Jen Shyu: Groundbreaking Vocalist and Composer

Gifted creators of all artistic disciplines are invited to live and work at the Hermitage Artist Retreat in Englewood. During their residencies, they share their talents with the community.

Hermitage North @ New College is the latest iteration of this outreach. This free series encompasses artist talks and readings, glimpses of the creation of works-in-progress, and live performances of music, theater, poetry and more.

The Hermitage North @ New College series launches with experimental vocalist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, and Fulbright scholar Jen Shyu, Friday, November 16, 2 p.m., in the Music Room at College Hall, New College, 351 College Drive, Sarasota. Reservations for this series are required and can be requested at www.HermitageArtistRetreat.org"

"For many years we have valued the relationship between our Hermitage artists and the intellectually curious students of New College," says Patricia Caswell, the Hermitage's co-founder and program director. "Now, with Hermitage North @ New College, we will share newly created artistic thinking with audiences at both the north and south ends of Sarasota County."

"New College of Florida is thrilled to be partnering with the Hermitage Artist Retreat," says Barbara J. Feldman, Ph.D., provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at New College. "This partnership is made possible in part through a multi-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation." (Additional scheduled programming funded through the grant can be found at ncf.edu/connecting-arts-humanities.)

Jen Shyu is widely regarded for her virtuosic singing and riveting stage presence, carving out her own beyond-category space in the art world. New York Times critic, Ben Ratlif, called Shyu's concerts, "The most arresting performances I've seen over the past five years. It's not just the meticulous preparation of the work and the range of its reference, but its flexibility: She seems open, instinctual, almost fearless." Shyu has performed her own music on such prestigious world stages as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and at preeminent festivals worldwide. In this presentation, Shyu will perform her music and include an interactive intermedia improvisation. Shyu offers a glance at her journey from classical music and ballet training into the jazz and creative music worlds. Shyu will explore how her path to becoming a composer was inspired by fieldwork research in Taiwan, Cuba, East Timor, Indonesia, South Korea, and Japan. The artist will also share ideas and inspiration on how musicians can integrate their interests, talents, and passions into their own unique expression outside of any categories.

All programs are subject to change. Please check the Hermitage website or Facebook page to check program status. For more information about Hermitage North @ New College or the Hermitage, visit www.HermitageArtistRetreat.org.