Sarah
Jimenez
Submitted:
December 29, 2010
Awarded
: $
1500
Contact Information:
Sarah
Jimenez
28 Carlisle Road
Acton
Massachusetts
01720
USA
5084231274
Reference 1:
Lucy Bardo
Reference 2:
Jane Hershey
Summary of Submitted Materials:
Submitted Documents:
Submitted Recordings:
Committee Notes:
Hmmm.... Sato's instruments are, indeed, fine... and $2,500 is also a chunk o' change, especially for someone who sounds like a competent beginner, rather than a pro performer/ teacher on the edge of a new career. It's not as though there aren't other trebles out there that she could play on- and this is doesn't seem like a make-or-break situation, in terms of this instrument- rather, it's just an opportunity to grab a nice instrument which she likes. I'm not sure what else to say... I would be curious to hear what the rest of you think.
Oh- and is it upon one of us to contact Lucy and Jane, or are those recommendation letters supposed to be part of this application?
I'm with David. I was not impressed with the performance beyond the fact that it's always good to hear another convert to the viol, and I wondered if this grant would be the best use of our funds when there are no doubt other trebles available for less. I mean, I expect that any number of people would like to buy that treble. But I, too, would like to hear from her references - perhaps there's something missing from the picture. Peter, I'm hoping you're seeing this - so should we contact them?
Jack - The applicant is supposed to ask her references to email letters to the President of the VdGSA, and the President in turn is supposed to add them here as new notes. So, perhaps Wendy has yet to receive them or has not had time to add them to the application.
ah, right - we operate behind a screen. forgot. thanks.
Based on the two letters of recommendation and the applicant's own words, I feel this is very worthy application. We have made it a policy to consider applicants who are not necessarily on the fast-track to a concert career, but who show promise as valuable future contributors to the viol community in other ways, and I think Sarah more than fits the bill. $2500 is a chunk of change, but if we want to reserve enough funds for possible future applicants, we do have the option to grant a smaller amount and encourage Sarah to seek another funding source for the balance -- or seek a less pricey viol (although the serendipity appeal of the Satoh is very persuasive, I have to say)
I would go along with granting her a smaller amount. The two rec. letters were both strong and encouraging, indeed.
-DM
Once again I concur with Wise David. I'm glad Lucy clarified about the recording, though I wish we could hear a better one. On the other hand, this isn't just for pre-professional performers - it's for people who show promise about contributing to the society and the future of the instrument, as someone's note already pointed out. But I would be more comfortable making the grant somewhat smaller than the request. Is this a rolling budget, or is there some discrete amount that we need to get through in some limited time, and what is that time?
With reference to Julie's letter to Alice, I thought that we had the protocols of the GIA program worked out. Did we only come to general agreement but not offer it as a document? When it is a document, or if it is now,
can it be posted somewhere on the VdGSA site where we, at least, if not others, can review it as we are making these deliberations? Or is it already here somewhere?
- Jack
I brought our protocol suggestions to the last board meeting, where more discussion ensued, generating more suggestions, but nothing has been set in stone yet. That is what the Task Force has been "tasked" to do. When the time comes, the GIA page on the Website will certainly be updated. But Jack, wouldn't you like to be added to the Task Force? Your experience and level-headedness would be incredibly useful. Or we could just cc you on our deliberations, and you can weigh in when the spirit moves you (maybe the difference between those two options is academic).
ah... so we HAD done our bit. Whew - it's a relief to hear that! I would be happy to be involved with the Task Force. I miss being involved with the Society, and if this is work I can do I am happy to do it.
Dear David, Jack and Julie,
I'm just sitting here on the sidelines listening, where I think I should be at least until Sarah's application is discussed and decided. In your last conversation about the Burrus application and the discussion which went on at Conclave I learned a lot about how the panel is operating. I did read all the other deliberations on the previous successful and and unsuccessful applications. I'm still trying to figure out the role of chair aside from reporting to Alice in January. A couple of questions: who reports to the applicants on the panel's decision? does anybody explain why an application is rejected? aaaand does anybody think deadlines useful? I ask because for the regional workshop grants, there are no deadlines, and that seems to work just fine. As Ken says, it all comes out of the same pot of money.
Lucy
Project Description:
I am applying to the Grant-in-Aid program for financial assistance in the purchase of a treble viola da gamba. As a college senior graduating this December I very recently had to return the treble I had borrowed from my school, Simons Rock College. Im currently in possession of a wonderful instrument that I am hoping to acquire. The financial support I had anticipated from my parents has been severely reduced as my father recently lost his job, so I would be extremely appreciative of any help in acquiring it. The treble was made in 1981 by Kazuya Sato and is being sold for 5000 by its current owner. If the society were able to grant half of that, 2500, then I should be able to work for the remainder over time, as well as for the cost of bow.
