CFW
Announces
Fall 2016
Artists-In-
Residence

The Center for Faith & Work is pleased to announce our Fall 2016 Artists-In-Residence: composers Bennett Sullivan and David Bixler.

The two artists were chosen from invited proposals that explored the idea of “Tribes”.  Each resident artist is now in the process of creating a brand new work on that theme, as it’s uniquely expressed through music.

Saxophonist, composer, and educator David Bixler continues to establish himself as a multi-faceted artist.  David has performed and toured the world with the orchestras of Chico O'Farrill, Lionel Hampton, and Toshiko Akiyoshi, among others.  His collaboration with pianist Arturo O’Farrill has resulted in many fruitful offerings, including the GRAMMY nominated 40 Acres and a Mule.  As a composer, this fall David premiered The Hughes Project, musical ruminations on the poems of Langston Hughes for nine musicians. He has also received numerous commissions, the latest of which, Gaze for oboe, bassoon, and piano was premiered at the 2014 International Double Reed Symposium in New York.  David is the Director of Jazz Studies at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.  As both a Selmer and Vandoren Artist he is active as a clinician throughout the world. His latest recording, SLINK, with his group Auction Project was released in October of 2014 and features pianist Arturo O'Farrill and guitarist Mike Stern.

Bennett Sullivan, life long musician with Southern roots, is a Brooklyn-based banjo player, composer, educator, and entrepreneur. He has performed with top musicians in the New York music business and has taught music professionally for over 10 years. In 2014, Bennett was recruited by comedian Steve Martin, a very accomplished banjo player himself, to be the sole banjo player in “Bright Star,” his Broadway-bound musical.  Bright Star opened in California in 2014 and has received critical acclaim. It will open on Broadway in the Spring of 2016.

CFW is excited to walk alongside each artist with financial support and resources towards the creation of new work that explores the essence of Tribes.

CFW’s artist-in-residence program has a two-pronged purpose: to support emerging and established local artists through the commissioning of new work, and to celebrate and contribute to the intrinsic value of the arts as a vital fabric of the city. Being devoted to the flourishing of all New York City, the Center for Faith & Work is proud to offer selected resident artists the opportunity, resources, financing, and support to create works of art that contribute to the excellency of New York’s rich and creative culture.