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New musical works by eight internationally acclaimed composers from four countries will be performed publicly for the first time in concert at the Missouri Theatre in Columbia on Saturday, July 26 at 7:30 pm as part of the 2025 Mizzou International Composers Festival (MICF). Critically acclaimed new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound, conducted by artistic director Alan Pierson, will perform all eight compositions during this dynamic public concert presented by the Mizzou New Music Initiative.
The concert will cap six days of musical workshops and public performances at the Sinquefield Music Center and the Missouri Theatre during the 16th annual MICF, which will run from July 23 – 26. Each year the MICF attracts leading composers and performers from the world of contemporary classical music to the University of Missouri School of Music. This year, eight Resident Composers were selected to participate from a pool of 612 applicants ages 19 – 44 representing 25 countries, a 67 percent increase over the 2024 applicant pool. The eight Resident Composers include:
- Amy Brandon (Prince Edward Island, Canada)
- Chris Thompson (Savannah, GA)
- Daniel Reza Sabzghabaei (Denton, TX)
- Geli Li (Guangzhou, China)
- Matt Smith (San Diego, CA)
- Parker Callister (Ithaca, NY)
- Seda Balci (Eskişehir, Turkey)
- Robert Ge (Atlanta, GA)
In addition, London-based Hilda Paredes of Mexico and Judd Greenstein of Massachusetts will serve as Distinguished Guest Composers. During the festival, the Resident Composers will receive composition lessons from Parades and Greenstein and take part in rehearsals with Alarm Will Sound. The composers also will give public presentations of their music, and after the premiere performances, will receive professional live recordings of their new works. Alarm Will Sound will serve as Resident Ensemble, as it has since the MICF began in 2010.
“The growing popularity of our festival in the world of new music is driven by our desire to push the boundaries of creativity and explore the unknown,” said Stefan Freund, artistic director of MNMI. “From extended techniques to electronics and beyond, we are exploring new ways to express music and work with composers at all stages of their creative lives. We are turning Missouri into a mecca of New Music.”
The Festival is free and open to the public and will offer many opportunities to meet and speak with the Resident and Guest Composers. A complete schedule of events, times, dates, and venues for the 2025 MICF can be found here.
MNMI is a diverse array of programs that position the University of Missouri School of Music as a leading center for the composition and performance of new music. The initiative is supported by the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation, led by Dr. Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield. Their vision is to create an incubator for the composition and performance of new music and to showcase Missouri as a center for the music of tomorrow.
To stay up to date with all MNMI announcements, follow them on Instagram and Facebook: @MizzouNewMusic