Friday, May 12, 2006
Amateur Ensembles
There are thousands upon thousands of church and community choir, orchestra, and ensemble opportunties for composers. And in the last couple decades or so, many art music composers have actually reengaged writing for the voice.
Of course we want the best performances (and performers) for our music, but some of the amateur groups around do amazing work. The Bloomington Chamber Singers, an amateur community chorus in Bloomington, Indiana (NOT associated with the music school, not directly anyway) commissioned, premiered, and recorded my oratorio for soprano, chorus, and orchestra in 2003. It was a remarkable achievement usually reserved for large market ensembles to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars and already known composers.
The community here really got behind the project, which then resulted in radio specials, interviews, national as well as local and state funding, business and individual donations and ultimately a packed house.
The local Unitarian Church has commissioned a number of pieces while I wait for my Pulitzer to come in. I love my professional ensemble -- but amateur ensembles make the world go around.
I believe a composer should be a voice for the community one lives in, and one of the best connections is through our local talent, some of which is world class even if the world doesn't know it. Is it an effort to go introduce yourself and your music? Sure. Does it pay well? Sometimes there are tens of dollars to be made. Is it worth the effort anyway? Oh yeah. Amateur ensembles of the world, I salute and thank you.
posted by Cary Boyce
3:13 PM
Monday, May 08, 2006
Start Spreading the News
I am delighted to announce my impending relocation to what Jerry has occasionally referred to as "the center of the Universe": New York City. As you may recall, I've been living in NH and working in the Development Office of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center for the past two years. Well, I've managed to land a new job on the database management team in the Development office at the NY Phil, and I'm coming to the big city. (That's the New York Philharmonic, as opposed to "New York" Phil, the guy with the organs and the arpeggios and the same thing over and over.) I'm moving into a small room on the Upper West Side on Monday or Tuesday of next week, where I'll be living for the summer, and my first day on the new job is Wednesday, May 17th.
I don't know to what extent I'll be blogging about the Philharmonic -- I'm not really sure yet what I'm comfortable with, and I haven't talked to the relevant people there yet either. On the one hand, last year I was one of the few voices speaking out in defense of Lorin Maazel's decision to personally bail out the financing of his opera "1984" and I wouldn't want to have to sit on my hands (there's an awkward mixed metaphor for ya) if a similar situation should arise with the Philharmonic or its staff just because I'm on the payroll -- on the other hand I don't want to undermine my credibility with appearances of conflict of interest or cause problems for my employers if I feel the need to go off the reservation. Any words of wisdom from this community would be welcome.
In the meantime, I look forward to seeing some of you New York based Sequenzoids once I get settled!
posted by Galen H. Brown
8:55 AM
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