Music SeriesCHAMBER

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 AT 3:00 PM

Bowie State University

SUNDAY, MARCH 24 AT 3:00 PM

Ss. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church

SATURDAY, MAY 4 AT 3:00 PM

Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Annapolis

Annapolis Symphony Orchestra - Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music “Embracing 21st Century Voices” A cocommissioning project to benefit emerging composers and young artists.

The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music (GLFCAM) are pleased to announce a multi-year co-commissioning partnership, Embracing 21st Century Voices. The partnership supports new symphonic works composed by alums of GLFCAM core programs.

ASO Artistic Director and Conductor José-Luis Novo and GLFCAM founder Gabriela Frank have enjoyed a long and productive artistic relationship. Ms. Frank previously served as ASO’s Composer-in-Residence and wrote two orchestral works dedicated to the ASO, one of which was to celebrate the ASO’s 50th anniversary in 2012.

Novo and Frank formalized the multi-year “Embracing 21st Century Voices” partnership after the successful co-commission and premiere of Resonance | Rush | Ride by GLF-

CAM alum Jessica Hunt for ASO’s 60th anniversary in May 2022. The agreement stipulates commitment to award a $20,000 co-commission fee plus copy funds each year to a mutually agreed upon composer.

In addition to the award and prior to each premiere, GLFCAM composers receive an orchestral reading of their work in progress, feedback from maestro Novo, and mentorship from Ms. Frank. The ASO will perform the premiere of each new work at a Masterworks concert during consecutive seasons, and the compositions are to be recorded for later release on the London-based Toccata label.

We are pleased to announce MichaelThomas Foumai and Nicky Sohn as recipients of the initial two instances of the Embracing 21st Century Voices co-commissioning partnership. Mr. Foumai, a native of Hawaii, is the Director of Artistic Engagement and the first Composer-in-Residence for the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Foumai’s “Living Pono”, a work for harp and orchestra, premièred during ASO’s Masterworks VI performances at Maryland Hall in Annapolis and the Music Center at Strathmore in Bethesda on May 5, 6 & 7, 2023.

Nicky Sohn will write her commission to be premiered in the spring of 2024. Ms. Sohn graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree, a Diploma of Piano Performance from the Mannes College of Music, and a Master of Music Diploma from The Juilliard School. After numerous performances and compositions of important works for orchestra, ballet, opera, and television, she is pursuing a fully-funded doctoral degree at The Shepherd School of Music of Rice University.