“Valerie is an extraordinary flutist, composer and founder of a groundbreaking ensemble, with an unflagging devotion to teaching and mentorship,” said Fred Child, host of Performance Today. “Our choice was clear. We are proud to name her as this year’s Classical Woman of the Year.”
Professor Coleman will be honored on tomorrow’s episode of Performance Today and she will speak with Child about her extensive career in classical music and pieces on which she’s currently working. Performance Today will air a show focusing on Coleman’s music and performances on Wednesday, April 8.
“I am grateful to Performance Today and its listeners for supporting my music and naming me their Classical Woman of the Year,” said Coleman. “It is a privilege and I hope that my work as a flutist, composer, and educator at the Frost School of Music creates bridges and inspires healing to all who experience it, including the hybrid artists of tomorrow.”
“Professor Coleman is at the forefront and is an exemplar of 21st century musical careers. She is brilliant and renowned as a flute soloist, composer, chamber musician, ensemble leader, and entrepreneur,” said Shelton G. Berg, Dean of the Frost School of Music. “This is the elevated skill set we want for students in the Frost School of Music, and it is the recipe for being named Classical Woman of the Year!”
A GRAMMY-nominated artist, Professor Coleman is the founder and former member of the internationally acclaimed ensemble Imani Winds. She has received many awards and commissions from organizations including Carnegie Hall, American Composers Orchestra and The Library of Congress. Named one of the “Top 35 Women Composers” by Washington Post, Coleman is widely recognized for her composition “Umoja,” which made its orchestral debut last fall with the Philadelphia Orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Coleman has dedicated much of her career to making music inclusive and is an advocate and mentor for emerging artists. She joined the faculty of Frost School of Music at the University of Miami in 2018 as Assistant Professor of Performance, Chamber Music and Entrepreneurship. She has led masterclasses across the United States and created the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival, a New York City program devoted to career development and excellence.
Valerie Coleman can be seen performing in the first concert of “Friday Nights @ Frost a virtual concert series rebroadcasting selected performances from the Frost Music Live Concert Series, Friday, March 27 at 7:30 PM.
- The Frost Chamber Players “Musica de Camera Latinoamericana” - originally performed February 21, 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMfkKlqdrJQ
Photo credit: J. Abreu
