Program History

The Artist-in-Residence program was established in 1994 to create, in the words of former Institute Director Phillip A. Griffiths, "a musical presence within the Institute community, to have in residence a person whose work could be experienced and appreciated by scholars from all disciplines.” Although the Institute had previously sponsored a series of concerts annually, these were not part of any larger, planned program. In 1993 a new building, Wolfensohn Hall, was completed, and for the first time the Institute had an auditorium—designed as a lecture hall and concert venue, complete with Steinway concert grand piano—that could accommodate over two hundred people.

In 1994, Dr. Griffiths invited pianist Robert Taub to become the first Artist-in-Residence, and as such from 1994 to 2001, Taub brought solo, chamber, and vocal music to Institute audiences. He performed the entire cycle of Beethoven Piano Sonatas over a period of three years and completed, in Wolfensohn Hall, an extensive Vox Classics recording project, which produced five highly-acclaimed double-CDs of the Beethoven Piano Sonatas.  In addition to pre-concert lectures, Taub initiated a "Musical Conversations" series that focused primarily on new music and included bringing to the Institute such distinguished guests as James Levine and Milton Babbitt. 

During the 1998-99 season, composer Martin Butler visited the Institute as Composer-in-Residence, presenting scholarly talks and a piano recital while working on his compositions.

In 2000, composer Jon Magnussen was invited to become Artist-in-Residence at the Institute. As composer of music for the concert hall, dance, and drama, Magnussen holds a doctoral degree from The Juilliard School, and degrees from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris and Cornell University. With Magnussen's appointment, said Griffiths, "We will share an exploration of the opportunities and challenges facing today's composers in a changing technological landscape."

For performance during the 2001-2002 concert season, Magnussen composed concert works for percussion quartet, solo piano, baritone and piano, and violin with electronics.  He was also commissioned to write a score for José Limón’s classic ballet Psalm (1967), for chorus, baritone solo and chamber ensemble, which premiered to critical acclaim under the composer’s musical direction at the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Arts Festival. 

The 2002-2003 concert season embraced music spanning nine centuries, from the 12th to the 21st. Performed by nationally and internationally known artists, the series focused on music for the fortepiano, guitar, and for voice in solo and group settings. Magnussen also presented new works for vocal ensemble and guitar in world premiere performances in Wolfensohn Hall.

Magnussen was reappointed for an additional four-year term beginning in 2003-2004, and led the Artist-in-Residence Program in a new direction entitled Recent Pasts 20/21, a series of chamber music concerts and lectures designed to explore the wide variety of aesthetic perspectives in western art music of the 20th and early 21st centuries.  That year's series also featured speakers including composers Christian Wolff and George Perle, and philosopher Lydia Goehr; and a "work-in-progress" performance featuring portions of Magnussen's opera-in-progress, The Folding Cliffs.

The 2004-2005 series featured Pianomorphosis, the works of composers from Princeton and Music of the South Caucasus.  Speakers included the composers Philip Glass, Paul Lansky, Milton Babbitt and Andrew Imbrie, and conductor/scholar Joel Sachs.  The following year, jazz pianist Fred Hersch, Music from Copland House, and So Percussion and Trollstilt were featured performers.  Speakers included composers John Corigliano and David Lang.  Flux Quartet, The New York New Music Ensemble, Trio Solisti, and the Da Capo Chamber Players all performed in 2006-2007, while composers Somei Satoh, Steve Mackey, Robert Beaser and Paul Moravec spoke about their music.

In 2007, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Paul Moravec joined the Institute as the Artist-in-Residence.  Moravec's term as Artist-in-Residence ended as of June 30, 2008.  He served as Artistic Consultant to the Institute for the 2008-09 season, arranging and presenting the four pairs of concerts for the Edward T. Cone Concert Series.The 2007-2008 series featured David Krakauer performing with Marija Stroke and Will Holshousher performing Beyond Crossover; The Red Violin, featuring Maria Bachmann and Simon Mulligan; the Enso String Quartet; and Quartet New Generation.  Speakers included Mark Slobin, Terry Teachout, and Russell Oberlin. In 2008-2009, the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra appeared, as did Matt Haimovitz and Geoffrey Burleson, eighth blackbird, and Trio Solisti with soprano Amy Burton.

Composer and musician Derek Bermel was named Artist-in-Residence in 2009. The Edward T. Cone Concert Series for 2009-2010 will feature Derek Bermel and Christopher Taylor, the Music of William Bolcom, Midori, and Vijay Iyer and Craig Taborn.  For more information about the Artist-in-Residence program, email or call (609) 734-8228.

The Edward T. Cone Concert Series has been endowed by the Edward T. Cone Foundation.  Support is also provided by gifts to the endowment from the Fowler Merle-Smith Family Charitable Lead Trust; Giorgio^† and Elena Petronio; and Patricia H.^† & George Labalme, Jr., given in tribute to Phillip A. Griffiths, Director of the Institute, 1991-2003; and by Mrs. Gaby Borel in memory of Armand Borel and in honor of the 75th Anniversary of the Institute.

The Institute for Advanced Study gratefully acknowledges support of the Artist-in-Residence program from the endowment given by Mr. and Mrs. William H. Scheide and with annual support provided by the Friends of the Institute for Advanced Study.