by Staff
ClevelandClassical is pleased to announce that New Hampshire native Neil McCalmont has been named the 2016 ClevelandClassical.com Young Writer Fellow. The two-month summer fellowship is designed for aspiring writers who wish to hone their skills and prepare for careers on the new frontiers of musical journalism.
McCalmont is completing his second year at Oberlin where he is a double degree student majoring in Classics and Musical Studies with a focus on Greek and Latin literature and Wagnerian opera. “I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity,” he said. “As an aspiring music writer, I will gain great journalistic experience through this fellowship by writing reviews and previews, and conducting interviews with artists.”
Additionally, McCalmont will participate in daily editorial meetings and strategy sessions with editors Daniel Hathaway and Mike Telin, and will interact with artists, presenters and publicists in the music industry. He will also be provided the opportunity to learn about and assist with all matters associated with the daily operations and management of the website.
“The opportunity to take part in editorial meetings as well as to learn about website management and business development is invaluable,” McCalmont said.
Hathaway, who founded ClevelandClassical.com in 2008, said he sees mentoring young writers as an important part of the mission of the publication, and is excited to have McCalmont come onboard. “I’m very happy he has accepted the fellowship. Neil was a great student during this past fall’s Introduction to Music Criticism Class at Oberlin, and he was extremely well-organized and professional on all levels during his January Winter Term project.”
McCalmont’s project, overseen by Hathaway, Telin, and Donald Rosenberg (all three of whom team-teach the Oberlin course) was to design an introduction to classical music for newcomers to the genre. “Why Do We Still Listen To This” is a series of fourteen articles exploring important works in the classical canon in an engaging, conversational format. The articles will be serialized on ClevelandClassical.com beginning the week of May 16.
After completing his schooling McCalmont hopes to become a conductor and professor. He has previously been employed as a summer boarding school instructor, teaching Latin and music. In addition to studying orchestral scores and translating Latin, McCalmont is an enthusiastic reader who enjoys history, biography, philosophy, literature, and poetry. When not engaged in academic pursuits, he enjoys visiting his home state and relishing the natural beauty of the area’s mountains, lakes, and forests. McCalmont is also an avid follower of American politics, and an occasional video gamer.
Published on ClevelandClassical.com May 16, 2016.
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