Composer Institute History
The Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute is an outgrowth of the Orchestra’s Perfect Pitch program, an annual series of new music reading sessions for emerging composers launched during the 1995-96 season in collaboration with the American Composers Forum. Initially, these sessions were for Minnesota composers only; they were later opened to composers from surrounding states. By 2001, these reading sessions developed into a much more extensive program renamed the Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute, and the program was opened to talented emerging composers from throughout the country. New Music USA—previously the American Music Center—joined as a program partner to offer participants its invaluable legal and business seminars for composers.
In December 2006 the Orchestra added a public concert of the composers' new works, titled Future Classics and conducted by Music Director Osmo Vänskä. Besides preparing for the concert, participating composers now attend a week of intensive professional development workshops with orchestral administrators and other national experts in the field, along with advanced musical seminars with the Minnesota Orchestra musicians, Osmo Vänskä and Institute Director Aaron Jay Kernis—all intended to advance the careers and musical experience of those attending.
Information on past Composer Institutes, including links to biographies, program notes, composer websites, blog postings and Minnesota Public Radio features, is provided below. Click here to view a complete list (PDF) of Composer Institute and Perfect Pitch participants since the program’s inception.
2011-12 Composer Institute: January 2 to 7, 2012
| BRIAN CIACH Bloomington, Indiana |
Collective Uncommon, Seven Orchestral Studies on Medical Oddities |
| MICHAEL R. HOLLOWAY Saint Paul, Minnesota |
Rhythm: Theta Beta Theta |
| ADRIAN KNIGHT Brooklyn, New York |
Manchester |
| HANNAH LASH New York City, New York |
God Music Bug Music |
| ANDREIA PINTO-CORREIA Boston, Massachusetts |
Xántara |
| SHEN YIWEN New York City, New York |
First Orchestral Essay |
Composer biographies and program notes
Composer Institute participant Hannah Lash's blog
Read composer Hannah Lash's daily blog reports from the 2011-12 Composer Institute, posted on NewMusicBox.org.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4
2010-11 Composer Instit
ute: October 24 to 30, 2010
| TAYLOR BRIZENDINE Los Angeles, California |
Mandragora Officinarum |
| WANG JIE Phildelphia, Pennsylvania |
Symphony No. 1 |
| POLINA NAZAYKINSKAYA Austin, Texas |
Winter Bells |
| CLINT NEEDHAM Bloomington, Indiana |
The Body Electric |
| BEN PHELPS Los Angeles, California |
Overture Maximus |
| NARONG PRANGCHAROEN Kansas City, Missouri |
Namaskar |
| DAVID WEAVER Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Mutatis Mutandis |
Composer biographies and program notes
Composer Institute participant Taylor Brizendine's blog
Read composer Taylor Brizendine's daily blog reports from the 2010-11 Composer Institute, posted on NewMusicBox.org.
Introduction | Days 1 & 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Days 5 & 6
2009-10 Composer Institute: November 17 to 22, 2009
| ANGEL LAM New Haven, Connecticut |
In Search of Seasons |
| SPENCER TOPEL Hanover, New Hampshire |
Incendio |
| ROGER ZARE Sarasota, Florida |
Aerodynamics |
| FERNANDO BUIDE Santiago, Spain |
Antiphones |
| KATHRYN SALFELDER Boston, Massachusetts |
Dessin No. 1 |
| CARL SCHIMMEL Grinnell, Iowa |
Woolgatherer’s Chapbook |
| GEOFF KNORR Baltimore, Maryland |
Shadows of the Infinite |
Composer biographies and program notes
Composer Institute participant Spencer Topel's blog
Read composer Spencer Topel's daily blog reports from the 2009-10 Composer Institute, posted on NewMusicBox.org.
Introduction Part 1 & Part 2 | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5
2008-09 Composer Institute: November 1 to 8, 2008
| TED HEARNE New Haven, Connecticut |
Patriot |
| ANTONIO CARLOS DeFEO Pelham Manor, New York |
Four Portraits: por los ojos de los niños |
| ANDREW McMANUS Rochester, New York |
Identity |
| MING-HSIU YEN Ann Arbor, Michigan |
Yun |
| WANG LU New York, New York |
Wailing |
| DAVID SCHNEIDER Bloomington, Indiana |
Automation |
| JUSTIN MERRITT Northfield, Minnesota |
River of Blood |
Composer biographies and program notes
Composer Institute participant Ted Hearne's blog
Read composer Ted Hearne's daily blog reports from the 2008-09 Composer Institute, posted on NewMusicBox.org.
