Press Releases - Archived
The Boston New Music Initiative Announces First Ever Call for ProposalsTenth Season "The Beauty of The Line" highlights relationship between music and artBoston, MA - December 4, 2017
Proposals will be reviewed for new collaborative work created by a composer and visual artist, working together. Existing composer/visual artist teams are encouraged, though musical proposals without an attached artist are welcomed as well. Submissions of music without an artist will be offered to a group of visual artists already committed to participating in this project. "We hope to create an opportunity for composer/visual artists teams to work together to create truly unique art works," said Beth Ratay, BNMI Artistic Director. "I am looking forward to seeing the creative ideas put forth by applicants." Proposals for The Beauty of the Line collaborative works should be no more than 750 words, and should include details regarding instrumentation, duration, reliance on electronic equipment, and a description of the music and visual art included in the proposal. The Boston New Music Initiative will plan the 2018-2019 season, its tenth, depending on the types of submissions the organization receives in this call for proposals. Composers and artists are not limited in the number of proposals they can submit, though each proposal must be submitted as a separate entry. All submissions must also be anonymous. Details on submission of proposals can be found at www.bostonnewmusic.org/submit. Composers wishing to submit scores must become members of BNMI; Associate Membership is free and Full Membership is $20 a year. The Boston New Music Initiative Joins the Global #GivingTuesday MovementBNMI Pledges to Raise Funds to Support Composers of New MusicBoston, MA - November 24, 2017
Occurring this year on November 28, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (in the US) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday to kick off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support "We are already well on our way to our $1500 goal thanks to several generous donors. Just a few more donations will bring us to our goal, and a financially healthy season" said Beth Ratay, BNMI Artistic Director. 92Y − a cultural center in New York City that, since 1874, has been bringing people together around its core values of community service and giving back − conceptualized #GivingTuesday as a new way of linking individuals and causes to strengthen communities and encourage giving. In 2016, the fifth year of #GivingTuesday, millions of people in 98 countries came together to give back and support the causes they believe in. Over $177 million was raised online to benefit a tremendously broad range of organizations, and much more was given in volunteer hours, donations of food and clothing, and acts of kindness. "We have been incredibly inspired by the generosity in time, efforts and ideas that have brought our concept for a worldwide movement into reality,” said Henry Timms, founder of #GivingTuesday and executive director of 92Y. “As we embark on our sixth year of #GivingTuesday, we are encouraged by the early response from partners eager to continue making an impact in this global conversation." Those who are interested in joining The Boston New Music Initiative’s #GivingTuesday initiative can visit www.bostonnewmusic.org or the organization’s #GivingTuesday donation site. For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit the #GivingTuesday website (www.givingtuesday.org), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday) or follow @GivingTues and the #GivingTuesday hashtag on social media. ABOUT GIVING TUESDAY #GivingTuesday is a global giving movement that has been built by individuals, families, organizations, businesses and communities in all 50 states and in countries around the world. This year, #GivingTuesday falls on November 28. #GivingTuesday harnesses the collective power of a unique blend of partners to transform how people think about, talk about, and participate in the giving season. It inspires people to take collective action to improve their communities, give back in better, smarter ways to the charities and causes they believe in, and help create a better world. #GivingTuesday demonstrates how every act of generosity counts, and that they mean even more when we give together. Visit www.givingtuesday.org. The Boston New Music Initiative Announces Sixth Annual Commissioning CompetitionNew Work to be Performed during BNMI's Tenth Season (2018-2019)Boston, MA - September 27, 2017 The Boston New Music Initiative, Inc. (BNMI) announces its Call for Scores for new music compositions for the upcoming 2018-2019 concert season. The theme of BNMI's Ninth Season is "The Beauty of the Line" and will challenge the composer to provide a work that is inspired by a work of visual art, including sculpture and graphic media. The purpose of this competition is to further the mission of The Boston New Music Initiative to maintain an international network of composers, performers, conductors, directors, and champions of music in order to generate new music concerts, compositions, collaborations, and commissions. Incorporated in 2010, the organization aims to advance the careers of its members in the field of new music by serving as a resource for networking, professional development, commissioning, collaboration, and programming. The current call is open until October 31, 2017, for any representative work. However, composers are encouraged if at all possible to show their ability to write for the BNMI core ensemble (fl, cl, vn, vc, pf, perc) or a similar instrumentation. This sextet will be the ensemble of the commissioned work. "The annual commissioning competition is very exciting for BNMI because we as an organization and ensemble get to know a new composer, and work closely with them to bring their work to life for the first time. Introducing new composers and their work to new audiences is extremely rewarding for everyone involved in the future of music," said Beth Ratay, BNMI Artistic Director. Once music scores and recordings are submitted, the competition is adjudicated in a two-round blind evaluation process, by an external panel of composers and music professionals. The winner receives a grand prize and the chance to compose a new 8-12 minute work. The Boston New Music Initiative will include this commissioned work during its Tenth Season. The winning composer is strongly encouraged to attend. The winner of the 2016 competition, Lonnie Hevia, received a $1,000 prize for his new work, After the Rain, which premiered at BNMI’s April 2017 concert, conducted by Patrick Valentino. BNMI may also select up to three additional works for Honorable Mention. Submitted works can be of any duration.There is no limit on the number of works a composer may submit, however each work should be submitted as a separate entry. All submissions must be anonymous, and scores with names or other identifying marks will not be considered. The call is open to any composer regardless of age, nationality, sex, color, creed, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or veteran status. Composers wishing to submit scores must become members of BNMI; Associate Membership is free and Full Membership is $20 a year. More detail on the submission of works to the Call for Scores and BNMI membership are found at http://www.bostonnewmusic.org/submit. The Boston New Music Initiative Announces Guest Conductors for 2017-2018 SeasonTian Hui Ng and Yuga Cohler will conduct BNMI performances in its ninth concert seasonBoston, MA - September 12, 2017 The Boston New Music Initiative, Inc. (BNMI) announces two guest conductors who will lead performances in its upcoming season. Tian Hui Ng, Music Director of the Mount Holyoke Symphony Orchestra, and Yuga Cohler, Music Director of the Young Musicians Foundation, will conduct BNMI performances in the fall of 2017 and spring of 2018.
"I am super excited to be working on these new operas, and to be embarking on my first adventure with BNMI and BOC!" said Maestro Hui Ng, who has won the American Prize in Composition, and has won grants from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, National Arts Council of Singapore, Singapore International Foundation, Women’s Philharmonic, and WomenArts, in addition to the Oregon Bach Festival, the Dartington International Music Festival, and the Yale School of Music.
