Crowden’s 40th anniversary year culminated this past Memorial Day weekend in extraordinary fashion, complete with capacity crowds, standing ovations, and the largest gatherings of our Crowden community yet. But it was the experience–both electric and affirming–of reuniting with so many beloved friends, students, and Crowden believers that makes us more excited about our future together than ever before.
The electricity on the ground began much earlier that week, as more and more alumni and musician friends started to drop by campus to share early hellos and rehearse for the Anniversary Concert at Hertz Hall. It was a special treat to welcome Anne Crowden’s daughter Deirdre Cooper, who flew in from London for the occasion, and spent time with our students and teachers soaking in what her mother’s vision has evolved into today.
Our John Adams Young Composers Program presented the first public concert of the anniversary weekend, held off-campus at the intimate, brick-lined, sofa-filled concert space, the Backstage, in downtown Berkeley. It was an evening entirely of new premieres for voice and instruments, composed by our exciting young composers, and performed by baritone Nick Rizzo and soprano Amy Foote.
Back on campus, four generations of Crowden musicians gathered for a whirlwind of rehearsals, including preparations for the world premiere of Arches by Samuel Adams (’00), commissioned just for the 40th anniversary. Longtime faculty member (and so much more) Heidi Mattson watched the final rehearsal of Arches on the Hoefer Auditorium stage: “This is where I felt all the threads of Crowden reverberating across the decades. It was a truly spiritual moment for me, seeing all the ‘kids’ old and young in the same space, sharing the same vision of collectively creating something beautiful together. As a teacher, I could see every minute of their training and practice, and as a listener I could feel every ounce of passion and joy–from watching Sam [Adams] watch them, to seeing Alexie (’24) play with the same physicality as Jory (’91), to watching the calm and humble expertise of Nora [Chastain], and even with Eugene’s expected comment at the end, that there was even more to work on!”
At the 40th Anniversary Concert itself, at Hertz Hall, Opera Hall of Fame and arts education advocate Frederica von Stade welcomed a sold-out audience. It was a program filled with Crowden favorites, traditions, and homegrown composers, performed by an incredible array of alums, past and present faculty, longtime mentors, and our current students. Each half of the concert ended with standing ovations and multiple curtain calls, first for Arches, then for a beloved Crowden tradition, our ubiquitous concert-closer, Fiddle Faddle by Leroy Anderson.
The next day, over 300 Crowden community members filled campus for our Reunion Brunch. It was incredible to welcome so many new and old friends from all walks of Crowden life, including alumni and families representing nearly every class in our 40-year history! Speaking in our Hoefer Auditorium, one of our founding figures, Brigitte Mancini (who traveled from her home in Italy for the weekend), shared the history of the school with newer generations of Crowden families. “I’m so happy to see [Anne Crowden’s] vision continue. The school still has wings, still has the spark of creativity and spontaneity. Like so many kids who studied here, this school is like a flower that continues to blossom.” Crowden Artistic Director Eugene Sor noted, “Your presence here this weekend is more than a celebration of music, more than an anniversary of a beloved institution. It is a celebration of all the good that Crowden brings into the world, and all the good we collectively bring to Crowden. It is a model of how we’d like to envision the world.”
Our shared values, love of Crowden, and excitement for Crowden’s future shined all weekend long. It was a remarkable experience for all of us involved–affecting, affirming, invigorating, and inspiring. As we reflect on the culmination of our 40th Anniversary, our heartfelt thanks go out again to Doris Fukawa for envisioning this celebration years ago, to our generous host committee co-chaired by SHELBY AND FREDERICK GANS and BRUCE BURNAM, and to our 40th Anniversary Concert Honoree, philanthropist and composer GORDON GETTY. And to all of the many incredible volunteers and students who made this celebration possible, we are grateful, deeply moved, and incredibly excited to do it all again, with you, in ten years!
“Like any good birthday,” surmises Head of School Dan Meyer, “it’s as much about the wish you make for the upcoming years when you blow out the candle, as it is the years that preceded. There is much to celebrate in Crowden’s past, present, and our shared future.”
TOP PHOTO: Artistic Director Eugene Sor conducts the world premiere of “Arches” with violin soloists Nora Chastain and David McCarroll (’99), and a string orchestra of Crowden students and faculty. Photo by Together Pictures.