News briefs: ASO’s Hill and Barlament honored; Gabrielle Beteag in Operalia

The Carnegie Corporation of New York has named Azira Hill as one of its 35 “Great Immigrants” for 2023. The prestigious honor celebrates the crucial role of naturalized citizens in American culture.

Hill is the co-founder of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Talent Development Program, which helps prepare Black and Hispanic youth to pursue advanced study and careers in music. She immigrated to the United States from Cuba.

The list of this year’s honorees includes Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief of Elle magazine; novelist Min Jin Lee; seven-time Grammy Award winner Alanis Morissette; The Mandalorian actor Pedro Pascal; and Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan.

“The Great Immigrants initiative is a tribute to the legacy of Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant who, like these honorees, found success in America, contributed enormously to his adopted country and inspired others to do the same,” Dame Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, said in a press release. “The 35 naturalized citizens honored embody that tradition, reminding us that the contributions of immigrants make our country more vibrant and our democracy more resilient.”

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Brevard Music Center honors Barlament

ASO Executive Director Jennifer Barlament has received the 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Brevard Music Center.

Founded in 1936 in the mountains of North Carolina, Brevard is the host of one of the country’s premier summer classical music training programs and festivals. Each summer, more than 700 students come to the center for specialized music lessons and student concerts.

Barlament, who trained as a classical musician, said her stay at Brevard’s music camp in 1988 was an experience she won’t forget. “Summer camps like Brevard are so transformative to the development of young musicians’ careers,” she said in a press release. “As I see our Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and Talent Development Program students attend Brevard, I know they will have a great experience that will give them a solid next step on their musical journey.”

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Mezzo-soprano Gabrielle Beteag competes in Operalia

Atlanta native Gabrielle Beteag, who is currently an Adler Fellow with the San Francisco Opera, has been selected to participate in the World Opera Competition in South Africa this fall.

A highly lauded mezzo-soprano, Beteag is a former Atlanta Opera Studio player who performed under the tent in the 2021 production of The Threepenny Carmen. 

She is part of The Nancy Frampton Rising Artists Series and will make her Atlanta solo concert debut July 29 at Morningside Presbyterian Church.

Beteag graduated from Brookwood High School and received a master’s degree from Georgia State University. 

In 2020, she was a Grand Finals Winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

The Operalia competition is celebrating its 30th year, and Beteag is one of 34 singers selected from around the world. She is one of eight from the United States, and the first Atlantan selected in recent memory.

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The ASO returns to Piedmont Park in September

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra will return to Piedmont Park this fall for another free concert on Oak Hill.

The open air concerts at Piedmont have proven immensely popular, drawing tens of thousands of people to listen to the orchestra. The ASO last performed there June 22 with a Latin-flavored program.

“After an incredible performance (in June) to a huge and enthusiastic crowd, we’re looking forward to return to Piedmont Park again this fall,” Susan Ambo, the ASO’s executive vice president and chief financial officer, said in a press release. “We love engaging with the community in such a beautiful setting for an evening of great music.”

On September 30, the orchestra will return for a 7:30 p.m. concert that will feature selections from its upcoming season. William R. Langley will conduct the season sneak preview with music by Tchaikovsky, Holst, Mozart and more.

As usual, attendees are encouraged to arrive early with picnic dinners and blankets. Food trucks will be on-site, and the ASO will have family-friendly activities available.