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21st
Annual Underwood
New Music Readings
& Commission
June
1-3, 2012, DiMenna Center , NYC
DEADLINE
Extended: December 2, 2011,
5:00PM (EST)
note: the submission deadline has
now passed. Applications are no longer being accepted for this program. This
page is provided for information only.
American
Composers Orchestra announces its 21st Annual Underwood New Music
Reading Sessions to be held in New York City at The DiMenna Center on June 1-3, 2012.
Up to six composers in the
early stages of their careers will be selected to participate. One will
be awarded a $15,000 commission to write a new work to be performed by
ACO.
 Writing
for the symphony orchestra remains one of the supreme challenges for
the aspiring composer. The subtleties of instrumental balance, timbre,
effective part preparation, and communication with conductor and
musicians are critical skills. But openings for composers to gain
hands-on experience working with a professional orchestra are few.
ACO's New Music Reading Sessions are designed to give emerging
composers the opportunity to work with an orchestra singular in its
commitment to the development of the American composer and to hear
their work performed by some of the country's most outstanding
contemporary music instrumentalists.
Led
by ACO Artistic Director Robert Beaser, the Readings are the core of
ACO's ongoing professional training programs for emerging American
composers. At the Readings,
composers will meet with ACO artistic staff, orchestra members—including ACO's
Music Director George Manahan, and composer advisors Robert
Beaser, Derek Bermel, Melinda Wagner
and Steven Stucky —and
receive critical commentary and feedback. Members of ACO's composer
advisory panel and guest composers participate in preliminary reviews
of scores, post-Reading evaluations, and selection of the composer to
receive the commission award.
The Readings are professionally recorded,
and each composer is given a high-quality audio recording to be used
for study
purposes. Composers also participate in a series of professional
development workshops covering such topics as promotion, score
preparation and publishing, copyright and commissioning agreements, and
other career essentials. Transportation and meals are provided for all
participants.
The Underwood New Music
Readings are part of EarShot, the national orchestral composition
discovery network. EarShot activities include new music readings and
other composer development programs with orchestras around the country.
EarShot is coordinated by ACO in collaboration with American Composers
Forum, American Music Center, the League of American Orchestras, and
Meet The Composer. Lead support for the Underwood
New Music Readings comes from Mr. Paul Underwood, The Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation, The Helen F. Whitaker Fund, Fromm Music Foundation, Aaron
Copland Fund for Music, Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University
along with public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts and
the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
"One of
the best orchestration lessons
I have
ever had."
Jason Freeman, past participant
"The
Readings serve up invaluable insight
into the
art of orchestral writing."
Carter Pann, past participant
"The
Readings give young
composers a unique opportunity
to explore the modern
orchestra hands-on."
Roger Zare, past participant
Eligibility & Guidelines
- Applicant must be either a U.S. citizen or non-citizen
lawfully and permanently residing, or studying full-time, in the United
States.
- There are no age restrictions; however, applicants should
be composers at the early stages of their professional careers.
- There are no age restrictions; however, applicants should
be composers at the early stages of their professional careers.
- Each composer may submit only one composition for
consideration. Works that have been previously submitted to ACO for
consideration may not be resubmitted.
Composers selected to participate in prior ACO New
Music Reading Sessions are ineligible.
- Only works that will not have been performed or read by a
professional orchestra nor received a public performance in the New York
metropolitan area prior to the reading date are eligible.
- Your submission may be considered for other eligible
EarShot activities during the 2011-12 season if you check the appropriate
box on the application form.
- Do not submit recordings.
- Only works completed after January 1, 2007, will be
considered.
- Compositions must be less than 15 minutes in length. A
portion or movement from a longer work may also be considered.
- Instrumentation should not exceed ACO's standard
symphonic complement: winds at 3,3,3,3; brass at 4,3,3,1; harp, keyboard,
timpani, 4 percussion, and strings (10, 8, 6, 6, 4). Works with
instrumentation which exceed the above will be considered only with advance
approval.
- Works employing electronics, MIDI, digital technology,
and/or sound reinforcement in combination with the above instrumental forces
will be considered. (See special requirements below.)
- Works requiring soloists will not be considered.
- If selected, composers must provide professional, legible
orchestral parts and scores prepared according to guidelines established by
the Major Orchestral Librarians Association. Materials must be delivered to
ACO offices no later than 5 PM, March 26, 2012.
- The quality of the score submitted is the primary
evaluation criteria. It is therefore in the applicant's best interest that
the score be clear, accurate, and the best representation of the composer's
work. The additional background and educational information is for
eligibility and documentation purposes, these materials are not considered
in the general review of scores.
- Incomplete, illegible, or late applications will
not be considered.
