A number of Sequenza 21 contributors and readers also populate the site ImprovFriday. It’s a web community that encourages sharing of improvisations, compositions with an element of improv, and recent compositional sketches at a series of web events run on … you guessed it, Fridays. While this all sounds very free form, the group has specific guidelines for participation, found here. Employing these operating principles are a wide ranging group of spontaneous creators: diverse in style, outspoken yet constructive in critiquing each others’ work, but unified in ambitious music-making. The community’s first compilation recording, ImprovFriday Vol. 1, is now available from online vendors Amazon
Read moreMusical America is honoring Louis Andriessen as their 2010 Composer of the Year. Seems a fitting tribute in his seventieth birthday year. That said, there’s been much activity in the contemporary classical arena in 2009. Who would the Sequenza 21 community like to see getting lauded for their achievements? The comments section is open for nominations.
Read moreElliott Carter turns 101 today. By all accounts, he’s hale, hearty, and busily composing!
Read moreIt’s hard enough delivering an orchestra commission when you’re hale and hearty; but despite losing most of his vision during the course of its lengthy gestation (2001-06) York Höller managed to complete his work Sphären. His efforts amidst considerable adversity have garnered him the 2010 Grawemeyer Award. Although now almost completely blind, Höller continues to compose. Abetted by assistants, samplers, and a new software called Jaws, he is soldiering on. One hopes that the Grawemeyer’s $200,000 prize will assist in this endeavor. So, composers, next time you’re planning to tell your commissioner why the piece isn’t done, you’ll need a pretty
Read moreThe New York Times Arts Beat has details about a $10 million dollar gift the New York Philharmonic recently received from equity manager Henry Kravis. A gift earmarked for new music, the money will underwrite composer residencies and commissions for the orchestra. For those disheartened by the NYPO’s sometimes tepid commitment to new music during the 90s and 00s, this is a welcome sign that things may be changing for the better under the tenure of their new Music Director Alan Gilbert. Magnus Lindberg will be the orchestra’s Composer-in-residence for the ’09-’10 and ’10-’11 seasons. New York audiences will get
Read moreA friend recently asked me to come up with a list of music. He wanted a ‘starter’ kit to introduce friends and family to contemporary classical. The constraints are as follows: he wants to fill a 1 GB MP3 player to give as a gift. Actually, the 1 gig threshold is a challenging one for classical repertoire, requiring a streamlined list. I thought it might be fun to open this up to the Sequenza 21 community. Suggestions? Lists?
Read moreNew New Paths in Music presents An Hispanic Festival Elebash Recital Hall Graduate Center – CUNY New York On Friday June 5th, New Paths in Music presented a concert of composers from Mexico, Argentina, and Spain: two of each. While the program centered around national identities, it contained music in disparate styles and for varying forces. DAVID ALAN MILLER, conductor of the Albany Symphony, led the New Paths Ensemble, a chamber orchestra of crackerjack contemporary players from the New York area. ENRICO CHAPELA’S “Irrational Music” was a perfect curtain-raiser. The piece is based on Chapela’s explorations of irrational numbers; but
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Composers, Concerts, Contemporary Classical, Experimental Music, Festivals, File Under?, June in Buffalo
Two of the happiest experiences I’ve had as a composer were back to back summers (’98 and ’99) at JUNE IN BUFFALO. Held at SUNY Buffalo in upstate New York, the weeklong festival is a chance for ‘emerging’ composers to hear their music performed by top notch musicians and to have it critiqued by master composers. By the end of the festival, they’re likely to have gotten a good tape of their piece, met performers and new music ‘movers and shakers,’ listened to nigh a hundred hours of contemporary fare, gathered tons of ideas for new works of their own,
Read moreCongratulations to PAULINE OLIVEROS. Columbia University announced today that she is the recipient of the 2009 William Schuman Award: a $50,000 prize which recognizes “the lifetime achievement of an American composer whose works have been widely performed and generally acknowledged to be of lasting significance.” The previous award-winner was John Zorn in 2006. Columbia will celebrate Oliveros with a concert and reception at 8 PM on March 27, 2010 at Miller Theatre.
Read moreWorks & Process celebrates Donald Hall this weekend. The 14th U.S. Poet Laureate will read and discuss his work. New musical settings of Hall’s poetry by Drew Baker, George Lewis, David Del Tredici, Joshua Schmidt and Charles Wuorinen are performed for the first time. Performers include a host of New York’s finest: Mary Nessinger, Tom Meglioranza, Lauren Flanigan, Judith Bettina, James Goldsworthy, Moran Katze, Fred Sherry, Peter Kolkay, David Del Tredici, and Lois Martin. Musical Premieres – settings of Donald Hall (Works & Process Commission) DREW BAKER: THE SEA (mezzo-soprano & cello) DAVID DEL TREDICI: THE POEM &THE MASTER (soprano &
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