Introduction | Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3
Composer Institute participant Justin Merritt's blog
Read composer Justin Merritt's daily blog reports from the 2008-09 Composer Institute, posted on NewMusicBox.org.
Introduction | Post 1 | Post 2 | Post 3 | Post 4
2007-08 Composer Institute: October 20 to 27, 2007
|
TREVOR GURECKIS |
Very Large Array |
| WES MATTHEWS Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts |
Terraces |
| DANIEL BRADSHAW Laie, Hawaii |
Chaconne |
| ELLIOTT MILES McKINLEY Minneapolis, Minnesota |
Four Moments for Grand Orchestra: A "Pocket" Symphony |
| XI WANG Ithaca, New York |
Above Light—a conversation with Toru Takemitsu |
| STEPHEN WILCOX Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
Cho-Han |
| JACOB COOPER New Haven, Connecticut |
Odradek |
Composer biographies and program notes
Minnesota Public Radio feature
Click here for Melissa Ousley’s Composer Institute coverage throughout the week.See four audio links on the right side for features with hosts Steve Staruch and John Birge.
Composer Institute participant Jacob Cooper's blog
Read composer Jacob Cooper's daily blog reports from the 2007-08 Composer Institute, posted on NewMusicBox.org.
Days 1 & 2 | Day 3 | Days 4 & 5 | Day 6 | Day 7
2006-07 Composer Institute: November 26 to December 2, 2006
|
MISSY MAZZOLI
Brooklyn, New York |
These Worlds in Us |
|
STEPHEN GORBOS
Ithaca, New York |
Diaphony |
|
ASHLEY NAIL
Minneapolis, Minnesota |
...At the end of the tunnel |
|
GREGG WRAMAGE
Brooklyn, New York |
La tristesse durera |
|
KURT ERICKSON
American Canyon, California |
Toccata for Orchestra |
|
ALEJANDRO RUTTY
Oneonta, New York |
Tango Loops 2B |
|
DAN VISCONTI
Arlington, Virginia |
Black Bend |
|
GARRETT BYRNES |
Solace |
|
ANNA CLYNE
Brooklyn, New York |
rewind |
Minnesota Public Radio feature
Click here to listen to Tom Crann's interview of Nov-Dec 2006 Composer Institute participant Ashley Nail, featured on All Things Considered.
Composer Institute participant Missy Mazzoli's blog
Read composer Missy Mazzoli's daily blog reports from the 2006-07 Composer Institute, posted on NewMusicBox.org.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Days 4 & 5 | Final Posting
2005-06 Composer Institute: May 6-11, 2006
| Sunder | |
| Liquid Song | |
| Hubble Space Telescope Views | |
| Surreal Abundance | |
| Estampie | |
| surface tension | |
|
REYNOLD THARP
|
Cold Horizon |
| The Palace of Nine Perfections |
Composer Institute participant Sean Shepherd's blog
Read composer Sean Shepherd's daily blog reports from the 2005-06 Composer Institute, posted on NewMusicBox.org.
Introduction | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Final Posting
2004-05 Composer Institute: October 27-30, 2004
| Mood Swing |
|
| Aqua | |
| Sacred Geometry |
|
| Strateia | |
| Classical Walpurgis Night |
|
| Subtle Electric Fire |
|
| Push |
Minnesota Public Radio feature
Click here to listen to Minnesota Public Radio's 2004 radio documentary about the Composer Institute by Chris Roberts, featured on All Things Considered and State of the Arts.
2003-04 Composer Institute: May 1-4, 2004
| Electric Traction |
|
| Electric Lines | |
|
ANTHONY CHEUNG
|
Symphony No. 1 |
|
WILLIAM A. WARE
|
Das Juengste Kind |
| Elements 4 |
|
| Voyage to the Sun |
|
| Entropy |
2002-03 Composer Institute: October 25-31, 2002
| Canti Arioso | |
| Sound, Asleep | |
|
LU PEI
|
Rhapsody No. 1, Dance of the Dragon |
| Love Unlimited | |
| Escape | |
| Subtleties Lost, Prelude and Fugue for Orchestra | |
| Beatitudes | |
| Xylem |
2001-02 Composer Institute: March 9-14, 2002
| Symphony No. 1 | |
| Roam | |
| Serendipitous Scenes | |
| Shadow | |
| The Whispering Wind |
|
|
KEITH MURPHY
|
Amok |
|
STEPHAN PROCK
|
Garden Varieties, Four Dance Vignettes |
| Canter into Black |
Click here to view a complete list (PDF) of Composer Institute and Perfect Pitch participants since the program's inception.
