About the Kristin Pankonin Art-Song Award

The Kristin Pankonin Art-Song Award was endowed at SFCM by Kristin’s friends and fans to honor her legacy of collaborative music-making, and her passion for new vocal work. Each fall student consortiums comprised of a composer, vocalist, and collaborative pianist submit proposals for new English-language art-song cycles. The proposals–which include samples of previous works, the selected poem or text, and vision for the cycle–are vetted by SFCM faculty, with the assistance of outside judges. The winning consortium receives a cash prize, and then creates and rehearses the new piece, which is premiered the following spring at the annual Kristin Pankonin Art-Song Showcase Concert.

About Kristin Pankonin

A long-time staff accompanist at SFCM, Kristin Pankonin drew students, faculty members, and guest artists into her orbit by force of her compelling artistry, skill, commitment, and humor. She moved audiences around the world through countless recitals. Those fortunate enough to share the stage with her would say that she had “it,” a hard-to-define quality that made for particularly rich and satisfying music-making. A champion of new music, Kristin became a first-choice pianist for composers who appreciated her uninhibited and insightful approach. Her discography for Pentatone includes world premiere recordings of pieces by John Corigliano, David Garner, Gordon Getty, Jake Heggie, and Luna Pearl Woolf, many written for her and her collaborative partners. A master of many genres, she was particularly inspiring with vocal music.

Program

An evening of American Art-song, featuring works by Samuel Barber, Matt Boehler, David Conte, Nicholas Denton-Protsack (2018 Pankonin Award winner), David Garner, Gordon Getty, Jake Heggie, Richard Pearson Thomas, and Ben Yarmolinsky.

Jake Heggie
Selections from The Book Of Nightmares (2013)

David Garner '79
Selections from Phenomenal Woman (2004) 

Richard Pearson Thomas
Amarilli, mia bella (inspired by G. Caccini)

David Garner
Candil   

Ben Yarmolinsky
The Doubtful Guest

Richard Pearson Thomas
Damaged

David Garner
Three Blake Settings (1985)

Nicholas Denton-Protsack '19
Selections from Mountain Trails (2018)
     2018 Pankonin Award Winner (World Premiere)

David Conte
Three Nash Settings (2016) (World Premiere)            

Samuel Barber
Selections from Despite and Still (1968)

David Garner
Tombstones in the Starlight (1998)              

Matt Boehler '17
it is enough (2017)

Gordon Getty
The Going From a World We Know (1988)   

Performers

Christine Abraham '87, mezzo-soprano
Steven Bailey, piano
Marnie Breckenridge '96, soprano
Catherine Cook, mezzo-soprano
Lisa Delan '89, soprano
Matt Haimovitz, cello
Jake Heggie, piano
Ashlyn Herd '18 (2018 Pankonin Award winner)
Kevin Korth '08, piano
Bruce Rameker '87, baritone
Raeeka Shehabi-Yaghmai '04, soprano
Krista Wigle '02, soprano
Xin Zhao '17, piano (2018 Pankonin Award winner)