How to Apply
Before submitting an
application, carefully review the eligibility & submission
guidelines above. Extended submission deadline is December 2, 2011, at
5PM (EST).
A complete
submission must include the following:
-
A completed submission form (html) (pdf)
- One bound copy of the score, clearly labeled with the
composer's name and title of the work on the cover page.
- A current resume for the composer including educational
background, major teachers, awards, professional affiliations.
- A list of works, including title, year composed,
instrumentation, duration, and performance history.
- One letter of recommendation from an established composer
or other music professional, attesting to the applicant's accomplishments
and potential as an orchestral composer. The recommendation may be sent
under separate cover.
- A self-addressed stamped envelope suitable for the return
of materials. All supporting materials remain the property of American
Composers Orchestra. ACO is not responsible for lost scores.
- For works with electronics, MIDI, and/or digital
technologies: include a one-page statement describing the rationale for its
use, as well as any pertinent production requirements and technical
specifications.
-
Send to:
Underwood New Music
Readings 2012
American Composers Orchestra
240 West 35th Street, Suite 405
New York, NY 10001-2506
Past Participants
Since its inception seventeen
years ago, the New Music Readings have helped to identify a new
generation of composers, in many cases offering these emerging artists
their first hearing of a new work. In 2010, composer
Christopher Stark
was awarded the Underwood Commission.
Past participants include:
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Mark
Applebaum
Anthony Barrese
Jeremy Beck
Derek Bermel*
Lisa Bielawa*
Andrew Bleckner
Philippe Bodin
Daniel Bradshaw
Clifton Callendar
Anthony Cheung
Janet Jieru Chen
Anna Clyne
Dan Coleman*
Cindy Cox
Juan Cuellar
Nathan Currier
Sebastian Currier*
Michael Djupstrom
Roshanne Etezady
Fang Man*
Michael Fiday
Keith Fitch
Jennifer Fitzgerald
Ivor Francis
Jason Freeman*
Kenneth Froelich
Matthew Fuerst
Ruby Fulton
Lee Gannon
Stacy Garrop
Robert Gates
Michael Gatonska*
Ralf Gawlick
Chambliss Giobbi
Robert Gross
Matthew Halper
Amanda Harberg
Rafael Hernandez
Jennifer Higdon*
Chia-yu Hsu
Lance Hulme
Deniz Ince
Takuma Itoh
Pierre Jalbert*
Jesse Jones
Chris Kaufman
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Daniel Kellogg
Martin Kennedy
John Kline
Matti Kovler
Amy Kirsten
Mukai Kohei
Jordan Kuspa
Kristin Kuster*
Sally Lamb
Spencer Lambright
Hannah Lash
Andrew McKenna Lee
Paul Yeon Lee*
Arthur Levering
Leonard Lewis
Xinyan Li
Matthew Lima
Eric Lindsay
Robert Manthey
James Matheson
Scott McAllister
Lansing D. McLoskey
Tamar Muskal
Jeff Myers
Eric Nathan
Clint Needham*
Jeffrey Nevin
Jonathan Newman
Thomas Osborne
Norbert Palej
Carter Pann
Milica Paranosic
Robert Paterson
Joshua Penman
Joseph Pereira
P.Q. Phan*
Narong Prangcharoen*
Paola Prestini
Leanna Primiani
Robert Przytulski
David Rakowski
Andrea Reinkemeyer
Paul Richards
Carlos Rivera
Brian Robison*
John Fitz Rogers
Rodney Rogers
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Ricardo Romaneiro+
Manly Romero*
Daniel Bernard Roumain*
Paul Rudy
C. Bryan Rulon
Huang Ruo
Eric Samuelson
Carlos Sanchez-Guiterrez
Felicia Sandler
Sophia Serghi
Joseph Sheehan
Hsueh-Yung Shen*
Arlene Sierra
Reynold Simpson
Brian Smith
Peter Spande
Kate Soper
Gregory Spears*
Christopher Stark*
Ryan Streber
David Stovall
Stephen Taylor*
Zhou Tian
Matthew Tommasini
Christopher Trapani
Thomas Tumulty
Ken Ueno
Daniel Visconti
Melinda Wagner*
Wang Jie*
Dalit Warshaw
Anna Weesner*
Jude Weirmeir
Stefan Weisman
Conrad Winslow
Gregg Wramage
Randall Woolf*
Daniel Worley
Xi Wang
Reiko Yamada
Roger Zare*
Qinru Zhou
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*
Programmed/commissioned by ACO
+Recipient of Audience Choice Award
Lead support for the Underwood New Music Readings comes from Mr. Paul Underwood, Fromm Music Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
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