American soprano Dawn Upshaw has been named as the most recent "artistic partner" to be appointed to a long-term collaborative position with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the St. Paul Pioneer Press has reported. Upshaw will begin her three-year tenure with the orchestra at the beginning of the 2007-08 season.

The orchestra's artistic partnership arrangement, first implemented at the beginning of the 2004-05 season, effectively transfers the responsibilities of a music director to both the SCPO musicians along with several high-profile partners at different points throughout the season. Each artistic partner joins the orchestra for three concert weeks out of each season. Upshaw is be the first female, as well as the first singer, to be appointed as an artistic partner.

"I had heard about their artistic partnerships from other people in the business and was very interested in the idea from the beginning," Upshaw told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. "I think that it's a very creative approach. I like the possibilities it presents in terms of a variety of views toward programming."

Upshaw, one of five partners slated for the 2007-08 season, will be joined by pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard, and conductors Roberto Abbado, Douglas Boyd and Nicholas McGegan. She will be the lone American taking part in the arrangement after violist Joshua Bell and pianist Stepehen Prutsman complete their partnerships next year.

The soprano, a champion of new works and works by living composers told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that she is looking to extend her influence as a force for commissioning new music to the orchestra: "I'm especially excited about new music...and we're in the process of approaching some composers about possible commissions. Over the course of the three years, I want to get a better feeling of the group, of the community and the players. I've enjoyed singing with them for years, but I'm always kind of slipping in and out."

Upshaw's first performance with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra came in 1986 when she sang works by Samuel Barber. She has since returned in 1993 and 2002 to sing piecesby Copland, Ravel and Stravinsky.

"Working with an ensemble is kind of like meeting someone in a social setting, in that you either click or you don't," Upshaw told the Pioneer Press. "And I feel that I've certainly had enough experience with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra to know that we click. And now I feel that I've been given an opportunity to develop this relationship."

More information can be found at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Minnesota Public Radio
and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

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