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If you have speakers on your computer, you can hear online samples of some of their recordings.
Imani Winds has established itself as more than a wind quintet. Since 1997, the Grammy nominated ensemble has taken a unique path, carving out a distinct presence in the classical music world with its dynamic playing, culturally poignant programming, genre-blurring collaborations, and inspirational outreach programs. With two member composers and a deep commitment to commissioning new work, the group is enriching the traditional wind quintet repertoire while meaningfully bridging European, American, African and Latin American traditions.
The group is in the midst of its Legacy Commissioning Project, an ambitious five-year endeavor launching Imani Winds into its second decade of music making. The ensemble is commissioning, premiering and touring ten new works for woodwind quintet written by established and emerging composers of various musical backgrounds. The select composers originate from different points of the globe bringing experience not only in classical music, but jazz, Middle Eastern, Latin, and harder to define sounds. The Legacy Project kicked off in 2008 with world premieres by Alvin Singleton and Roberto Sierra. The following season, Jason Moran's Cane premiered at the Kimmel Center for the Arts in Philadelphia, followed by performances at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall and Merkin Concert Hall. In 2009-10, the group collaborates with Stefon Harris, premiering and touring his Anatomy of a Box (A Sonic Painting in Wood, Metal and Wind). The work premiered at the University of Iowa in September, with performances following at Penn State University, Cal Poly Arts, and San Francisco Performances.
The wide range of programs offered by Imani Winds demonstrates their mission to expand the wind quintet repertoire and diversify sources of new music. From Mendelssohn, Jean Françaix, György Ligeti, and Luciano Berio, to Astor Piazzolla, Elliott Carter and John Harbison; to the unexpected ranks of Paquito D'Rivera and Wayne Shorter, Imani Winds actively seek to engage new music and new voices into the modern classical idiom. Imani members Valerie Coleman and Jeff Scott both regularly contribute compositions and arrangements to the ensemble's expanding repertoire, bringing new sounds and textures to the traditional instrumentation.
Valerie Coleman, flute
A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Valerie Coleman began her music studies at the age of eleven and by the age of fourteen, had written three symphonies and won several local and state competitions. Valerie Coleman is not only the founder of Imani Winds, but is blessed to be a resident composer of the ensemble, giving Imani Winds their signature piece Umoja (which is listed as one of the "Top 101 Great American Works" by Chamber Music America). In addition to her significant contributions to wind quintet literature, Valerie has a works list for various winds, brass, strings and full orchestra published by International Opus and in the near future, Theodore Presser.
Prior to her solo debut at Carnegie Hall, Ms. Coleman was the understudy for flutist Eugenia Zukerman at Lincoln Center, featured soloist in the Mannes 2000 Bach Festival, two-time laureate of the Young Artist Competition at Boston University, recipient of the Aspen Music Festival Wombwell Kentucky Award, and was the inaugural recipient of the Michelle E. Sahm Memorial Award at the Tanglewood Festival. Recently, she was a guest artist at the Chenango Music Festival, teaching artist for Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, recipient of Meet the Composer's Edward and Sally Van Lier Memorial Award, and was showcased on the New York classical radio station WQXR. Most recently, she is a recipient of the Multi-Arts Production Fund - a grant given to "support innovative new works in all disciplines and traditions of performing arts".
Valerie has a Double Bachelor's degree in Theory/Composition and Flute Performance from Boston University and a Master's degree in Flute Performance from the Mannes College of Music. She studied flute with Julius Baker, Alan Weiss, and Mark Sparks; composition with Martin Amlin and Randall Woolf; and has served on the faculty of The Juilliard School's Music Advancement Program and Interschool Orchestras of New York. Currently, she is on the advisory panel of the National Flute Association.
Toyin Spellman-Diaz, oboe
Toyin Spellman-Diaz has developed a reputation as a world-class oboist. As an orchestral musician, she has performed in the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the Milwaukee Symphony, Brooklyn Philharmonic, and Orchestra of St. Lukes and has worked with such conductors as Kurt Masur, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Christoph Eschenbach, and Mstislav Rostropovitch. As an educator, she has written two music-telling performances pieces for Imani Winds, a performance practice that incorporates music into the telling of a story by using the instruments as props and as integral parts of the story-telling process. Ms. Spellman-Diaz was acclaimed as a "standout oboist with smooth, controlled tone and excellent technique" in the Washington Post when she performed the Goosens Oboe Concerto at the Kennedy Center. She has also performed concerti with Chicago Civic Orchestra, Manhattan Virtuosi and the Antara Ensemble. She attended the Oberlin Conservatory where she achieved her Bachelor of Music degree, and received her Masters and Professional Studies degrees from the Manhattan School of Music. Ms. Spellman-Diaz has studied with Joe Robinson, James Caldwell, Joe Turner, and Alex Klein. She is currently on faculty of the Manhattan School of Music, Precollege Division.
