Imani Winds: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|American wind quintet}}

| name = Imani Winds

| image =

| caption =

| image_size = 300px

| alias =

| origin = [[New York City]], United States

| genre = [[Classical music|Classical]], [[Chamber music]], [[Jazz]], [[Latin American music|Latin]]

| years_active = 1997–present

| label = Koch Int'l Classics/[[Koch Entertainment]]

| associated_acts =

| current_members = [[Brandon Patrick George]], [[flute]]<br />Toyin Spellman-Diaz, [[oboe]]<br />Mark Dover, [[clarinet]]<br />Kevin Newton, [[French Horn]]<br />Monica Ellis, [[bassoon]]

| past_members = Valerie Coleman, [[flute]]<br />Jeff Scott, [[French Horn]]<br />Mariam Adam, [[clarinet]]

| website = [http://www.imaniwinds.com/ www.ImaniWinds.com]

'''Imani Winds''' is an American [[wind quintet]] based in [[New York City]], United States. The group was founded by flutist [[Valerie Coleman]] in 1997<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal|last=Westbrook|first=Peter|date=Spring 2008|title=Valerie Coleman: Revitalizing the Woodwind Quintet|journal=The Flutist Weekly|volume=33|pages=36–39}}</ref> and is known for its adventurous and diverse programming, which includes both established and newly composed works.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=DeLorenzo|first=LC|date=19 June 2012|title=Missing Faces from the Orchestra: An Issue of Social Justice?|journal=Music Educators Journal|volume=98|pages=39–46|doi=10.1177/0027432112443263|s2cid=144082775}}</ref> The word Imani means "faith" in Swahili. They are also active commissioners of new music with the intent of introducing more diverse composers to the wind quintet repertoire.<ref name=":22">{{Cite news|last=Schweitzer|first=Vivien|date=2008-11-14|title=Sound of Woodwinds, Calling for Change|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/16/arts/music/16schw.html|access-date=2021-04-09|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The name "Imani Winds" was chosen by Coleman before she formed the quintet. She viewed it as a vision of what the quintet could mean to African-American and other underrepresented communities.<ref name=":02"/> Coleman wanted to form a chamber group to highlight the work of underrepresented composers and performers.<ref name=":02" /> Therefore, the group's initial members were all of [[African American]] and Latino ancestry. The group first included Valerie Coleman on [[flute]], [[Toyin Spellman-Diaz]] on [[oboe]], Monica Ellis on [[bassoon]], Mariam Adam on [[clarinet]], and Jeff Scott on [[french horn]].<ref name=":02" /> In 2016 [https://markdovermusic.com/ Mark Dover] replaced Mariam Adam, in 2018 [[Brandon Patrick George]] replaced Valerie Coleman, and in 2021, Kevin Newton replaced Jeff Scott.

The group has released nine CDs. Their first CD on a major label, ''The Classical Underground'' ([[Koch Entertainment]]), was released in January 2005 and was nominated for a [[Grammy award]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.music-slam.com/complete-list-of-2006-grammy-nominees/ |title=Complete List Of 2006 Grammy Nominees |website=Music-slam.com |date=2005-12-08 |accessdate=2016-07-24}}</ref> Their 2023 album ''Passion for Bach and Coltrane'', a multimedia collaboration with poet [[A. B. Spellman]], won the 2024 [[Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium]].

In 2001 they won the Richard S. Weinert Award for Innovation in Classical Music from the [[Concert Artists Guild]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-05-16|title=Imani Winds Receives CAG's Inaugural Innovation Award|url=https://nmbx.newmusicusa.org/social-news/imani-winds-receives-cags-inaugural-innovation-award/|access-date=2021-04-19|website=NewMusicBox|language=en}}</ref> In 2002, they won the [[Chamber Music America|CMA]]/[[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|ASCAP]] Award for Adventurous Programming and the [[Chamber Music America|CMA]]/[[WQXR-FM|WQXR]] Recording Award for their first album ''Umoja''.<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds|url=https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/artists/2549/imani-winds|access-date=2021-04-08|website=LA Phil|language=en}}</ref> In 2007, they won the [[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|ASCAP]] Concert Music Award.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Del Tredici, Oteri, Gil Rose and Imani Winds receive 2007 ASCAP Concert Music Awards {{!}} BMOP|url=https://www.bmop.org/news-press/del-tredici-oteri-gil-rose-and-imani-winds-receive-2007-ascap-concert-music-awards|access-date=2021-04-19|website=www.bmop.org}}</ref>