Mr. Cohler is a summa cum laude graduate of Harvard College, where he studied computer science. "Being from the area, I'm naturally very excited to work with the Boston New Music Initiative,” said Cohler. “I'm looking forward to working with these wonderful musicians on such vital, innovative music." As an advocate for the integration of art music into mainstream culture, Mr. Cohler runs State of Art, a blog about American music without preconceptions of genre or quality. "I am absolutely thrilled that BNMI has the opportunity to work with Maestro Ng and Maestro Cohler," said Beth Ratay, the BNMI’s Artistic Director. "These two conductors bring a plethora of experience, musicality, and prestige to our organization." Steven Gudino Wins 2017 Boston New Music Initiative Young Composers CompetitionMusic Composition student at Chapman University wins award for "The Blonde Moon Whispers"Boston, MA - August 09, 2017
Gudino is a double major at the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music at Chapman University, studying Guitar Performance under Dr. Sean Heim and Music Composition under Dr. Vera Ivanova. As a guitarist, Gudino has performed numerous concerts, many of which are recorded and available on Steven Gudino's YouTube channel. "I am honored and excited to have won the BNMI Young Composer's Competition," Gudino said. "I truly look forward to attending the performance of the piece." The Boston New Music Initiative holds its annual Young Composer Call for Scores to engage composer members and identify new repertoire to perform throughout the concert season. The contest recognizes and celebrates innovative work by composers under the age of 21. Previous winners of the competition include Thomas Sturm (Creatio Ex Nihilo), Trey Makler (Sonette an Orpheus), and Aaron Mencher (Uncertainly Yours). Mencher’s winning piece was performed by BNMI in November 2016. "I am so excited to continue to support promising young composers with our 3rd Annual Young Composers Competition," said Beth Ratay, BNMI Artistic Director. "Congratulations to this year’s winner, Steven Gudino, whose piece The Blonde Moon Whispers allows our ensemble to perform a unique work for flute, alto saxophone and piano." The piece is performed in three sections. Reflections of the Artificial Light is characterized by a steady pulse which is constantly being jolted by complex and uneven rhythmic figures, evoking reflections of lights on a nighttime road. The second section, The Blonde Moon Whispers, represents the midnight landscape, and uses a melancholy motif. The third and final section, Les étoiles qui rient, builds on the first two sections, while introducing a distinct motif of its own. Its title translates to "The stars that laugh" and is a paraphrase of a quote from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The Boston New Music Initiative’s upcoming performance "Five’s a Crowd," which will include Gudino’s winning work, will take place in early 2018. The Boston New Music Initiative Announces Additions to Core Performers and StaffArtistic Director Beth Ratay, Percussionist Daniel T. Lewis and Matt Williams take new roles with the BNMIBoston, MA - June 20, 2017
"I am delighted to continue my work with The Boston New Music Initiative," said Beth Ratay, the BNMI’s Artistic Director. "We had a fantastic start to our Core+ interdisciplinary endeavors with the Luminarium Dance this past April, and have another great collaboration on the horizon with the Boston Opera Collaborative this November." Dr. Ratay is a composer whose works have been performed worldwide. As a performer, she was principal flutist for the University of California, Santa Cruz Orchestra and the Santa Cruz New Music Festival from 2009 to 2012. She currently sings with the Back Bay Chorale and the Cambridge Chamber Singers. Beth received her Doctor of Musical Arts in World Music Composition from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Matt Williams joins BNMI as Director of Concert Series. He currently works full time as School Administrator at the All Newton Music School. An experienced arts administrator, he has worked with the Boston Pops, Boston Early Music Festival, Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, MA, and the Atlas Performing Arts Center in Washington, D.C. He holds a Bachelor of Music from Shenandoah Conservatory where he studied trombone performance. Ratay added, "We also have several new and exciting collaborations in the works for upcoming seasons. The future of BNMI is looking great!" Daniel T. Lewis is a composer from Medford, Massachusetts, whose music is performed frequently in the Boston area and across the US. As a percussionist and improviser, he currently performs with Rested Field, an experimental improvisation trio focused on experimental methods, notations and materials of music. Daniel was a winner of the Boston Microtonal Society 2014 Call for Scores, and his music has been featured at the MA Chapter PAS Day of Percussion (2014) and the Zeltsman Marimba Festival (2010). Daniel attended SICPP at New England Conservatory in 2012, and holds degrees from The Boston Conservatory and Western Connecticut State University in composition, music education, and percussion performance. The Boston New Music Initiative Announces Winner of Commissioning CompetitionCornell Doctoral Candidate Charles Peck wins fifth annual BNMI composition contestBoston, MA - May 9, 2017
"I am absolutely thrilled to be awarded a commission from the Boston New Music Initiative," says winning composer Charles Peck. "I have been anxious to write a new pierrot ensemble piece recently and am honored to be able to write it for such gifted, committed performers. Can't wait to get started!" The BNMI commissioning competition is held annually, and the winner is awarded a cash prize, and is engaged to compose a new 8-12 minute work for performance by The Boston New Music Initiative. The competition allows the organization to play a supporting role in the creation of an entirely new work, while getting to know composers who are expanding the boundaries of new music. Previous winners include Nicola Straffelini, Travis Alford, and Lonnie Hevia, whose piece “After the Rain” was performed at the BNMI Spring concert, Ars Nexa Tempora "BNMI is really excited to be working with Charles Peck,” said Beth Ratay, Artistic Director for the Boston New Music Initiative. "His submission for the competition, "Rift and Shade" was a vibrant, dramatic and well crafted work. We are looking forward to working with him and performing his new work in April of 2018." Mr. Peck's music has been performed by such ensembles as the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra, ensemble mise-en, and the Locrian Chamber players. Among his several awards and accolades, he was recently named the winner of the Lake George Composition Competition (2016). He is currently a doctoral student in composition at Cornell University. Prior to his studies at Cornell, he received a master's degree at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and a bachelor's degree at Drexel University. Two additional compositions were selected for honorable mention: Chen-Yang Xu for "Barbarous Dance," and Charles Halka for "Por la Fuerza las Tierras." The BNMI congratulates all three of these composers. The Boston New Music Initiative Announces 2017-2018 Call For ScoresWinning compositions will be performed during BNMI’s ninth concert seasonBoston, MA - Feb 14, 2017
With this Call for Scores, BNMI aims to further its mission and help build a strong base for new music in and around Boston, as well as advance the careers of its members by serving as a resource for networking, professional development, commissioning, collaboration, and programming. The call is open until March 15, 2017, for acoustic, electro-acoustic, and multimedia works by any composer regardless of age, nationality, sex, color, creed, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or veteran status. "The concept of ‘Dramatic Tension’ is closely associated with contemporary music - modern composers are able to express emotions in a direct and visceral way, and the realities of our modern world give ample inspiration for exploring tension and drama. Yet the concept need not be negative - tension is the necessary stress which excites and animates all action; drama splashes color on a monochrome world," said Patrick Valentino, BNMI Artistic Director. "In Season 9, we challenge our composers to tap into this well - and see how deep it goes." The Boston New Music Initiative is accepting works in three categories: solos; small groups including duets, trios, and quartets; and ensemble pieces. For the ninth season, BNMI will program one to three works per category. Solos and works for other small groups can be composed for any instrument from the core ensemble, which includes Flute (doubling Piccolo, Alto Flute or Bass Flute), Clarinet in B-flat (doubling Clarinet in A, or Bass Clarinet in B-flat), Violin, Violoncello, Piano and Percussion. Stereo electronic, electroacoustic, or multimedia works are accepted, but must not be fixed-media, requiring at least one live performer. Submitted works can be of any duration, although preference may be given to works which are 12 minutes or less. There is no limit on the number of works a composer may submit, however each work should be submitted as a separate entry. All submissions must be anonymous, and scores with names or other identifying marks will not be considered. Composers wishing to submit scores must become members of BNMI; Associate Membership is free and Full Membership is $20 a year. More detail on the submission of works to the Call for Scores and BNMI membership are found at www.bostonnewmusic.org/submit. Boston New Music Initiative Presents its Winter Composition WorkshopEvent features BNMI flutist Deirdre Viau at The Record Company in BostonBoston, MA - Jan 3, 2017
