Bringing New Composers to Light

Bringing New Composers to Light

JESSICA MOORE

Director of Marketing

Programming an entire summer’s worth of music is a balancing act, including not only curating works from the core repertoire, but also bringing to light lesser-known works by composers overlooked by history, or contemporary composers emerging as voices of a new generation.

Assistant Manager for Artistic Administration Sam Paris is deeply involved in this process with Vice President for Artistic Administration and Artistic Advisor Asadour Santourian and offered a glimpse into the wildly interesting world of programming the 2021 Festival with a specific look at Canadian composer Samy Moussa, whose work Polarlicht: Étude No. 2 for Orchestra is featured on the July 23 Aspen Chamber Symphony program with conductor Gemma New.

“The programming team spends countless hours looking through repertoire from past seasons, scouring scores. Sometimes people end up coming to your attention via the musicians who come to Aspen,” Paris explains. “Samy Moussa did not pop up in any of our research. However, when we asked Gemma New to suggest an overture-type work to fit in with the evening she was conducting, she mentioned Moussa’s Polarlicht. Gemma is a huge advocate of his music.”

The artistic team took a listen and agreed that it was a very interesting work. “Moussa is a new composer to us, and Gemma thought that this was the perfect piece for that program,” Paris notes. “Atmospherically, it goes very well with the Beethoven and coloristically it goes very well with the Ravel. When we heard it, we were blown away, and we said, ‘Yes, let’s do it.’”

Based in Germany, Canadian composer and conductor Samy Moussa is artist-in-residence of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and also works closely with the Montréal and Québec symphonies. His works have been commissioned and performed all over the world, from Dallas to Brussels.

When asked about Moussa, New says, “he’s very thoughtful, thorough, and a very intense human being. When you have a contemporary piece that has the details and the thoughtfulness that goes into every effect, it makes it a powerful impact for those listening. He really packs a punch in this piece.”

Of her vision for how Moussa’s work fit into the evening’s program, New explains, “I’ve always wanted to do his music and this seems like the perfect opportunity because it all worked so well together. I think everyone is going to be captivated by the narrative that it presents.”

Be among the first in Aspen to hear Moussa’s work this Friday, July 23 at 5:30 pm when New conducts the Aspen Chamber Symphony. The concert will also be streamed free, live from the Benedict Music Tent. More at aspenmusicfestival.com/ virtual-stage.

Montréal-born composer and conductor Samy Moussa’s Polarlicht: Étude No. 2 for Orchestra opens the Aspen Chamber Symphony’s performance this Friday. An artist-inresidence with the Toronto Symphony, Moussa won the Classical Composition of the Year award for his Violin Concerto Adrano at the 2021 Juno Awards in Canada.

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