Berkeley Symphony EarShot New Music Readings: Composer Q&A - Michael Laurello
Michael Laurello is one of the composers selected to participate in ACO's Berkeley Symphony EarShot New Music Readings on May 2 and 3. Read Michael's program note for his selected piece Promises here.
Michael was kind enough to answer some questions for SoundAdvice.
Composer Michael Laurello
What was your reaction to finding out your piece had been selected for the Berkeley EarShot New Music Readings?
I felt honored and surprised! I'm excited to work with Joana Carneiro and the musicians of the Berkeley Symphony, as well as mentor composers, Ken Ueno and Derek Bermel. Being able to receive aesthetic, technical, and logistical feedback on an orchestral work-in-progress within a supportive environment is the best part about the EarShot readings for me, and I'm thankful to be receiving guidance from an incredibly talented team of individuals who operate on all sides of the creative process.
What preparations are you making ahead of the readings with the Berkeley Symphony?
Much of the preparation for the readings took place while I was adapting the score to fit the Berkeley Symphony's instrumentation. The original version of this piece was for a larger orchestra, and in the process of scaling things down I was forced to clarify my ideas and decide what is essential. This was a great exercise, because the music feels leaner now, and I believe it speaks without as much effort. These preparations also gave me the chance to tweak a few minor things that bothered me about the first version of the piece. In the days leading up to the readings, I'll be studying the score closely, isolating complicated passages and taking them apart so that I understand, and can articulate, exactly how things are supposed to lock in.
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American Composers Orchestra is grateful to the many organizations that make its programs possible including Arthur F. & Alice E. Adams Charitable Fund, Altman Foundation, Amphion Foundation, Benevity, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, BMI Foundation, BMI, Inc., Charity Navigator's Giving Basket, Cheswatyr Foundation, Edward T. Cone Foundation, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation, Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Ford Foundation’s Good Neighbor Committee, Give Lively, Francis B. Goelet Charitable Trust, Fromm Music Foundation, Steven R. Gerber Trust, G. Schirmer/Wise Music Foundation, The Hearst Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, The Adele and John Gray Endowment Fund, Jephson Educational Trusts, Jerome Foundation, MacMillan Family Foundation, Mellon Foundation, New Music USA’s Organization Fund, The New York Community Trust (Musical Arts Fund, Clara Lewisohn Rossin Trust, and Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund), Pacific Harmony Foundation, Paypal Giving Fund, Rexford Fund, Sphinx Venture Fund, TD Charitable Foundation, Turrell Fund, UKOGF Foundation, Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.
Corporate gifts to match employee contributions are made by Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Triton Container International Incorporated of North America, and Neiman Marcus.
Public funds are provided by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, Office of Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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