Hearing a composed piece in performance is a valuable opportunity for composers to hone their work, and a winter workshop can be a popular event. For these reasons, the workshop is limited to a maximum of 15 participants, with pieces of no more than five minutes in length. Composers applying to the workshop must be members of BNMI, and the application fee is free for full members, and $10 for associate members. “If you’re a composer, the workshop will help you explore the fine points of writing for flute, in an informal, supportive environment,” said Deirdre Viau, flutist for the BNMI ensemble. “You will hear how your musical ideas translate into actual performance, and participate in an open discussion about flute techniques. I look forward to meeting you!” “The Boston New Music Initiative is very excited to expand our opportunities for our members with this new workshop presentation,” said Beth Ratay, Director of Concert Series for the BNMI. “We hope this will be a valuable learning experience for our musical community.” In addition to choosing new music compositions for the Winter Workshop, Deirdre and the BNMI artistic staff may choose one of the works for performance on the next BNMI concert on April 22, 2017 at the Arts at the Armory in Somerville. The Winter Workshop will take place at 4pm on Saturday, January 21 at The Record Company, a combination recording studio and performance venue, dedicated to supporting music through entrepreneurship and youth/adult collaboration. The Record Company is located at 960 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, near the South Bay Shopping Plaza and the I-93 Connector. Composers should submit their work to the BNMI Winter Composition Workshop before January 14, 2017. ABOUT THE RECORD COMPANY The Record Company was founded with a mission to build a sustainable, nationally recognized music scene in Boston. The organization provides 700 subsidized professional recording sessions for more than 3,000 local musicians each year out of its 5,000 square foot, two-studio facility. It is producing the first-ever Boston Compilation Album, an annual project to foster awareness and serve as a platform to amplify local artists across Boston and beyond. The organization is also building three all-ages music venues in 3 different Boston neighborhoods by 2020. To learn more about The Record Company, visit www.therecordco.org/. BNMI Presents ‘Dualities’ to Open Eighth Season at The Record Company in BostonBoston New Music Initiative Announces Fall ConcertBoston, MA - Oct 16, 2016
The concert features works from selected composers around the world, including Jihyun Kim’s In the Water, Victor Marquez‐Barrios’ El Duende Lunero, Imbalance by Martín Gendelman, Justin Merritt’s The Day Florestan Murdered Magister Raro, Into the Light by Nicoletta Andreuccetti, and Uncertainly Yours, the latest composition from the winner of our Young Composer’s Competition, Aaron Mencher. Mencher’s Uncertainly Yours was selected by the Boston New Music Initiative as the winner of our second annual Young Composers Competition. Mencher attends the University of Missouri on a full-tuition music composition scholarship, and has composed numerous works of contemporary classical music, as well as film scores and incidental music. The concert includes In the Water by Cornell doctoral candidate Jihyun Kim, whose music has been performed across the US, Europe and Asia, and recorded by Editro Sconfinarte for XXI Century Archives and Samadis' Records. El Duende Lunero is by Venezuelan composer and guitarist Victor Marquez Barrios, whose works have been performed throughout Latin America, the US, and Europe, as well as used in teaching publications. The Day Florestan Murdered Magister Raro by Justin Merritt, features characters found in Schumann’s piano pieces, where Florestan is represented by wild and free musical themes, with Magister Raro as the wise, controlling voice. Imbalance by Martín Gendelman expresses the composer’s diverse musical experience, influenced by South American folk, American jazz, and European art music, and it explores the connections between diverse musical influences. Into the Light by Italian composer Nicoletta Andreuccetti combines acoustic and electronic and explores varied musical aesthetics. ‘Dualities’ will be held on Friday, November 4 at The Record Company, a combination recording studio and performance venue, dedicated to supporting music through entrepreneurship and youth/adult collaboration. The organization seeks to make music production accessible to artists, writers and composers, as well as building an audience across disparate communities, to reinvigorate local music and build a sustainable creative community in Boston. The Record Company is located at 960 Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, near the South Bay Shopping Plaza and the I-93 Connector. ABOUT THE RECORD COMPANY The Record Company was founded with a mission to build a sustainable, nationally recognized music scene in Boston. The organization provides 700 subsidized professional recording sessions for more than 3,000 local musicians each year out of its 5,000 square foot, two-studio facility. It is producing the first-ever Boston Compilation Album, an annual project to foster awareness and serve as a platform to amplify local artists across Boston and beyond. The organization is also building three all-ages music venues in 3 different Boston neighborhoods by 2020. To learn more about The Record Company, visit www.therecordco.org/. Boston New Music Initiative Awards Aaron Mencher Winner of 2016 Young Composers CompetitionUniversity of Missouri student Mencher wins BNMI competition for “Uncertainly Yours”Boston, MA - Sept 7, 2016
In the summer of 2011, Mencher composed music for the Dancing Goat Theatre’s production of Shakespeare, and brought a rich sense of humor and drama to the work. He adapted and developed several musical styles for the play, becoming one of the most beloved and important elements of the theatre’s performances. He went on to score the theater’s next several shows, including Proof, Pinocchio, 39 Steps, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Anne of Green Gables, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He was by then a senior at Cambridge High School, in Milton, Georgia. Today, Aaron Mencher attends the University of Missouri on a full-tuition music composition scholarship though the Mizzou New Music Initiative and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. He has studied with Stefan Freund, William T. McKenney and William Lackey, and has composed numerous works of contemporary classical music, as well as film scores and incidental music. His work, Fast-Forward, premiered with the Edmonton Symphony at the C’mon Music Festival, while the Atlantic Music Festival Contemporary Music Ensemble premiered Uncertainly Yours. “We are very pleased to present Aaron Mencher's Uncertainly Yours on our Fall Concert this season,” said BNMI’s Artistic Director Patrick Valentino. “Aaron's score stood out from a group of very strong submissions by its understated confidence of craft and organic musical inventiveness.” Aaron’s music has received recognition from organizations including the Third Millennium Ensemble, the American Prize, and the European-American Musical Alliance. He has worked with a variety of ensembles including the Deviant Septet, the Ars Futura Ensemble, the All-National Concert Band, the Atlantic Music Festival Contemporary Music Ensemble, Drax, members of the Edmonton Symphony and many others. The Boston New Music Initiative’s upcoming performance will take place in November 2016, and will include Mencher’s winning work. ABOUT AARON MENCHER Aaron Mencher attends the University of Missouri with a full-tuition music composition scholarship though the Mizzou New Music Initiative and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. He has studied with Stefan Freund, William T. McKenney and William Lackey. His work as a composer of contemporary classical music, film scores, and incidental music, has received recognition from organizations including NAfME, the Third Millennium Ensemble, the American Prize, and the European-American Musical Alliance. He worked with a variety of ensembles including the Deviant Septet, the Ars Futura Ensemble, the All-National Concert Band, the Atlantic Music Festival Contemporary Music Ensemble, and many others. To hear more of Aaron Mencher’s work, visit www.soundcloud.com/menchermusic and visit his Facebook page at www.facebook.com/menchermusic. The Boston New Music Initiative Opens Second Annual Young Composers CompetitionThe BNMI Partners with Luminarium Dance Company for its 2016-2017 SeasonBoston, MA - July 18, 2016
