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19th
Annual Underwood
New Music Readings
& Commission
DEADLINE: December 4, 2009,
5:00PM (EST) PLEASE
NOTE: The application deadline has passed. The following information
is provided for reference only.
American
Composers Orchestra announces its 19th Annual Underwood New Music
Reading Sessions to be held in New York City at Miller Theatre at
Columbia University on May 20-22, 2010. 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
conductors George Manahan and José Serebrier, and composer advisors Robert
Beaser, Derek Bermel, and George Tsontakis—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 Reading 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
PLEASE
NOTE: The application deadline has passed. The following information
is provided for reference only.
Eligibility & Guidelines
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Applicant must be either a
U.S. citizen or non-citizen lawfully and permanently residing, or
studying full-time, in the United States.
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There are no age restrictions;
however, applicants should be composers at the early stages of their
professional careers.
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Each composer may submit only
one composition for consideration. Works that have been previously
submitted to ACO for consideration may not be resubmitted.
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Composers selected to
participate in prior ACO New Music Reading Sessions are ineligible.
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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.
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Your submission may be
considered for other eligible EarShot activities during the 2009-10
season if you check the appropriate box on the application form.
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Do not submit recordings.
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Only works completed after
January 1, 2005, will be considered.
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Compositions must be less than
15 minutes in length. A portion or movement from a longer work may also
be considered.
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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.
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Works employing electronics,
MIDI, digital technology, and/or sound reinforcement in combination
with the above instrumental forces will be considered. (See special
requirements below.)
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Works requiring soloists will
not be considered.
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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, 2010.
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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.
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Incomplete, illegible, or late
applications will not be considered.
How to Apply
PLEASE
NOTE: The application deadline has passed. The following information
is provided for reference only.Before submitting an
application, carefully review the eligibility & submission
guidelines above. Submission deadline is December 4, 2009, at
5PM (EST).
A complete
submission must include the following:
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A completed submission form (html) (pdf)
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One bound copy of the score,
clearly labeled with the composer's name and title of the work on the
cover page.
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A current resume for the
composer including educational background, major teachers, awards,
professional affiliations.
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A list of works, including
title, year composed, instrumentation, duration, and performance
history.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Send to:
Underwood New Music Readings
2010
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 2009, composer Wang Jie
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
Anna Clyne
Dan Coleman*
Cindy Cox
Juan Cuellar
Nathan Currier
Sebastian Currier*
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
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Pierre Jalbert*
Jesse Jones
Chris Kaufman
Daniel Kellogg
Martin Kennedy
John Kline
Amy Kirsten
Kristin Kuster*
Sally Lamb
Spencer Lambright
Andrew McKenna Lee
Paul Yeon Lee*
Arthur Levering
Leonard Lewis
Xinyan Li
Matthew Lima
Robert Manthey
James Matheson
Scott McAllister
Lansing D. McLoskey
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*
Paola Prestini
Leanna Primiani
Robert Przytulski
David Rakowski
Andrea Reinkemeyer
Paul Richards
Carlos Rivera
Brian Robison*
John Fitz Rogers
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Rodney Rogers
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
Gregory Spears*
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
Reiko Yamada
Roger Zare*
Qinru Zhou
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* Programmed/commissioned by ACO
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
 
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