Imani Winds have toured throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, and participated in Chamber Music Society Two, a professional residency program of [[The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center]].<ref>{{cite web|date=|title=The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center &#124; About CMS » CMS Two Alumni|url=http://www.chambermusicsociety.org/about/cms_two_alumni|website=Chambermusicsociety.org|accessdate=2016-07-24}}</ref> In addition, Imani has toured internationally and recorded with saxophonist [[Steve Coleman]], performed with pop recording artists [[Morley (singer)|Morley]], and opened for [[Cassandra Wilson]] and [[Wynton Marsalis]].<ref>{{cite web|date=|title=Imani Winds|url=http://www.kennedy-center.org/Artist/B10406|publisher=Kennedy-center.org|accessdate=2016-07-24}}</ref> They have performed with several notable jazz musicians such as [[Wayne Shorter]], [[Steve Coleman]], [[Paquito D'Rivera]], and [[Stefon Harris|Steffon Harris]]. They have appeared on radio programs including ''[[Saint Paul Sunday]]'',<ref>{{cite web|date=|title=Saint Paul Sunday: Imani Winds plays Haas, del Aguila|url=http://saintpaulsunday.publicradio.org/programs/583/|website=Saintpaulsunday.publicradio.org|accessdate=2016-07-24}}</ref> ''[[Performance Today]]'',<ref>{{cite web|date=2016-05-26|title=Jeremy Denk and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra|url=http://www.yourclassical.org/programs/performance-today/episodes/2016/05/26|website=Yourclassical.org|accessdate=2016-07-24}}</ref> ''[[Performance Today]],''<ref name=":12"/> ''[[News & Notes]]'',<ref>{{cite web|author=|date=2006-05-23|title=Classical Chamber Music Ensemble Imani Winds|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5425259|publisher=NPR|accessdate=2016-07-24}}</ref> ''[[The Bob Edwards Show]]'',<ref>{{cite web|date=|title=Forthcoming on The Bob Edwards Show — Bob Edwards Radio|url=http://www.bobedwardsradio.com/blog/2012/2/3/forthcoming-on-the-bob-edwards-show.html|website=Bobedwardsradio.com|accessdate=2016-07-24}}</ref> and ''[[The World (radio program)|The World]]''.<ref name=":12"/>

=== Legacy Commissioning Project ===

Imani Winds began the Legacy Commissioning Project in 2008 with the intention of commissioning and premiering ten new works for wind quintet by composers of color and diverse backgrounds over a five-year period.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Brook|first=Peter|date=Spring 2011|title=Terra Incognita Imani Winds|journal=The Flutist Quarterly|volume=36|pages=78}}</ref> The group has continued to commission and premiered more works after the initial five-year time frame, and the group has continued their original intent to introduce more diverse composers to the standard wind quintet repertoire.

== Commissions ==

{| class="wikitable"

!Composer

!Title(s)

!For LCP

!Notes

|-

|[[Fred Ho]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fred Ho|url=https://jazztimes.com/artists/fred-ho/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=JazzTimes|language=en-US}}</ref>

|Josephine Baker's Angels from the Rainbow

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Paquito D'Rivera]]<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|first=Frank J.|last=Oterion|date=2010-09-01|title=Imani Winds: Terra Incognita|url=https://nmbx.newmusicusa.org/imani-winds-terra-incognita/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=NewMusicBox|language=en}}</ref>

|Kites

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Wayne Shorter]]<ref name=":3" />

|Terra Incognita

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Alvin Singleton]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=PSNY: Alvin Singleton - Through It All|url=https://www.eamdc.com/psny/composers/alvin-singleton/works/through-it-all/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.eamdc.com}}</ref>

|Through it All

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Roberto Sierra]]<ref name=":22"/>

|Concierto de Camara

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Jason Moran (musician)|Jason Moran]]

|Cane<ref name="honor.carnegiehall.org">{{Cite web |url=http://honor.carnegiehall.org/honor/events/eventDetail.aspx@evt=11757.html |access-date=2022-01-29 |website=honor.carnegiehall.org

|title=Panel Discussion and Premieres |publisher=[[Carnegie Hall]] |date=March 8, 2009}}

</ref> Jump Cut Rose<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds and Jason Moran: Minimally Inspired, Major Imprint|url=https://www.sfcv.org/articles/feature/imani-winds-and-jason-moran-minimally-inspired-major-imprint|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.sfcv.org|language=en}}</ref>

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Daniel Bernard Roumain]]<ref name="honor.carnegiehall.org"/>

|Five Chairs and One Table

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Stefon Harris]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds and Stefon Harris to perform jazz concert Sept. 30 {{!}} Penn State University|url=https://news.psu.edu/story/174409/2009/09/09/imani-winds-and-stefon-harris-perform-jazz-concert-sept-30|access-date=2021-04-28|website=news.psu.edu|language=en}}</ref>

|Anatomy of a Box (A Sonic Painting in Wood, Metal, and Wind)