For the new season, BNMI welcomes young composers to submit chamber works incorporating at least one and up to all of BNMI’s core instruments (flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and percussion). BNMI is partnering with Luminarium Dance Company to produce a joint event in the 2016-2017 season which involve live music and dance simultaneously. Young composers may submit works specifically composed for dance, or works that the composer would allow to be paired with dance. The performances of these works may, with permission of the composers, feature new choreography by the Luminarium Dance Company when they are performed by the Boston New Music Initiative. BNMI is also welcoming elements of multimedia in our Young Composers Competition Call For Scores. Works may include electronic, electroacoustic, or multimedia elements for instrumentation ranging from at least one up to all of BNMI’s core instruments. Multimedia elements may range from recorded, licensed materials on film, tape, or MAX/MSP patch, as well as choreography, artwork, spoken word, or movement. Scores of works involving electronic elements should include technical instructions and proof of copyright ownership or permission of use. "The landscape of new music is in constant flux, and so BNMI is excited to collaborate with a new medium,” said Kristen Dye, BNMI’s Executive Director. “The Luminarium Dance Company is a champion of modern and contemporary dance that also has an inclusive community element. It will be a wonderful opportunity for young composers to see their works paired with professional dancers. BNMI is furthering our mission by being as diverse as possible and we seek to bring our message to the contemporary music community at large." “Last season BNMI presented Die Sonette an Orpheus by Trey Makler, the winner of the First Young Composers Competition,” added Beth Ratay, BNMI’s Director of Concert Series. “The composer was present at the concert, and it was a great experience for everyone involved. The artistic staff of BNMI is really excited to be able to continue to create opportunities and learning experiences for young composers by coordinating the Second Annual Young Composers Competition for Season 8.” The Young Composers Competition is open through August 15, 2016, for composers up to age 20, of any nationality, sex, color, creed, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or veteran status. Young composers of new music can submit as many scores as they wish, anonymously, as well as digital recordings. Each entry is free for full BNMI members and $5 for associate members. Submissions must be completed online and accompanying fees paid by 11:59 pm on August 15, 2016. More information about submitting new music compositions can be found at the BNMI Young Composers Competition page. ABOUT LUMINARIUM DANCE COMPANY Founded by Merli V. Guerra and Kimberleigh A. Holman in Boston in 2010, Luminarium Dance Company is an award-winning modern and contemporary dance company that is regularly hailed for its unique combination of dance and light. The company's 24-Hour ChoreoFest, Cultural Community Outreach Project, and DANCE+ Series, challenge the limits of dance while enriching community: Giving choreographers a creative overnight outlet; using dance to highlight local historical and cultural landmarks; and offering underserved youth the chance to merge dance with other fields such as science, music, technology, and light. For more information, visit luminariumdance.org. Boston New Music Initiative Spring Concert ArrivesThe BNMI’s Seventh Season Concludes with Concert at Arlington Center for the ArtsBoston, MA - April 4, 2016
The Spring Concert will be performed by BNMI’s core ensemble and will be conducted by Artistic Director Patrick Valentino. Alongside the new work from Mr. Alford and Mr. Makler, the program will include compositions from Ashkan Behzadi (Plasticamente Colorato), Chien-Wen Cheng (Snow on the River), Gabriel Mălăncioiu (Indira), Nicholas Omiccioli (Push / Pull), and Phillip Sink (Flowers of Salt). "Our 7th Season concludes with a dynamic concert featuring the explosive yet thoughtful music of Travis Alford, winner of our 3rd Annual Commissioning Competition, alongside Trey Makler's impassioned setting of Rilke's first Sonnet of Orpheus, winner of our 1st Young Composers Competition," said Patrick Valentino, BNMI Artistic Director. "To these works we perform stark and pensive landscapes alongside jittering and grooving powerhouses for the full Core Ensemble, as well as an electro-acoustic work for bass clarinet. These works are, in their own way, a commentary on modern life - our relation to it, struggles and successes with it, and harmonious (or not so harmonious) symbiosis of what we find in it." The BNMI Spring Concert will be held on Saturday, April 16 at the Arlington Center for the Arts at 41 Foster Street in Arlington. This vibrant community arts center was established in 1988 by a visionary group of artists, writers, musicians and educators, and is today a cornerstone for the creative community in Arlington. ACA offers opportunities for expressing creativity through classes, workshops, exhibits, performances and special events. As the Boston New Music Initiative’s successful seventh season wraps up, the stage is already set for its eighth season, with its first “Core+” Call For Scores. In partnership with the Luminarium Dance Company, BNMI’s eighth season will present an even more diverse opportunity for composers, incorporating dance and multimedia in their new works. ABOUT THE ARLINGTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS The Arlington Center for the Arts is a community arts center devoted to the mission of "transforming lives and building community through the arts." ACA was established in 1988 by a visionary group of artists, writers, musicians and educators as a place where artists could share their work with the community through educational and outreach programs. ACA offers opportunities for people of all ages to discover and express their own creativity and to appreciate the creativity of others through a dynamic mix of classes, workshops, exhibits, performances and special events. To learn more about the ACA, visit http://www.acarts.org/ BNMI Announces First Core+ Music Competition for 2016-2017 SeasonThe Boston New Music Initiative’s Call For Scores Ends April 15Boston, MA - March 22, 2016
Core+ allows composers to submit works for ensembles larger than our core ensemble (Pierrot plus percussion). Also, a feature of Core+ is that each year BNMI will partner with another arts organization, and this partnership will open up new opportunities for our composers to realize their works. For the first Core+ Call, BNMI is partnering with Luminarium Dance Company to produce events in the 2016-17 season which involve live music and dance simultaneously. This opens up opportunities for composers to submit works specifically composed for dance, or even originally absolute music that the composer would allow to be paired with dance. The performances of these works may feature new choreography by the Luminarium Dance Company when they are performed by the Boston New Music Initiative. In addition, BNMI is now welcoming elements of multimedia in all our Calls For Scores. This can mean works that include electronic, electroacoustic, or multimedia elements for any instrumentation ranging from at least one member of BNMI’s core ensemble to fourteen performers. Multimedia elements may range from recorded, licensed materials on film, tape, or MAX/MSP patch, as well as choreography, artwork, spoken word, or movement. Scores of works involving electronic elements should include technical instructions and proof of copyright ownership or permission of use. “I am very pleased to inaugurate this new facet of BNMI’s quarterly Calls For Scores. While last season we added a Young Composers Competition to mirror our Commissioning Competition, this season we augment our open Calls for Scores to include two new elements,” said Patrick Valentino, BNMI’s Artistic Director. “By accepting multimedia submissions along with traditional scores, BNMI’s performances can better reflect the diverse nature of new music being composed today.” “By partnering with artists from different disciplines, BNMI is supporting its mission of connecting the creators of new art,” Valentino added. “I am excited to work with Luminarium Dance Company, our first collaborator on this journey of exploring the limitless possibilities of music and creative expression.” The Core+ Composition Commissioning Competition is open through April 15, 2016, for composers of any age, nationality, sex, color, creed, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or veteran status. Composers of new music can submit as many scores as they wish, anonymously, as well as digital recordings. Each entry requires a fee of $5 for full BNMI members and $15 for associate members. Submissions must be completed online and accompanying fees paid by 11:59 pm on April 15, 2016. More information about submitting new music compositions can be found at the BNMI Composition Commissioning Competition page. ABOUT LUMINARIUM DANCE COMPANY Founded by Merli V. Guerra and Kimberleigh A. Holman in Boston in 2010, Luminarium Dance Company is an award-winning modern and contemporary dance company that is regularly hailed for its unique combination of dance and light. The company's 24-Hour ChoreoFest, Cultural Community Outreach Project, and DANCE+ Series, challenge the limits of dance while enriching community: Giving choreographers a creative overnight outlet; using dance to highlight local historical and cultural landmarks; and offering underserved youth the chance to merge dance with other fields such as science, music, technology, and light. For more information, visit luminariumdance.org. Boston New Music Initiative Announces Winter ConcertThe BNMI’s Seventh Season Continues at Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church in SomervilleBoston, MA - January 12, 2016
