SKANEATELES FESTIVAL
Emerging Artist Residency
Over the years the Skaneateles Festival has brought young emerging talent to our stage. Violinist Hilary Hahn first performed at the Festival in 1992 at aged 12. And pianists Awadagin Pratt (1992), Conrad Tao (2009), Joey Alexander (2017), Avery Gagliano (2021) and Maxim Lando (2022) have all graced our stage, providing tremendous opportunities for them to learn, as we in turn learned from them. But this was an ad-hoc tradition, and seemed like we would all benefit from a more consistent approach if we did this every season.
A consistent program would:
– Enable the Festival to foster lasting relationships with emerging artists
– Strengthen our network of support for the artist and the Festival alike
– Enable us to reach a broader/younger audience
– Inspire and encourage students to pursue music
– Help facilitate our commitment to the Widen the Circle Diversity Initiative
Most of all an Emerging Artists program dovetails well with what the Festival stands for – enduring friendship, hospitality, discovery, engagement and joy.
-Doug Whitehouse, Former President
The Skaneateles Festival Emerging Artist Residency is sponsored by the Andromeda Foundation
2025: Ziggy & Miles
Ziggy and Miles were the Skaneateles Festival’s 2025 Emerging Artists in Residence. As part of their week-long residency the duo be performed at a series of outreach events in the CNY area including; The Kendal at Ithaca, Golissano at Upstate, Seymour Library, Auburn Public Theatre. Baltimore Woods Nature Center, and May Memorial.
Ziggy and Miles are actively involved in community engagement and have a passion for providing education and music to people without access to live performances or high-quality music education. They have collaborated with organizations across Australia and the US including Melbourne Recital Centre, The Juilliard School, and Project: Music Heals Us. One highlight for the brothers was their Music Always tour, partnered with Melbourne Recital Centre. This 2-week 12-concert tour saw the brothers travelling across their home state of Victoria to aged care facilities, community centers, medical facilities, and psychiatric wards. Ziggy and Miles regard this as one of their most emotionally challenging yet rewarding experiences as musicians to date.
2024: Ivalas Quartet
2023: Steven Banks, Saxophone
Steven Banks served as the first offical Emerging Artist in Residence in 2023 (formally named Young Artist in Residence). Banks’ residency marked the first year of the Festival’s offical outreach program which serves as an extention of the Widen the Circle intitative adopted by the Festival board in 2022.
Steven performed at venues such as the Auburn Public Theatre, RedHouse Theatre, Salt City Market, Seymour Library, Upstate Cancer Center. Rounding out his week-long residency Banks performed a KidsFest performance and a main concert accompanied by pianist Xak Bjerken in Skaneateles.
We hope to see you soon!
