Curtis Institute launches label

Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music has announced the launch of its record label, Curtis Studio. The label will feature performances by Curtis alumni, staff, and students, and aims to promote both new and traditional works.

Releases will be distributed by artist services company Platoon and will be available on all major streaming platforms. The label’s first recording will be released in December and will feature the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Osmo Vänskä, in a performance of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade. The recording comes as a result as part of the institute’s Immersive Scheherazade installation which used 30-feet high projections of the orchestra to surround the audience.

Roberto Díaz, the institute’s president and CEO, said: ‘The three pillars of Curtis—teaching, touring, and technology—will each be propelled by this groundbreaking initiative. Curtis Studio presents an opportunity to share our rigorous standard of musicianship in an accessible way. This monumental initiative furthers our digital presence while teaching the recording process as a fundamental component of a musician’s career.’

Future releases on the new label will include Michelle Cann’s solo piano recording of works by Florence Price and Margaret Bonds as well as new commissions including the recording premiere of Trio Zimbalist, and various Curtis ensembles.

Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Curtis Institute of Music prioritises students’ potential, providing those facing financial hardship with scholarships and grants to ensure that each student can learn without educational debt. As well as providing arts access to the local community, the institute reaches audiences further afield with livestreamed recitals and a worldwide tour.