Jonathan Sheffer Photo by Stephanie Berger My musical education began at the Westport School of Music, where as a preschooler I was taught the basics of major and minor scales, and began piano lessons. I recall we were rewarded often with candy. The next most important influence in my musical education was the Bernstein Young… Read more »
Vivian Perlis photo by NewMusicBox While working with Aaron Copland’s papers that were filed in the basement of his house in Peekskill, New York, I came upon six assignment books for Rubin Goldmark, the celebrated composition teacher in Manhattan. Copland was astonished to see things he had not looked at for over sixty years. “Holy… Read more »
Patrick Hardish photo by Barry Cohen Courtesy of Patrick Hardish Otto Luening was a great mentor and influence as well as being a close personal friend. He was important to my development as a composer and on the progress of our organization, the Composers Concordance. I got to know Otto in July 1980 at Bennington… Read more »
Sylvia Goldstein photo by NewMusicBox Sylvia Goldstein own music in the repertoire, Aaron Copland always had time for others. One incident involving the program for a concert he was to conduct at Carnegie Hall comes to mind. The composer of a listed symphony was unknown to me or others in the office. When asked about… Read more »
John Duffy photo by Jay K. Hoffman courtesy of John Duffy The AMC was a rich haven for me during my student days. How glad I was to be there as it was the only place to see and study scores by living American composers. It was there that I first encountered Aaron Copland, which… Read more »
Samuel Adler photo by Katherine Cumming Courtesy of Samuel Adler In a 1926 speech, Aaron Copland said of Howard Hanson: “Hanson and Sowerby’s sympathies and natural proclivities make them heirs of older men such as Hadley and Shepherd. Their facility in writing and their eclectic style produce a kind of palatable music that cannot be… Read more »
Karissa Krenz photo by Melissa Richard Music abounds more than ever these days. On any given night you can hear any type of music in the concert hall, on the web, on the radio (and of course, on your stereo). One might think that in these technologically-advanced days, it is easy for a composer to… Read more »
There are over 60 American composers featured in this month’s round-up of new recordings, which is a wonderful way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the American Music Center this month! And, as always, the range of composers shows an astonishing array of diversity. Perhaps the most momentous release this month is the long-awaiting 10-CD… Read more »
Frank J. Oteri Photo by Melissa Richard November is an important month here at the American Music Center. Sixty years ago this month, the dreams of Aaron Copland, Howard Hanson, Otto Luening, Quincy Porter, Marion Bauer and Harrison Kerr became a reality and the American Music Center was born. To celebrate the occasion, we have… Read more »
Personal Anecdotes About the Founders of the American Music Center Samuel Adler Composer; Professor Emeritus, Eastman School of Music; Professor of Composition, The Juilliard School “…I handed Hanson’s letter to Copland who opened it immediately. His face brightened, and yet there were tears in his eyes as he read the letter…” John Duffy Composer; Founder… Read more »
In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the American Music Center, the history of the AMC is here presented exclusively in the words of its six founders–Aaron Copland, Howard Hanson, Otto Luening, Quincy Porter, Marion Bauer, and Harrison Kerr–culled from archival interviews, books and letters and then shuffled and re-organized to emulate a conversation.
Paul Lansky Photo courtesy New Albion I’d like to reply by first rephrasing the question: how do you think your music will change as a result of technology? I haven’t the faintest idea. All I know is that technology has already had, and will continue to have a radical effect on the music I write… Read more »
Pamela Z Photo by Lori Eanes Technology (whether “high” or “low”) has always had an effect on my work, and I have no reason to believe that will change in the next 25 years. I think that all artists are to some extent influenced by the tools they use to make their art. In my… Read more »
Photo courtesy Morton Subotnick The speed of information access and the amount and low cost of memory will make MIDI output devices unnecessary in the performance of my music. More and more I am ONLY using a computer. I think we will see a major evolution in the recorded media. It will change to DVD… Read more »
Joseph A. Paradiso photo by Rich Fletcher The desire for musical expression runs deeply across human culture; although specific styles can vary, music is generally considered a universal language. It is tempting to surmise that one of the earliest applications of human toolmaking, after hunting, shelter, defense, and general survival, was probably to create expressive… Read more »
Of the 24 discs featured in our current SoundTracks round-up, only 2 are discs of electronic music: David Doty‘s multicultural microtonal synthesizer landscapes and the unique multi-tracking experiments of Robert Paredes. A third CD, Future Flute — Margaret Lancaster’s recital disc of works by four composers, features works which combine flute with computer electronics. Still,… Read more »
Anyone pursuing music, either as a composer, a performer or a listener, cannot escape technology.
Morton Subotnick “More and more I am ONLY using a computer…” William Duckworth “…some of us are already beginning to develop new virtual instruments and to conceive of ways to facilitate live performances on line…” Pamela Z “Each time I have introduced a new tool into my arsenal, it has resulted in new ideas and… Read more »
Tod Machover shares some of the extraordinary new musical interfaces he has been creating at the MIT Media Lab and explains how and why these new technologies will redefine music in the 21st century.
David Del Tredici Photo by Robin Holland courtesy Boosey & Hawkes Best: 1976 premiere of FINAL ALICE in Chicago with Solti conducting and Barbara Hendricks, soprano soloist. Because the piece was so tonal — long stretches in the purest D Major — I was terrified the piece would be ridiculed by the public, press and… Read more »
Laurel Ann MaurerPhoto courtesy Laurel Ann Maurer I have to admit that the quality of “open-mindedness” that I believe that I possess serves me well in terms of finding the value in a new piece, but does not serve me as well when thinking of a least favorite experience. I truly work to find the… Read more »
Tim Page Photo courtesy St. Louis Symphony Orchestra I’ll have to choose the world premiere of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians — April 3, 1976 at Town Hall in New York — as the most influential concert I ever attended. It opened new sonic worlds to me and literally pushed me into criticism: I… Read more »
John Corigliano Photo by Julian Kreeger courtesy G. Schirmer The best premiere I can remember is that of my CLARINET CONCERTO with Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic and Stanley Drucker as the soloist. My father, who died in 1975 — two years before the premiere — was the concertmaster of the Philharmonic, and… Read more »
Andrew J. Druckenbrod photo by Allison Schlesinger The twentieth century will be viewed as a time in which composers expanded the range and possibilities of musical language and sound. But also as a period that saw a rift develop between new and old music, especially in the U.S. Here, orchestras delved into the pantheon of… Read more »
