Courtesy American Composers Orchestra
Orchestral Mentoring
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra’s annual H.J. Heinz Company Audience of the Future Composition Contest culminates in a performance for the winning composer in addition to a cash prize. Although technically not limited to a composer under the age of 30 (last year’s winner, Eric Lindsay, was 32), the competition has previously awarded prizes to Jordan Kuspa (b. 1985) and Eric Segerstrom (b. 1993). Since the New York Youth Symphony launched its First Music young composer americanorchestras.org
Fabio Bracarda/Civitella Ranieri Foundation
ety of Missouri-based initiatives that benefit emerging composers. These include Composer Connection, a distance-learning program for students throughout the state; the annual Sinquefield Composition Prize for students at the University of Missouri (informally called Mizzou), whose winner is given an opportunity to write an original work for one of Mizzou’s premier large ensembles and have his/her music performed and recorded; and perhaps most visibly, Mizzou International Composers Festival, a project of the Mizzou New Music Initiative, which annually invites select under-30 composers to be mentored by prominent composers and have their music performed by leading new-music ensembles. Sinquefield has also established the Creating Original Music Project (C.O.M.P.), a statewide competition offering cash prizes to K-12 students who compose original works in a variety of styles as well as a week-long Composition Institute (a.k.a. “C.O.M.P. camp”), open to students entering grades 9-12 as well as college freshmen, which culminates in performances of the participants’ works. “This summer we had sixteen composers at our high school summer camp,” Sinquefield wrote in an email exchange. “Some of the full-ride composer scholarships to Mizzou (two a year) are going to them. We also started a composers’ orchestra, which had a concert with six new pieces. The St. Louis Youth Symphony is considering six Sinquefield Prize winners’ symphonic pieces for second performances. Yes, we are busy. To make Missouri a mecca for composition, we need to find and grow composers. This requires that their music be performed at concerts and recorded. I want every orchestra to play at least one new piece a year. Wish me luck.”
Composer Chris Cerrone at work
BOOSEY & HAWKES is proud to support the composers of tomorrow with its “Emerging Composers” and “New Voices” programs Find out more at boosey.com
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