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Jonathan Russell (composer)|Jonathan Russell]]

|Arrangement of [[Igor Stravinsky|Stravinsky's]] [[The Rite of Spring|Rite of Spring]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Five musicians test endurance and flexiblity with classic Rite of Spring|url=https://houston.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/10-14-13-beauty-in-diversity-imani-winds-flexes-musical-muscles-in-massive-irite-of-springi-adaptation/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=CultureMap Houston|language=en}}</ref> Arrangement of [[Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov|Rimsky-Korsakov's]] [[Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov)|Scheherazade]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=20171201-Imani Winds|url=http://www.middlebury.edu/old-arts/performing/archive/2017-2018-season/20171201-imani-winds|access-date=2021-04-28|website=Middlebury|language=en}}</ref>

Arrangement of [[Gustav Holst|Holst's]] [[The Planets]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-04-13|title=Imani Winds breaks the mold of the classical music ensemble in multiple ways|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/erry-2018/04/de437c29b92490/imani_winds_breaks_the_mold_of.html|access-date=2021-04-28|website=oregonlive|language=en}}</ref>

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Simon Shaheen]]<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-10-11|title=The Imani Winds Bring Improvisation to Classical Chamber Music Performance|url=https://www.sequenza21.com/2013/10/the-imani-winds-bring-improvisation-to-classical-chamber-music-performance/|access-date=2021-04-28|language=en-US}}</ref>

|Zafir

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Danilo Pérez|Danilo Perez]]

|Travesias Panamenas

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Mohammed Fairouz|Muhammed Fairouz]]

|Jebel Lebnan<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds - Philadelphia Chamber Music Artists|url=https://www.pcmsconcerts.org/artist/imani-winds/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=Philadelphia Chamber Music Society|language=en-US}}</ref> Deep Rivers<ref>{{Cite web|last=Greene|first=Teri|title=A world premiere, commemorating history|url=https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/life/2015/03/01/world-premiere-commemorating-history/24146151/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=The Montgomery Advertiser|language=en-US}}</ref>

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Vijay Iyer]]<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds final week as Ensemble-in-Residence culminates with two public performances {{!}} Music Department|url=https://music.uchicago.edu/news/imani-winds-final-week-ensemble-residence-culminates-two-public-performances|access-date=2021-04-28|website=music.uchicago.edu}}</ref>

|Bruits

|Yes

|

|-

|Jeff Scott

|Passion for Bach & Coltrane<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-04-19|title=Passion for Bach and Coltrane|url=https://hop.dartmouth.edu/events/passion-bach-and-coltrane|access-date=2021-04-28|website=Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth|language=en}}</ref>

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Frederic Rzewski]]<ref name=":4" />

|Sometimes

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Reena Esmail]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Harris|first=Dalanie|date=2021-01-25|title="We Cannot Continue This Way:" Imani Winds' BRUITS Calls for Change|url=https://www.icareifyoulisten.com/2021/01/cannot-continue-this-way-imani-winds-bruits-calls-change/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=I CARE IF YOU LISTEN|language=en-US}}</ref>

|The Light is the Same

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Courtney Bryan (composer)|Courtney Bryan]]<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds Breathes Vitality to the Legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks|url=https://www.chicagomaroon.com/article/2017/5/8/imani-winds-breathes-vitality-legacy-gwendolyn-bro/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.chicagomaroon.com|language=en}}</ref>

|Blooming

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Valerie Coleman]]

|Bronzeville<ref name=":5" /> Phenomenal Woman, Concerto for Wind Quintet<ref>{{Cite web|last=Holmes|first=Anne|date=2019-05-30|title=Hear it at the Library: The Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Performs a New Work Inspired by Maya Angelou's "Phenomenal Woman" {{!}} From the Catbird Seat: Poetry & Literature at the Library of Congress|url=https://blogs.loc.gov/catbird/2019/05/hear-it-at-the-library-the-orpheus-chamber-orchestra-performs-a-new-work-inspired-by-maya-angelous-phenomenal-woman/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=blogs.loc.gov}}</ref>

|Yes

|

|-

|Aaron Helgeson<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds: At the Cutting Edge {{!}} UChicago Arts {{!}} The University of Chicago|url=https://arts.uchicago.edu/event/imani-winds-cutting-edge|access-date=2021-04-28|website=arts.uchicago.edu}}</ref>

|Calls of close and away

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Henry Threadgill]]<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rucker|first=Patrick|title=Review {{!}} Imani Winds quintet warms up a frigid evening|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/imani-winds-quintet-warms-up-a-frigid-evening/2019/01/31/e81709ec-2577-11e9-90cd-dedb0c92dc17_story.html|access-date=2021-04-28|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

|2.6 Pentadactyl

|Yes

|

|-

|Alison Yun-Fei Jiang<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds {{!}} UChicago Arts {{!}} The University of Chicago|url=https://arts.uchicago.edu/event/imani-winds-1|access-date=2021-04-28|website=arts.uchicago.edu}}</ref>