Mariam Adam, clarinet
Mariam Adam, a native of Monterey, California has become an internationally distinguished clarinetist and chamber musician. Chosen to be one of the last students of legendary clarinetist, Rosario Mazzeo, she developed a colorful career on the west coast appearing with the Sacramento Symphony, Monterey County Symphony and several others while still an undergraduate. She participated with the Eastman Music Summer Festival, toured with various jazz ensembles, sometimes as the drummer, in Japan and North America and received such awards such as the Hans Wildau Young Musicians Award, Sacramento Concerto Competition Winner, AFS Scholar, Bank of America Artists Scholar before moving to the east coast for graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music with David Krakauer. She has since performed with Chamber Music Lincoln Center, Prussia Cove Festival in England, 92nd St. Y, Rockport Music Festival, Carmel Bach Festival, La Jolla Music Festival, Chamber Music Northwest as well as with Paquito D'Rivera and David Shifrin. As a founding member of the internationally acclaimed, TransAtlantic Ensemble (Clar, Vn, Pno) she has performed through Europe and the east coast performing a wide range of music including that of Imani Winds' Jeff Scott and Valerie Coleman. She has also been invited to give solo recitals in Spain, Geneva, London and throughout Germany working several pianists from different regions celebrating music of their native countries. As an educator she has also been invited to give masterclasses and teach throughout the states and Germany.
Jeff Scott, French horn
A native of Queens, NY, Jeff Scott started the French horn at age 14, receiving a scholarship to go to the Brooklyn College Preparatory Division. His greatest influence however, came from his first teacher, Carolyn Clark, who taught the young Mr. Scott for free, giving him the opportunity to study music when resources were not available. He received his Bachelor's degree from Manhattan School of Music, and Master's Degree from SUNY at Stony Brook. During those years Mr. Scott studied with Jerome Ashby, David Jolley, Scott Brubaker and William Purvis. It was during his collegiate studies that Mr. Scott learned wind quintet repertoire through intense coaching with the late Samuel Baron and other members of the New York Wind Quintet. As the French Hornist for the Mercury Brass Quintet, Mr. Scott has given many workshops and performances under the auspices of Arts Genesis, Young Audiences of New York, and the Midori Foundation. Mr. Scott is also the co-founder of the jazz band "The New Jazz Resolution".
Mr. Scott has been a member of "The Lion King" Orchestra on Broadway since 1997, and has performed in other Broadway shows such as, "On the Town" and "Showboat". Mr. Scott also enjoys an active work as a studio musician. He can be hear on many movie soundtracks including Spike Lee's Clockers, featuring music by Terrence Blanchard, and on recordings with notable artists such as, Chico O'Farill, Robin Eubanks, Freddy Cole, and Jimmy Heath amongst others. Additionally, he has toured with artists such as Barbra Streisand and Luther Vandross and is a member of the Alvin Ailey and Dance Theater of Harlem Orchestras.
Mr. Scott's arranging and composing credits are many, and include scoring the off-Broadway production of "Becoming Something", The Canada Lee Story, and many arrangements and original works for Wind and Brass Quintet, Horn Quartet, and Jazz Ensembles. Mr. Scott was recently appointed as Horn faculty of the music department at Montclair State University, in Montclair New Jersey.
Monica Ellis, bassoon
Residing in Harlem, Ms. Ellis is an active New York freelancer, having performed with the
Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Absolute Ensemble, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra,
American Symphony Orchestra and the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre, just to name a few. Also a
passionate teacher, Ms. Ellis has served on the faculties of the Mannes College of Music
Preparatory Division, Brooklyn College School of Music, and Juilliard's Music Advancement Program.
She is also a well renowned clinician, and has given masterclasses and solo recital performances
across the country.