On November 21 in New York City Novello composer Tarik O’Regan was presented with a Yaddo Artist Medal by Alan Cumming. One of four stellar contemporary artists, other honourees are Lisa Cortés, Young Jean Lee, and Amy Sillman, with an additional posthumous award to Yaddo alum Chester Himes.
Tarik O’Regan is a London-born composer based in San Francisco. In recent years, much of his work has investigated and been influenced by his dual Arab and Irish heritages. 2024 has seen performances of his work at Deutsche Opera Berlin, the Wigmore Hall in London, and in major tours by the Dunedin Consort and Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Recently he was awarded a Coronation Medal by His Majesty King Charles III for his Agnus Dei, commissioned for the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey in 2023. Tarik was a Yaddo Artist-in-Residence 2004 and 2006 and was invited onto the Yaddo Board of Directors in 2016.
The Yaddo Artist Medal recognises individuals who exemplify a level of achievement and commitment to their art that reflects the tradition of excellence that has always been a hallmark of the Yaddo residency, as well as celebrating those who have been supportive and understand the sense of community that it has long promoted among artists. The medal is a beautifully designed piece of art created by James Siena. Past recipients have included Philip Roth, Laurie Anderson, Martin Puryear, David Del Tredici, Amy Hempel, and Alfred Leslie.
Yaddo is a nonprofit retreat for artists in Saratoga Springs, New York. Their mission is to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment. Yaddo offers residencies to professional creative artists working in the following disciplines: choreography, film, literature, musical composition, painting, performance art, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and video. Artists apply individually or as members of collaborative teams. They are selected by panels of professional artists without regard to financial means. Yaddo builds an engaged audience for the work of Yaddo artists and share arts programming, educational opportunities, and other resources with the local community and beyond.