The Winter Concert of Season 7 will be held on Saturday, January 30, 8pm at the Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church at 155 Powder House Road in Somerville. It will be performed by BNMI’s core ensemble plus special guest artists, conducted by Artistic Director Patrick Valentino. The program will include winning compositions from Brandon Scott Rumsey (Limelight) and Wei-Chieh Lin (A Glimpse of Trembling Refraction). The Winter Concert will also feature compositions from the New York Women Composers organization, which promotes women composers in the state of New York and the New York City metropolitan region by collaborating with ensembles to host performances of their members’ work around the world. BNMI was awarded a Seed Money grant from NYWC, and will include three works by NYWC composers: Eleanor Aversa (Something Gleamed Like Electrum, for flute, clarinet, piano, violin, and cello), Nina C. Young (Sun Propeller, for violin and electronics), and Judith Lang Zaimont (Sonata-Rhapsody, for violin and piano). "The collaboration with NYWC was an unexpected but welcome surprise. I was very impressed with the quality and originality of the submissions from the NYWC composers," said Patrick Valentino, BNMI Artistic Director. "I am proud to lead BNMI in the performance of innovative music from this often underperformed stratum of composers." The Spring Concert of Season 7 will be held on Saturday, April 16 at the Arlington Center for the Arts at 41 Foster Street in Arlington. This performance will premiere a new composition by Travis Alford, the 2015 winner of the 4th Annual BNMI Commissioning Competition. Dr. Alford is a committed promoter, performer, and composer of new music, whose compositions are known for infusing graceful jazz textures with contemporary accents. Boston New Music Initiative Announces Seventh SeasonThe BNMI Plans New Music Performances for Fall 2015 and Spring 2016Boston, MA - October 7, 2015
The first concert of Season 7 will be held on Saturday, November 14, 8pm at the Clarendon Hill Presbyterian Church at 155 Powder House Road in Somerville. The program will include a composition by Trey Makler, the 2015 winner of the BNMI’s annual Young Composers competition. His winning composition is a setting of Bohemian-Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke’s "Die Sonette an Orpheus", a cycle of 55 sonnets based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The November concert will also feature compositions from the New York Women Composers organization, which promotes women composers in the state of New York and the New York City metropolitan region by collaborating with ensembles to host performances of their members’ work around the world. BNMI was awarded a Seed Money grant from NYWC and which will result in the performance of three works by NYWC composers: Eleanor Aversa (Something Gleamed Like Electrum, for flute, clarinet, piano, violin, and cello), Nina C. Young (Sun Propeller, for violin and electronics), and Judith Lang Zaimont (Violin Sonata, for violin and piano). "The collaboration with NYWC was an unexpected but welcome surprise. I was very impressed with the quality and originality of the submissions from the NYWC composers," said Patrick Valentino, BNMI Artistic Director. "I am proud to lead BNMI in the performance of innovative music from this often underperformed stratum of composers." The second concert of Season 7 will be held in the spring, on Saturday, April 16 at the Arlington Center for the Arts at 41 Foster Street in Arlington. This performance will premiere a new composition by Travis Alford, the 2015 winner of the 4th Annual BNMI Commissioning Competition. Dr. Alford is a committed promoter, performer, and composer of new music, whose compositions are known for infusing graceful jazz textures with contemporary accents. BNMI Announces Fourth Annual New Music Commissioning CompetitionThe Boston New Music Initiative’s Call For Scores Ends October 15Boston, MA - September 29, 2015
The competition is adjudicated in a two-round process, with the winner(s) being selected by an external panel of composers and music professionals using a blind evaluation process. The winner of the composition competition will be awarded a grand prize of at least $1,000 USD, in addition to being engaged to compose a new 8-12 minute work for performance by The Boston New Music Initiative in a future concert season. "As an organization which prides itself on finding the best new composing talent, and one which receives its performing lifeblood from new works submitted to our various calls for scores, BNMI is particularly proud of its annual Commissioning Competition," states Patrick Valentino, BNMI Artistic Director. "It allows us not only to reward our winner with a cash prize, but also to play a role in the creation of an entirely new work of music. In addition, getting to know our winning composers and their music has always been a rewarding experience both for myself as a conductor and for our core performers." Composers of new music can submit as many scores as they wish, anonymously, as well as digital recordings. Each entry requires a fee of $10 for full BNMI members and $20 for associate members. Submissions must be completed online and accompanying fees paid by 11:59 pm on October 15, 2015. The winner of the 2014 competition, Nicola Straffelini, received a $1,000 prize and had his new work, Labyrinth Song, premiered on BNMI’s April 2015 concert, conducted by Artistic Director Patrick Valentino. The 2015 winner, Travis Alford, will compose a work to premiere in April 2016 as part of BNMI’s 7th concert season. More information about submitting new music compositions can be found at the BNMI Composition Commissioning Competition page. Boston New Music Initiative Awards Trey Makler Winner of 2015 Young Composers CompetitionUniversity of Missouri student Makler wins BNMI competition for “die Sonette an Orpheus”Boston, MA - August 11, 2015
Makler’s winning music composition will be performed by the Boston New Music Initiative’s ensemble during season 7, to be announced in August 2015. In addition to the BNMI performance, Makler’s upcoming projects include Hatrack, a one-act chamber opera set to premiere May 2016 at the Missouri Theater in Columbia, MO. Mr. Makler has also served as a production coordinator for the Missouri International Composer’s Festival, assisting in logistical planning and event management for the duration of the festival. "I am honored and thrilled for this opportunity," Makler stated after being chosen as the competition winner. "I cannot wait to be in Boston to hear BNMI bring my music to life!" Mr. Makler is currently a student at the University of Missouri where he studies composition with Dr. W. Thomas McKenney and Dr. Stefan Freund, and oboe with Dan Willett. Makler has worked with dancers, writers, and visual artists on multiple collaborative projects and regularly performs with various ensembles in the Columbia area, including the Exit 128 contemporary chamber orchestra, of which he is a founding member. The Boston New Music Initiative’s upcoming performances will also include work from the winning composer of the BNMI Commissioning Competition, Dr. Travis Alford. ABOUT TREY MAKLER The music of composer Trey Makler (b. 1994) explores vibrant colors and the organic development of sound and texture through blurred rhythms, lush harmonies, and angular gestures. Makler has received commissions from the Sheldon Concert Hall, Charlotte New Music Festival, and the Mizzou New Music Initiative. His work Elysium was one of six national finalists for the 2015 MTNA Young Artist Composition Competition and was recently selected for performance at the University of Nebraska – Kearney New Music Festival. To hear more of Trey’s work, visit soundcloud.com/trey-anthony-makler Alford Wins Boston New Music Initiative’s 2015 Commissioning CompetitionThe BNMI Awards Composer Dr. Travis Alford its 2015 Commission for Music Composition