|On Light and Birds

|Yes

|

|-

|Ted Moore<ref name=":6" />

|feedback vii: speak, contain

|Yes

|

|-

|Kevin Kay<ref name=":6" />

|Quiver

|Yes

|

|-

|Maria Kaoutzani<ref name=":6" />

|Speak, Mind

|Yes

|

|-

|J. P. Redmond<ref>{{Cite web|last=Winslow|first=Jeff|date=2018-08-07|title=Chamber Music Northwest review: middle-age crazy|url=https://www.orartswatch.org/chamber-music-northwest-review-middle-age-crazy/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=Oregon ArtsWatch|language=en-US}}</ref>

|9X9: Nine Pieces for Nonet

|Yes

|

|-

|James Primosch<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dobrin|first=Peter|title=Winsome Imani Winds gives world premiere of Four Sketches by Penn professor James Primosch|url=https://www.inquirer.com/entertainment/classical/imani-winds-four-stretches-james-primosch-world-cafe-live-20190216.html|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.inquirer.com|date=16 February 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

|Four Sketches

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Jessie Montgomery]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds Catalyst Quartet {{!}} Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State|url=https://cpa.psu.edu/events/imani-winds-catalyst-quartet|access-date=2021-04-28|website=cpa.psu.edu}}</ref>

|Sargeant McCauley

|Yes

|

|-

|Ledah Finck<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ledah Finck|url=https://www.newmusicusa.org/profile/ledah-finck/|access-date=2021-04-28|website=New Music USA|language=en}}</ref>

|Fractured Fossil

|Yes

|

|-

|[[Nathalie Joachim]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds with a new commissioned work by Nathalie Joachim|url=https://www.phillipscollection.org/event/2021-03-21-imani-winds-new-commissioned-work-nathalie-joachim|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.phillipscollection.org|date=21 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

|Seen

|Yes

|

|[[Richard Wernick]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Richard Wernick {{!}} Quintet For Winds (2006).|url=https://www.tfront.com/p-242065-quintet-for-winds-2006.aspx|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.tfront.com}}</ref>

|Quintet for Winds

|No

|Premiered but did not commission

|[[Kenji Bunch]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Theodore Front Musical Literature - Shout Chorus : For Woodwind Quintet (2006).|url=https://www.tfront.com/p-244984-shout-chorus-for-woodwind-quintet-2006.aspx|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.tfront.com}}</ref>

|Shout Chorus

|No

|Premiered but did not commission

== Discography ==

Source:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Imani Winds {{!}} Album Discography|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/imani-winds-mn0000145214/discography|access-date=2021-04-28|website=AllMusic|language=en}}</ref>

|-

|2002

|Umoja

|Imani Winds

|-

|2005

|The Classical Underground

|Koch International Classics / Koch

|-

|2006

|The Imani Winds

|Koch International Classics / Koch / Koch International

|-

|2007

|Josephine Baker: A Life of le Jazz Hot!

|eOne / Koch / Koch International Classics

|-

|2008

|This Christmas

|Koch / Koch International / Koch International Classics

|Terra Incongnita

|2013

|Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring

|EMI Classics

|2016

|Startin' Sumthin'

|eOne

|2021

|Bruits

|Bright Shiny Things

|2023

|Passion for Bach and Coltrane

|Imani Winds Media Production

'''With''' '''[[Steve Coleman]]'''

* 1999 – ''The Ascension to Light''

'''With [[Chris Brubeck|Brubeck Brothers Quartet]]'''

* 2008 – ''Classified''

'''With [[Chick Corea]]'''<ref>{{Citation|title=The Continents: Concerto for Jazz Quintet & Chamber Orchestra - Chick Corea {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-continents-concerto-for-jazz-quintet-chamber-orchestra-mw0002279270|language=en|access-date=2021-04-28}}</ref>

* 2012 - ''The Continents: Concerto for Jazz Quintet & Chamber Orchestra''

'''With [[Wayne Shorter]]'''

* 2013 – ''[[Without a Net (Wayne Shorter album)|Without a Net]]''

'''With [[Mohammed Fairouz]]'''<ref>{{Cite web|title=FAIROUZ, M.: Native Informant / Tahwidah / Chorale Fantasy / Posh / For Victims / Jebel Lebnan (Hughes, Kravitz, Barton Pine, Krakauer, Thompson) - 8.559744|url=https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.559744|access-date=2021-04-28|website=www.naxos.com}}</ref>

* 2013 – ''Native Informant''

'''With [[Edward Simon (musician)|Edward Simon]]'''<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sorrows & Triumphs, by Edward Simon|url=https://edwardsimon.bandcamp.com/album/sorrows-triumphs|access-date=2021-04-28|website=Edward Simon}}</ref>

* 2018 – ''Sorrows & Triumphs''

[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]