms and styles of jazz dance, including student-choreographed pieces.

Fall concert 2005, Harvard Ballet Company, David Blazar ’06: Esther Kahn Grant for a performance of classical ballet and contemporary dance featuring excerpts from “The Nutcracker,” as well as student-choreographed pieces.

Winter concert of modern dance, Harvard-Radcliffe Dance Company, Mai-King Chan ’06: Esther Kahn Grant for a performance featuring student-choreographed modern, ethnic-themed, and improvisational pieces.

Fall 2005 grants for literature

Diversity & Distinction fall 2004 issue, Looking Back, Moving Forward, Jessica Harmon ’07: OfA Grant for 10th anniversary issue of publication dedicated to creating dialogue on multiculturalism, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and other social issues.

Harvard Book Review fall issue, Emer Vaughn ’06: OfA Grant for publication featuring undergraduate-written reviews of recently published books.

Tuesday Magazine fall issue, Joshua Haas ’07: OfA Grant for a general interest publication that provides a forum for essays, creative fiction and nonfiction, as well as opinion pieces and artwork.

Vox Literary Magazine, Catholic Students Association, Victoria Sprow ’06: OfA GRANT for a magazine that features poetry, fiction, essays, photography, art, and reviews.

Fall 2005 grant for multidisciplinary arts

Association of Black Harvard Women’s 30th Anniversary Celebration, Ifunanya Ejebe ’07: Esther Kahn Grant for an event showcasing 30 years of black female excellence in the arts at Harvard.

Fall 2005 grants for music

The 35th annual Dr. S. Allen Counter Christmas Concert, Kuumba Singers of Harvard College, Maria Nardell ’06: Felicia Eckstein-Lipson Grant for Kuumba’s annual Christmas concert celebrating and sharing the rich creativity and spirituality of black cultures.

Asian American Arts Concert, Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Association, Mei Yi Pen ’07: Felicia Eckstein-Lipson Grant for a talent showcase featuring Harvard students and bands.

“Actéon,” Harvard Early Music Society, Michael Givey ’06: Felicia Eckstein-Lipson Grant for a historically informed production of Charpentier’s late 17th century French opera “Actéon.” Bach Society Orchestra Concerts I and II, Bach Society Orchestra, Matthew Smith ’07: Felicia Eckstein-Lipson Grant for two fall concerts featuring works by Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart as well as undergraduate composers.

Fall 2005 concert, Mozart Society Orchestra, Peter Behroozi ’06: Felicia Eckstein-Lipson Grant for a concert including a performance of a Mozart piano concerto featuring professor Robert Levin.

Fall 2005 concert, Radcliffe Choral Society (RCS), Rosalie Thede ’06: Felicia Eckstein-Lipson Grant for a November performance in Sanders Theatre including performances by both RCS and the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum.

Holiday concert, Harvard Glee Club, David Baron ’07: Esther Kahn Grant for a performance featuring the Harvard Glee Club and the RCS performing seasonal pieces as well as a new work by Vincent Paul Moravec, 2004 Pulitzer Prize winner in music.

“It Don’t Mean A Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing,” Harvard University Jazz Bands, Yves-Georges Joseph ’06: Esther Kahn Grant for a performance highlighting some of the significant works of the swing era featuring guest artist Andy McGhee.

“Pops Goes to the Zoo,” Harvard Pops Orchestra, Perry Tsai ’07: Esther Kahn Grant for a concert featuring performances of music involving animals and “beasts” from all kinds of popular music genres including student-written compositions.

“Sacred and Secular Masterworks,” Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum: Zachary Rothstein ’07: Esther Kahn Grant for a concert featuring works by Schutz, Bach, and Britten.

Dartmouth concert, Harvard Wind Ensemble, Harvard Jazz Bands, Harvard University Band, Anthony Delaney ’07: Esther Kahn Grant for a concert commemorating the 86th anniversary of the Harvard University Band.

THUD fall concert 2005, Danielle Lehle ’07: The Harvard Undergraduate Drummers (THUD): Esther Kahn Grant for a concert featuring both traditional and nontraditional percussion instruments including mallets, buckets, Zippos, and, per THUD tradition, red party cups.

Winter concert, Harvard Wind Ensemble, “Something Old, Something New,” Anthony Delaney ’07: Esther Kahn Grant for a concert showcasing the growth of the ensemble and featuring some of its most beloved and important pieces.

Fall 2005 grants for theater

“Alcestis,” Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club (HRDC), Jeremy Steinemann ’08: Timothy S. Mayer Grant for a January Loeb Ex production of a new adaptation of Euripides’ play featuring an original, student-composed score.

“The Rocky Horror Show,” HRDC, John Drake ’06: Timothy S. Mayer Grant for a staging of Richard O’Brien’s musical, the inspiration for the cult movie classic, in the Loeb Ex.

Harvard Story-Time Players, Linnea Meyer ’06: H. Todd Cobey Grant for fall performances of original work in Boston-area children’s hospitals and pediatric wards.

“The Alchemist,” HRDC Simon Nicholas ’07: H. Todd Cobey Grant for a production of Ben Jonson’s Jacobean satire.

The Colored Museum, BlackC.A.S.T. (community and student theater), Jon Gentry ’07: H. Todd Cobey Grant for George C. Wolfe’s show featuring numerous, diverse exhibits (scenes) that require actors to take on multiple roles.

Fall 2005 grant for traditional cultural arts

Cultural extravaganza, Harvard-Radcliffe Asian American Association, Mei Yi Pen ’07: Esther Kahn Grant for a showcase of the different cultural activities and arts of Asia.