The Boston New Music Initiative, Inc. (BNMI) announces Dr. Travis Alford as the 2015 winner of its annual commissioning competition. Alford, of North Carolina, will be awarded a monetary prize to compose a piece to be premiered by the BNMI ensemble during its 7th concert season in 2015-2016. The judging panel of music industry professionals chose Alford for his ability to infuse graceful jazz textures with contemporary accents, his awareness of musical style, and his commitment to the promotion of new music. "I'm honored to receive this commission from such a wonderful organization," Dr. Alford states about the Boston New Music Initiative, with which he shares the passion for promoting contemporary music compositions through composition and performance. "BNMI is a true champion of living composers, and I look forward to writing for these fine performers!" Alford's composition was chosen from 145 submissions to BNMI's international call for scores in 2014, and he is the third winner of the commissioning prize. The organization holds the commissioning competition on an annual basis for both chamber and large ensemble works. Past winning composers included Panayiotis Kokoras, for Ghost Notes, performed at BNMI's 2013 concert, directed by guest maestro Steven Lipsitt, and Nicola Straffelini for Labyrinth Song, performed in 2015 at Ryles Jazz Club, conducted by Artistic Director Patrick Valentino. The Boston New Music Initiative performs several concerts per season, featuring both its core chamber ensemble as well as its chamber orchestra. The 2014-2015 season featured performances at the PARMA Music Festival in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (August 2014), Voci et Veritas at the Longy School of Music (November 2014) and Space/Time at Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge, Massachusetts (April 2015). The BNMI Season 7 performance schedule will be announced in August 2015, and will feature works for chamber ensemble from this season’s winning composers. ABOUT TRAVIS ALFORD Travis Alford (b. 1983) is a composer, trumpeter, and improviser whose music has been heard across the United States and abroad. He has received recognition for his work by the League of Composers/ISCM, ASCAP, the American Composers Alliance, the Atlantic Center for the Arts, and the Brandeis Office of the Arts. As a trumpeter, Travis has performed with the New England Philharmonic, the Boston New Music Initiative, the Equilibrium Concert Series, New Music Brandeis, the Park Street Brass, and the Northeast Italian Band. He can also be found blowing on the harmonica from time to time. Travis currently teaches at Johnston Community College in Smithfield, NC, and has held previous positions at MIT, Brandeis University, and Gordon College. He holds degrees from Brandeis (PhD, Music Composition and Theory, '14), the New England Conservatory (MM '08), and East Carolina University (BM '05). He lives in Clayton, NC with his wife Lauren, son Owen, and their dog Toby. For more information, visit www.travisalford.com BNMI Presents Space/Time on April 16 at Ryles Jazz Club Cambridge, MA - April 1, 2015 The Boston New Music Initiative concludes its 6th season with Space/Time on April 16, 2015, 8:00 pm at iconic Ryles Jazz Club, 212 Hampshire Street in Inman Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Under the baton of conductor and Artistic Director Patrick Valentino, the BNMI ensemble will perform seven chamber works by living composers. Program highlights include the world premiere of Labyrinth Song by Italian composer Nicola Straffelini, winner of BNMI’s 2013 Commissioning Competition; two works for live performers and electronics (Black Arrow by Sungji Hong and Timshel by João Pedro Oliveira); and Sextet by Boston-based composer Christopher LaRosa. Mr. Valentino describes the concert program as “a musical journey on which we explore the intriguing parallels and paradoxes brought to light when music, an art form which must exist in time, comments on or reacts to that element of its existence. Likewise space, another musical parameter (be it physical or sonic space), interweaves with rhythm, duration, and varying conceptions of the passage of time to spin a sonic and temporal tapestry on which our program is presented.” The compositions of Nicola Straffelini have won several honors and awards, including BNMI’s 2013 Commissioning Competition, the Director’s Award at the Boston Metro Opera Composition Competition for Desert Games, first prize in the Rassegna internazionale di composizione pianistica (Rome), the first international composition prize “Music Riva,” and the Premio Valentino Bucchi (Rome). Mr. Valentino states that Labyrinth Song “compresses and expands sonic space through use of contracting rhythmic events and sections... It also borrows from a piece from another time, Berio's Laborintus II, which itself deals with memory and the passage of mortal time.” Also featured on the program are works by internationally acclaimed composers Sang Mi Ahn (i(dash)), Maurizio Azzan (Città della memoria), and Carl Schimmel (Roadshow for Otto). The concert begins at 8 pm, with a pre-concert talk with attending composers scheduled for 7:30 pm. Space/Time Featuring: Deirdre Viau, flute/piccolo Program: * World premiere, BNMI commission BNMI Awarded MCC Grant
  Cambridge, MA - February 13, 2015 The Boston New Music Initiative is pleased to announce that it has received a grant of $1,425 from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). As part of the grant program of the MCC, a state agency, this funding was awarded through the Cambridge Arts Council. The grant will support Voci et Veritas, BNMI’s second concert on its sixth concert season, which was held on November 14, 2014 at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge. Five guest artists joined BNMI’s core chamber ensemble and Artistic Director Patrick Valentino to perform seven works by living composers. In describing the concert program, Valentino stated, “Voci et Veritas explores, in an unintentional but surprisingly organic way, the intersection of concepts of truth, human creation, and places of vulnerability and solitude. The pieces on the concert are each impressive on their own; together, they comment on and amplify one another’s message.” The concert featured several multimedia elements executed in conjunction with the live performers, including audio playback and live electronic processing, video projection of a graphic musical score, and the airing of a short film with a live performance of the score. MCC Grants are awarded through a competitive process and receiving funds signifies that The Boston New Music Initiative provides a high level of quality in its programs, community service, and administrative ability. This grant significantly supports the ongoing presence of BNMI in the regional community and beyond through the continuation of BNMI’s annual concert series, which through five seasons has performed the work of over 100 different living composers and 14 world premieres, performed by some of the most prominent emerging professional performers from throughout the greater Boston region. The Cambridge Arts Council grant program is funded by the City of Cambridge and an allocation from the MCC. The MCC has a budget of $13.3 million for fiscal year 2015. The mission of the MCC is to promote excellence, education, access and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences in order to improve the quality of life for all Massachusetts residents and to contribute to the economic vitality of our communities. The not-for-profit cultural industry has a $2.56 billion economic impact in the state and generates $24.4 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenues annually. BNMI Performs Voci et Veritas at Longy School of Music, November 14
Cambridge, MA - November 4, 2014 The Boston New Music Initiative will perform the second of three concerts in its sixth concert season with Voci et Veritas, on Friday, November 14, 2014, at 8:00 pm at Longy School of Music’s Pickman Hall, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Five guest artists will join BNMI’s core chamber ensemble and conductor Patrick Valentino to perform seven works by living composers. The program includes works for soprano and chamber ensemble by Alexander Elliott Miller (Two Autumns) and Massimo Lauricella (E piove in petto una dolcezza inquieta), featuring soprano Chelsea Beatty. Ms. Beatty will also perform Amanda Stuart’s electroacoustic text-sound work Not Missing You. Multimedia is also featured in several other works on the program. L’étoile de mer, by Nicolas Tzortzis, sets music to the 1928 Man Ray film of the same name. This performance will include projection of the film along with live performance of Tzortzis’ score. Works by Alex Temple (Willingly, for flute and piano) and Patrick O’Malley (Thin Spaces #3, “Island Sanctuary” for cello) also incorporate live electronics. The concert concludes with Árido: Two images from the Brazilian northeastern backlands, by Brazilian composer Danniel Ferraz. “Voci et Veritas explores, in an unintentional but surprisingly organic way, the intersection of concepts of truth, human creation, and places of vulnerability and solitude,” states BNMI Artistic Director and conductor Patrick Valentino. “The pieces on the concert are each impressive on their own; together they comment on and amplify one another's message.” Tickets are available in advance online, or on the day of the concert starting at 7 pm at Pickman Hall. BNMI Ensemble:
