The day I reached her at her Connecticut home, Music From Angel Fire’s Artistic Director Ida Kavafian was caring for her beloved dog, Billie Holiday, one of the Hungarian Vizslas she and husband, violist Steven Tenenbom, breed, train and show at their on-site kennel, “Opus One Vizslas.”
“She won the national championship last year,” Kavafian says of the 8-year-old, who was recuperating from having just been spayed (though not before passing that regal blood on to her puppies).
Kavafian was, as always, gracious and friendly as she shared a few thoughts the day before she was to return to the famed Philadelphia Curtis Institute where she and Steven teach.
Speaking excitedly about the 25th anniversary of the festival she has helmed as artistic director the past 24 years, Kavafian shared a few highlights of this year’s program, including performances of original works by famed “fiddler” Mark O’Connor. “We are doing a touring and recording project together into next year and Angel Fire is one of the stops.
“He’s a bluegrass fiddler, but he’s pretty versatile. We’ll play one of his quartets opening night in Angel Fire and another the next night in Taos.”
Besides the appearances by O’Connor, Kavafian says concertgoers can look forward to a world premiere piece by this year’s composer-in-residence, renowned artist Joan Tower — “one of the most successful woman composers of all time” according to The New Yorker magazine.
“It’s quite a coup,” Ida says. “The fact that she’s celebrating her 70th year with us is exciting, and for her to feature Angel Fire as one of the places where she’ll be premiering one of her works … that’s a big deal. She took one look at our roster of musicians and said, ‘I want to be a part of this.’”
Tower is not the only one to be impressed by the caliber of Music from Angel Fire artists. This year, many MFAF favorites are returning for this silver anniversary, including 11 young musicians from the Curtis Institute. “The Young Artist program is always a highlight. Steve and I together select who’s going to come to Angel Fire every year.”
For the past four years that has included a young composer-in-residence, including this year’s 28-year-old Christopher Weiss, the youngest competitor ever to win the top prize in the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra’s “Fresh Ink” composer’s competition.
Asked about this momentous year, Kavafian says, “It’s hard to sum up in a few words. That area of the country has become a big part of my life. I do love it and I love the people. We could take this festival anywhere and it would be hugely successful. The fact that we all choose to come to Angel Fire says something. What a testament to the festival and to the community that the musicians all come back year after year after year!
“It’s about the music and about the people. The fact that it takes place in Angel Fire is awe-inspiring.”
—Story by Ellen Miller-Goins
