Minnesota Orchestra: Composer Institute

The Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute, presented each season by the Minnesota Orchestra and American Composers Forum in cooperation with the American Music Center, provides the opportunity for up to nine composers from across the nation to participate in an intensive week-long immersion into the world of a major American symphony orchestra.

The Composer Institute, which to our knowledge is unique in the nation, features orchestral rehearsals, a public performance, and numerous targeted workshops with leading music industry professionals on musical, career, business and professional development issues. The Institute nurtures the participants’ musical acumen and broadens their career management skills, assisting in their growth as artists and community leaders. Many participants have said that the Composer Institute was the single most important experience of their musical educations. Seminar topics include many not offered elsewhere, including advanced instrumental and orchestral writing, copyrights, commissioning, licensing, publishing, promotion, music preparation, public speaking, working with conductors and union orchestras, community residencies, CD and media production, and working in educational settings, among others.

The Institute is co-directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Aaron Jay Kernis and Minnesota Orchestra Artistic Planning Associate Beth Cowart. Prior to and following the rehearsals and performance, composers receive feedback from Kernis, Minnesota Orchestra members, and Music Director Osmo Vänskä. There is no fee to the participating composers and many area composers who are members of the American Composers Forum audit the seminars free of charge.

Beginning with the 2003-04 season, a Composer Institute alumnus is invited to compose a piece for each Young People's concert season.

The next Composer Institute is set for November 1-8, 2008.

PLEASE NOTE!: The Composer Institute now features an evening concert at Orchestra Hall, conducted by Osmo Vänskä, showcasing all works selected for this season's Institute. Mark your calendar for Friday, November 7, 2008, 8pm. (Click here here for information on Future Classics! concert information from the 2006-07 season, and here for 2007-08.)

The score postmark deadline for the 2008-09 season's Composer Institute is March 7, 2008. Click here for a PDF of the poster with complete eligibility and submission information.

We thank the following for their generous support of the Composer Institute: Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Amphion Foundation, Argosy Foundation, ASCAP, ASCAP Foundation, BMI Foundation, Gerald B. and Catherine L. Fischer, the Jack and Linda Hoeschler Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation, Daniel Kunin, F. Bruce and Diana Lewis, Meet the Composer, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, David and Judy Ranheim, and Fred and Gloria Sewell.

More About the Composer Institute

New Video about the Program: below is a short 7-minute video about the Composer Institute, shot during the 2007-08 program, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the many elements of the program and featuring musical excerpts and interviews with participants. Film project made possible by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Complete List of Composers and Works
Click here for a complete list of composers and works since the program's inception.

2007-08 Minnesota Public Radio Features
Click here for Melissa Ousley’s Composer Institute coverage throughout the week – see four audio links on right side for features with hosts Steve Staruch and John Birge.

Click here for Fred Child’s interview with composer Daniel Bradshaw on Performance Today.

2006-07 Minnesota Public Radio Documentary

Click here to listen to Tom Crann's interview of Nov-Dec 2006 Composer Institute participant Ashley Nail, featured on All Things Considered.

2004-05 Minnesota Public Radio Documentary
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.

Composer Participant Missy Mazzoli's Blog
Read composer participant Missy Mazzoli's daily blog reports from the 2006-07 Composer Institute, posted on newmusicbox.org. Click on the links below to read her entries.
Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Days 4 & 5 | Final Posting

Composer Participant Sean Shepherd's Blog
Read composer participant Sean Shepherd's engaging and informative daily blog reports from the 2005-06 Composer Institute, posted on newmusicbox.org. Click on the links below to read his entries.
Introduction | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 |
Day 6 | Final Posting

Partners
American Composers Forum
American Music Center

Photo Captions:
(Top Left) Composer Garrett Byrnes and Osmo Vänskä study the score.

(Middle, Right) Osmo Vänskä and the Minnesota Orchestra rehearse with composer Gregg Wramage.

(Middle, Left) MPR/The Current host Steve Seel discusses the music with composer Missy Mazzoli at the first-ever Future Classics! Concert.

(Bottom, Right) Nine participants, Osmo Vänskä and Aaron Kernis answer audience questions after the December 1, 2006 Future Classics! concert.