BNMI Announces Call for Chamber Scores, Due December 15Boston, MA - November 1, 2014 The Boston New Music Initiative announces a call for chamber works, open through December 15, 2014. Selected works will be programmed on the organization's seventh concert season, which will run from August 2015 through June 2016. Accepted instrumentation is limited to a Pierrot ensemble or subset thereof (solo voice and/or percussion is acceptable). Works involving electroacoustic elements are welcome, but at least one live performer must be used. A call for works for larger ensembles and fixed media works will be held by BNMI from February 1 through March 15, 2015. The organization will also host its first annual Young Composer Competition between April 1 and May 15, 2015. Composers meeting the eligibility of any BNMI-hosted calls are encouraged to apply to each competition. Update on Commissioning Competition The third annual commissioning competition closed on October 15, 2014. There is a two-round review process for this competition. The first round consists of a judging panel comprised of composers and performers from BNMI’s staff, core ensemble, Board of Directors, and guest artists. All submissions will be sent to this panel within the next few weeks for the first round of review. BNMI Announces Third Annual Commissioning CompetitionBoston, MA - September 1, 2014 The Boston New Music Initiative announces its third annual commissioning competition, which will close on October 15, 2014. The competition is open to both chamber (7 performers or less) and larger ensemble (up to 20 performers) works, with possible addition of voices (solo or small ensemble), electronics, or video. All composers (excluding current or former members of The Boston New Music Initiative's staff, or past BNMI Commission Competition winners) are eligible to apply with no restrictions. The winner of the competition will be awarded a grand prize of at least $1,000 USD, in addition to being engaged to compose a new 8-12 minute work for performance by The Boston New Music Initiative in a future concert season. Pending available budget, the organization may award up to three (3) additional winners from this competition to compose new works for performance by BNMI or select works for Honorable Mention to be performed on a future concert. At least one winner will be named for this competition, and the winner will be strongly encouraged to attend the premiere performance. Submissions will undergo a two-step blind review process consisting of a judging panel comprised of BNMI's core musicians and members of its staff, with the final round and winner(s) determined by an independent panel of industry experts. Previous competition winners: 2013 Nicola Straffelini BNMI Returning to PARMA Music Festival in August
Portsmouth, NH - August 1, 2014
The Boston New Music Initiative (BNMI) will return to perform at the 2014 PARMA Music Festival, which takes place August 13-16, 2014 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Related (links will open in a new window):
PARMA Music Festival hits high notes with new compositions (New Hampshire Union Leader)
Parma Music Festival to spread wealth of sound music across city (Portsmouth Herald / Seacoast Online)
BNMI will be performing eight works by BNMI member composers, performed by members of BNMI’s Chamber Ensemble: Deirdre Viau (flute), Yhasmin Valenzuela (clarinet), Valerie Ross (piano), Asuka Usui (violin), Christopher Homick (cello), Jason Huffman (trumpet), and Michael Hardin (percussion). The group will be led by conductor and BNMI Artistic Director Patrick Valentino.
“We are excited by the opportunity to partner again with PARMA and to showcase our performers and repertoire to festival guests and the Seacoast audience,” stated BNMI president and founder Tim Davis. “As we learned from our participation last year, the festival presents a great opportunity to expand our network with other industry professionals, to increase our visibility, and of course to experience what other guests, presenters, and performers will be able to share and teach us as well. It is a great opportunity to witness and participate in what is going on across the industry as a whole.”
The eight pieces on the program were selected following calls for scores hosted by both BNMI and PARMA, and include works by Travis Alford, Thomas Dempster, Emily Koh, Alex Nante, Jeffery Shivers, Ingrid Stölzel, Patrick Valentino, and Chun-Wai Wong.
The concert will be held on Thursday, August 14, 2:00pm at St. John’s Church, 101 Chapel Street, Portsmouth, NH. It is free and open to the public.
About the Festival:
The PARMA Music Festival is an annual celebration of the best in contemporary music, from classical and jazz to electronic and rock and much more. With everything from live music to panel discussions to visual art and educational events, the Festival brings together a diverse crowd to perform, collaborate, and listen.
The non-profit Festival’s mission is to present compelling and eclectic music in diverse live settings to new and existing audiences, all while showcasing the beauty and culture the Seacoast has to offer. Each summer the Festival brings artists, composers, students, ensembles, and performers from all over the world to Seacoast NH to perform a wide variety of music in traditional and non-traditional venues.
The Festival also partners with local and international arts organizations to program these unique concerts. While showcasing both local and international talent, multiple genres of music are presented from the concert hall to the local bar, with many surprising experiments and educational opportunities along the way.
The city-wide musical showcase is the brainchild of PARMA Recordings, a New England-based music company specializing in orchestral, chamber, choral, and commercial recordings as well as distribution, product design, strategic marketing, and licensing and publishing. The Festival is part of PARMA Recordings’ continuing mission to bring fresh and interesting music to new audiences in a variety of formats.
For a full schedule of the Festival, visit http://parmamusicfestival.org/schedule.html
BNMI Chamber Ensemble:
Deirdre Viau, flute
Yhasmin Valenzuela, clarinet
Jason Huffman, trumpet
Valerie Ross, piano
Asuka Usui, violin
Christopher Homick, cello
Michael Hardin, percussion
Patrick Valentino, conductor
Program:
Patrick Valentino Named New Artistic DirectorBoston, MA - April 7, 2014 The Boston New Music Initiative, Inc. has announced that Patrick Valentino will serve as the organization’s next Artistic Director. He succeeds Erin M. Smith, whom the organization recently announced would be stepping down from her position as Artistic Director after serving in that role for the organization’s first five seasons. Mr. Valentino will officially assume the role in August 2014, at the start of the organization’s sixth concert season.
“Patrick’s comprehensive understanding of BNMI’s mission, and his vision for what BNMI can grow to become in the future, makes him a perfect choice to assume the role of Artistic Director for the foreseeable future,” stated BNMI president and founder Tim Davis. “His versatility as a composer, conductor, performer, and administrator strongly qualifies him to address all aspects of BNMI’s mission, and to build upon the strong legacy Erin has created in establishing programs and activities encompassing all areas of our mission.”
Speaking of his appointment at BNMI, Mr. Valentino said “I am excited to take on the Artistic Directorship of such an innovative and multifaceted group. In addition to having an immensely talented and dedicated performing ensemble and administrative staff, BNMI and I share a confluence of visions on the important role new music can and must play for the future of music as an art form.”
An accomplished performer on the trumpet, organ, and piano, Mr. Valentino has trained as a conductor and composer at New England Conservatory, Ithaca College, Montclair State University, and Moscow Conservatory.
The Boston New Music Initiative presents Eternal Spring at Longy April 12
BOSTON, MA - March 25, 2014 The Boston New Music Initiative concludes its fifth concert season with Eternal Spring, on April 12, 2014, 7:30 pm at Pickman Hall at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Led by conductor Patrick Valentino, 15 guest musicians will join BNMI’s chamber ensemble to perform six works by living composers. The program includes works for chamber ensemble by Nick DiBerardino (A Compo Sunrise) and Elizabeth Lim (Tangled Threads), works for vocal ensemble by Jonathan Sokol (Le Saleve) and Bryan Charles Jacobs (Do You Need, Do to Me, 18 Me, 18 Mean), and works for chamber orchestra by Roger Zare (Fractal Miniatures) and Emily Cooley (Lifted). Soprano Erin M. Smith is featured on Ms. Cooley’s work. "BNMI's concerts showcase the quality and diversity of works being written by some of today's leading emerging composers," states BNMI president and founder Tim Davis. "This program features innovative works that navigate within, outside of, and all around the proverbial 'box.' We're excited to involve so many great performers who embrace the challenge of taking on these works and presenting them to our audience."
