Los Angeles Philharmonic Association Announces
Musicians Selected for the newly named
Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellows
Nancy and Leslie Abell & Eugene and Marilyn Stein name
Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen
LA Phil Resident Fellows Chairs
Los Angeles, CA (August 13, 2020) – The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association announced today the two new musicians selected for the newly named Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellows program: violinist Sydney Adedamola and violist Jarrett Threadgill, whose fellowship commences September 2020. The program, now in its third year, was launched during the 2018/19 season with the purpose of creating a pathway towards more diverse and inclusive orchestras of tomorrow. The fellowship is an excellence-based training program for superb early-career symphonic musicians representing or serving historically underrepresented populations. Its goal is to prepare these musicians to compete for, and win, positions in major professional orchestras.
The first four Resident Fellows began their fellowships in September 2018. Since then, we are proud to announce that Andrew François (viola) won a position with the St. Louis Symphony and Eduardo Rios (violin) was appointed as First Assistant Concertmaster with the Seattle Symphony. In September 2019, violinist Gabriela Peña-Kim joined Michael Fuller (bass) and Wesley Sumpter (percussion) in the program.
A cohort of Resident Fellows are appointed as musicians playing with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for up to three years. The Resident Fellows focus on their artistic development through orchestral, chamber music, new music and educational concerts performed at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and in community settings. They also have the opportunity to participate in tours with the LA Phil. Mentorship and lessons from LA Phil musicians and assistance with audition preparation are key components of the program, to prepare Resident Fellows for future roles in major professional orchestras, including the LA Phil.
The Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellows program is open to outstanding string players (violin, viola, cello, bass) and percussionists, including those with demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion in the arts, learning, and civic leadership, who have earned a bachelor’s degree and are from or serve underrepresented populations. The Resident Fellows are selected through a screening and audition process led by musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and LA Phil Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel.
The Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellowship will continue to support the LA Phil’s efforts to create a model of a 21st-century cultural institution that both serves and reflects its community. Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen have generously made a $1 million gift to the program, which has been renamed in recognition of this gift. As leadership donors for the Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen YOLA Center at Inglewood, Tom and Judy strongly believe in investing in programs like YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) and the LA Phil Resident Fellows, which provide a pathway for musicians to greater access to music opportunities.
The Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellows program is also supported by the Eugene and Marilyn Stein Family Foundation and incoming fellow Sydney Adedamola will be the inaugural chair holder of the Eugene and Marilyn Stein LA Phil Resident Fellow Chair. Additionally, Nancy and Leslie Abell have made a new commitment to name one of the LA Phil Resident Fellows Chairs in appreciation of the staff and Orchestra Committee of the LA Phil for their inspiring leadership and collaboration. Percussionist Wesley Sumpter will hold the inaugural Nancy and Leslie Abell LA Phil Resident Fellow Chair.
The donations from both Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen and Nancy and Leslie Abell are through the LA Phil’s Play Your Part campaign to support the organization during the COVID-19 closure.
More information about LA Phil Resident Fellows can be found at laphil.com.
Sydney Adedamola is delighted to join the Los Angeles Philharmonic as a Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellow and the inaugural chair holder of the Eugene and Marilyn Stein LA Phil Resident Fellow Chair. Sydney is an accomplished orchestral musician. Her most recent appointment was in the second violin section of the Seattle Symphony. She has also held a position with the Long Beach Symphony and has performed with various orchestras throughout the country including Pacific Symphony, Kansas City Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, New World Symphony and the National Repertory Orchestra.
Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Sydney began playing the violin at a young age, working her way through New England Conservatory’s Preparatory School. She then moved to Los Angeles and earned her Bachelors in Music from the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. During 2018/19, she was a recipient of the Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship, a collaboration between the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles and the University of Southern California. As a student at USC, her mentors included LA Phil’s Associate Concertmaster, Bing Wang, Margaret Batjer, Dr. Lina Bahn and Glenn Dicterow.
Jarrett Threadgill, a Southern California native, began studying music in public school at the age of eight. He graduated from the Orange County High School of the Arts and received his Bachelor of Music degree from Chapman University’s Conservatory of Music. Jarrett spent a year teaching music at Renaissance Arts Academy, a public charter school in Los Angeles. His engagement with these students guided his career development in recognizing the significant impact that equity in music and arts education can have on young children.
Jarrett received his Master’s from The Cleveland Institute of Music and was subsequently awarded a teaching assistantship and full-tuition scholarship at the University of Miami to pursue his Artist Diploma. He became a Viola Fellow with the New World Symphony from 2015 through 2018. Additionally, Jarrett was able to participate in an exchange program with the Iberacademy in Medellín, Colombia, renewing his commitment to coaching and mentoring young musicians.
Jarrett has performed with many ensemble groups in the United States, as well as around the world. He had the privilege of working under notable conductors, such as Michael Tilson Thomas, Paavo Järvi, Fabio Luisi and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Some past music festivals include the National Repertory Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival and School, Castleton Festival, Le Domaine Forget in Quebec and the Verbier Festival in Switzerland.
An avid chamber musician, Jarrett recently toured in a piano quintet with Lincoln Center Stage aboard a Holland-America cruise line. During the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, he served as Principal Viola of the Canton Symphony Orchestra and was also afforded opportunities to perform with the Buffalo Philharmonic, North Carolina Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra and the Toledo Symphony.
Jarrett is thrilled to return to Southern California and honored to be joining the Los Angeles Philharmonic as a Judith and Thomas L. Beckmen LA Phil Resident Fellow.
About the Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under the vibrant leadership of Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel, presents an inspiring array of live performances – orchestral, pop, rock, country, jazz, blues, Latin, world music, opera, chamber, Baroque, organ and celebrity recitals, theatrical performances, explorations of film music, dance, comedy, groundbreaking multimedia productions and an unmatched commitment to commissioning and performing music from the composers of today – at three of L.A.’s iconic venues, Walt Disney Concert Hall (laphil.com), the Hollywood Bowl (hollywoodbowl.com) and The Ford (theford.com). The LA Phil’s season at Walt Disney Concert Hall extends from September to June and at the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford throughout the summer. With the preeminent Los Angeles Philharmonic at the foundation of its offerings, the LA Phil aims to enrich and transform lives through music, with a robust mix of artistic, learning and community programs.
PLAY YOUR PART: Due to COVID-19, for the first time ever we are unable to bring music to our stages. We ask you to Play Your Part in helping the LA Phil reach that longed-for moment when we will return to Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford. Follow this link to see how you can support the LA Phil. Your generosity will directly support our musicians, teachers, students, and staff, ensuring that our community is alive with music, today and always.
Contacts:
Sophie Jefferies, sjefferies@laphil.org
Lisa White, lwhite@laphil.org