Request Amount:
$
Total Project Cost:
$
2500
Budget and Additional Funding:
Qualifications:
The support of the society would mean a great deal to me. I have been playing the treble for seven academic semesters, or three years and three months, during which I took regular lessons from Lucy Bardo and participated in my schools early music ensemble which gives a concert every semester and has on occasion performed at off-campus venues. My interest and activities with the gamba increased considerably just this past year as I was able to attend the Young Players Weekend in March, the World Fellowship Early Music Week in June and the 2010 Conclave in July. At each event I was able to study with incredible teachers and performers who inspired me to move forward with my own performance studies. The experience I gained from those workshops in performing for others gave me the confidence to give my own very first and hopefully not last solo recital this past semester, for which I was able to prepare a number of solo pieces and personally coach a duet and a trio. I have attached a link to download the sound files of the concert recording. Now that I have graduated from college Im very eager to move forward with my musical activities. For the past four years Ive studied composition and music history, with music theory informing both. For my senior thesis I decided to undertake a musicological study, and Im hoping to continue to compose especially for viols as well. But the viola da gamba represents an important chance for me to expand my experience in the realm of performance, which I had never even considered before learning to play this wonderful instrument . If I were to acquire this treble viol I would be able to continue to take lessons and join the local consort and ensembles and as I am currently living in Boston, there are many opportunities
Letter of Reference 1:
Jane's recommendation, which reached me today...WG
I highly recommend Sarah Jimenez for a VDGSA Grant-in-Aid to support her purchase of a concert-quality treble viol for her continued viol studies. Serendipity is a big factor for anyone in finding a good quality instrument; aspiring treble viol players in particular must be ready to act quickly to take advantage of an unforeseen opportunity for acquiring a needed instrument. It would be a tremendous help to Sarah as a player to be able to do this.
I worked with Sarah for the first time at the World Fellowship Early Music Week in June 2010. I was impressed by her musical intelligence and her already-solid viol technique, note-worthy for a player of her experience. I also observed that she is a skilled and generous ensemble player.
The next time I heard Sarah was a month later, in July 2010, at the VDGSA Conclave Student Concert. In her featured role in a contemporary piece, she performed with confidence and excellent musical understanding.
Sarah, a product of an excellent musical education at Simon's Rock College, will be a great addition to the viola da gamba scene; she deserves an opportunity to own an instrument worthy of her level of competence.
Jane Hershey
Letter of Reference 2:
Here is Lucy's recommendation:
Sarah Jimenez has studied with me for her four years at Simons Rock College. She started as an outright string instrument beginner while pursuing her studies in music theory, composition, piano and French. She has been throughout a diligent and perceptive student, who struggled with coordination and overly flexible fingers. The piano yielded benefits to the treble viol player who now reads a couple of varieties of treble, as well as bass and alto clefs. She is too small to play a bass so she has concentrated on treble. From her first year on, she has cultivated a lovely sound on an Ogle Chinese viol owned by the school. Over the course of her studies, she has become particularly interested in the French viol literature of the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as contemporary music for viols. At Simons Rock she was a mainstay of the Collegium, becoming this past semester an assistant to me in teaching beginning viol students. She is particularly good as a consort player, interested in how the music is put together, and again a strong leader who coached two of the ensemble pieces on her recital program this past December 4. Why she uploaded Segunda for her application is a mystery to me. Perhaps there was some glitch in her recording effort, which deleted the other music on the program. In any case, it was the weakest of the pieces she performed. The rest of her program was very good. She had, for the most, plenty of control of the technical aspects, and a maturity in phrasing and spacing of phrases. She made her application much later than I expected and she did not seek my advice. I first learned about her application when I saw it on the judges' panel site, and was somewhat chagrined to see Segunda there. Since graduating from Simons Rock in December, she now has no instrument. The Satoh viol has become available exactly when she needs an instrument. In treble viol land, this is serendipitous. As viol and consort teachers we all know that there are not enough strong treble players. Because of this and the fixation on bass viols, there are not that many good or even so-so trebles available to buy. Sarah has an excellent opportunity. I can assure you she will grow into this instrument beautifully, and will be on her way to becoming a valuable member of VDGSA.
Lucy Bardo
January 2, 2011