Tickets are available on the day of the concert starting at 6 pm at Pickman Hall, or in advance online at www.bostonnewmusic.org/tickets.
BNMI Chamber Ensemble:
Deirdre Viau, flute/piccolo Yhasmin Valenzuela, clarinet/bass Ana Lorenzo, percussion Valerie Ross, piano Lilit Hartunian, violin Christopher Homick, violoncello Patrick Valentino, conductor
Program:
BNMI to Perform at the 2014 Westfield Festival of New Music
BOSTON, MA - February 26, 2014
The Boston New Music Initiative will perform at the Westfield Festival of New Music at Westfield State University on Sunday, March 2, 2014 as one of two featured guest ensembles. Four works on the concert program will be performed by BNMI’s resident Chamber Ensemble. BNMI will perform works by James Crowley (Circle in the Round), Sungji Hong (Bisbilgio), Cody Kauhl (Pulling Focus), and Jessica Rudman (First Praise). The performance of Mr. Kauhl’s work will be its premiere. The concert program will also include performances by The Generous Ensemble, a group specializing in the performance of new music based out of Hartford, CT. “Our performance at Westfield embodies what BNMI’s mission is all about,” stated BNMI president Tim Davis. “It provides us an opportunity for our ensemble to perform in front of new audiences, but also provides us and other attendees a valuable opportunity to meet other composers, performers, and other folks within the industry in order to strengthen and expand the network of the new music community. We’re really grateful and excited for the opportunity to be a part of this.” The performance will take place at 3:00 pm on Dever Stage on the campus of Westfield State University in Westfield, MA. It is free and open to the public. BNMI Chamber Ensemble: Deirdre Viau, flute/piccolo Yhasmin Valenzuela, clarinet/bass Valerie Ross, piano Lilit Hartunian, violin Christopher Homick, cello Ana Lorenzo, percussion Patrick Valentino, conductor About Westfield State University’s music department:
The Westfield State University music curriculum is designed to prepare students for careers in music; to provide a full range of musical opportunities to music majors and non-majors; to maintain its state-approved program in music education which is outcome and competency-based; and to serve the campus and area communities through public performances, festivals, clinics, and educational opportunities.
BNMI Announces Call for Chamber Scores
BOSTON, MA - November 21, 2013
The Boston New Music Initiative announces a call for chamber scores, which will run between November 21 and December 31, 2013. Selected works will be programmed on the organization's sixth concert season, which will run from September 2014 through June 2015. Acceptable instrumentation is limited to a Pierrot ensemble or a subset thereof (solo voice and/or percussion is acceptable). The organization may announce a second call for scores for larger ensemble and electronic/multimedia works at a later time this season. For full details and guidelines, and to submit to this call, please visit www.bostonnewmusic.org/submit.  February 2013 BNMI Concert at Ryles. From left: Valerie Ross, piano; Lilit Hartunian, violin; Nicholas Gleason, percussion; Nicholas Finch, cello. Photo by Clinton Blackburn Photography BOSTON, MA - October 1, 2013 The Boston New Music Initiative is pleased to announce its next performance at Ryles Jazz Club in Inman Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts on Thursday, October 31, 2013. The concert will begin at 8 pm, with a pre-concert talk scheduled to being fifteen minutes prior to the show. All works on the program were selected from an organization-hosted international call for scores held late in 2012, and include the works of Linda Antas (Iridescence), Mike Barnett (Ask the Wind), Kyong Mee Choi (Tensile Strength), Charles Halka (Por Las Fuerzas Las Tierras), Sungji Hong (Bisbiglio), Ingrid Stölzel (The Road is All), and Dale Trumbore (Snow White Turns 60). The works will be performed by BNMI's Chamber Ensemble: Deirdre Viau (flute), Yhasmin Valenzuela (clarinet), Valerie Ross (piano), Lilit Hartunian (violin), Christopher Homick (cello), percussionist Ana Lorenzo, and soprano Erin M. Smith. Ms. Smith has served as the organization's Artistic Director since its inception in 2009. The ensemble will be conducted by Associate Artistic Director Amy Fajardo. "We are so excited to return to Ryles Jazz Club in Inman Square for our first local performance of the season," stated Ms. Smith. "The casual atmosphere is the perfect place for newcomers to the new music scene to have a comfortable place to eat, drink, and enjoy music they've likely never heard before. This program has a little bit of everything: innovative electronic works, fun texts, lyrical melodies, and high-energy rhythms that will make you excited about how composers around the world are shaping music today." Tickets are available online at BNMI's website or at the door on the day of the show for $15.
BNMI Chamber Ensemble:
Deirdre Viau, flute Yhasmin Valenzuela, clarinet Valerie Ross, piano Lilit Hartunian, violin Christopher Homick, cello Ana Lorenzo, percussion Erin M. Smith, soprano
Amy Fajardo, conductor
BOSTON, MA - August 1, 2013 In advance of its fifth concert season, set to launch in the fall of 2013, The Boston New Music Initiative (BNMI) will travel to historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire to perform at the inaugural 2013 PARMA Music Festival on August 16th. BNMI will be performing nine pieces by composers from the Society of Composers Incorporated (SCI), one of the largest composer-service organizations in the country. The selected pieces represent a variety of styles and influences, and the performance will feature members of BNMI Chamber Ensemble: Deirdre Viau (flute), Yhasmin Valenzuela (clarinet), Leah Kosch (piano), Lilit Hartunian (violin), Christopher Homick (cello), and percussionist Dane Palmer. Ms. Valenzuela is also a featured PARMA Recordings Artist. The ensemble will be led by guest conductor Nathan Lofton. “We are thrilled and honored to be a part of this inaugural festival,” stated BNMI founder and president Tim Davis. “This event provides us the opportunity to work directly with two great organizations, PARMA and SCI, and to showcase our performers for audiences outside of the Boston area. We’re also excited to strengthen and broaden our network here with current members of BNMI, potential new members, and industry professionals from throughout the Seacoast region and beyond.” Three composers featured on the program will already be familiar to BNMI audiences: Tim Kramer (Lake Effect), Joel Love (Real Fiction), and Jessica Rudman (First Praise) all have had works selected and performed on prior BNMI concert seasons. Other featured works on the program include Fireheart, finalist for the 2013 American Prize in Composition, by Matthew Fields; and Brian Fennelly’s SUKHI!, a work written as a tribute to Korean composer Sukhi Kang. The concert will be held on Friday, August 16, from 2:00pm - 3:30pm at St. John’s Church, 101 Chapel Street, Portsmouth, NH. It is free and open to the public. Program:
BNMI Chamber Ensemble:
Deirdre Viau, flute/piccolo Yhasmin Valenzuela, clarinet/bass Leah Kosch, piano Lilit Hartunian, violin Christopher Homick, cello Dane Palmer, percussion Nathan Lofton, conductor About the Festival:
The PARMA Music Festival festival consists of 10 contemporary music concerts, as well as panel discussions and other performance showcases, over the span of 3 days in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It is also doubling as the 2013 Society of Composers Incorporated Region 1 Conference.
For a full schedule of the Festival, visit http://www.parmarecordings.com/festival/schedule/ |
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