Posted by Sy Brandon on January 02, 2004 at 10:53:25:
As a composer, performer and educator, I like to encourage you to consider having a composer-in-residence for your organization or performing ensemble. Often musicians and audiences consider composers to be "dead people who exist from the shoulders up sitting on the piano". However, they are often overlooked as a vibrant force in the music making process. Having a composer present during rehearsals provides insights into the music that cannot be obtained otherwise. During, prior to and after the concert, a composer can share these insights with the audience. In addition, many composers can share their expertise in other areas with a wide variety of students and audiences.
I’d like to tell you about two programs that make having a composer-in-residence financially possible. The Co-op Press Residency Assistance Program is a program that I established because of my strong belief in the importance of having composers, audiences and performers interact. Information about this program is available at http://cooppress.hostrack.net. Meet The Composer is another program that enables composer, performer, and audience interaction. Information about this program is available at http://www.meetthecomposer.org.
Today’s composers represent a wide variety of musical styles. Many composers embrace a style that is based upon the traditions of Western Art Music and is rooted in tonality so that "new music" is not necessarily synonymous with the "avant garde". The American Music Center http://www.amc.net, The Composer-Conductor Bridge http://www.music-usa.org/ccbridge/main.php4, and the Center for Promotion of Contemporary Composers http://www.under.org/cpcc/ are organizations that can assist you in finding a composer that matches your interests.
Sy Brandon