Aug. 9, 2026
Utku Asuroglu, University of Missouri School of Music Assistant Professor of Composition and Assistant Artistic Director of the Mizzou International Composers Festival, Awarded 2026 Music Commission from Library of Congress’ Koussevitzky Foundation
The Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the Library of Congress has awarded Utku Asuroglu, University of Missouri School of Music Assistant Professor of Composition and Assistant Artistic Director of the Mizzou International Composers Festival, a commission to compose a new musical work. He is one of six composers worldwide to win the commission, which is granted jointly by the foundation and the performing organization that will present the world premiere of each work. Ensemble Dal Niente co-sponsored Asuroglu’s commission. Based in Chicago, Ensemble…
July 18, 2026
MICF Afterparty Featuring Maxubishi and RP Boo
An afterparty featuring DJ Maxubishi and Chicago Footwork electronic music producer RP Boo will be held immediately following the Mizzou New Music Concert on Friday, July 24 in the Sinquefield Music Center‘s Room 130. Maxubishi Maxubishi is a Columbia, Missouri, DJ whose path started accidentally, digging through dollar bins while tagging along on resourcing trips for his wife’s vintage clothing shop, Maude Vintage. What began as just digging turned into a full-blown creative practice shaped by curiosity, instinct, and a love for the rooms in which he’s asked to play.
July 18, 2026
Bio: MICF Performers Yarn/Wire
Percussion-and-piano quartet Yarn/Wire will perform world premieres by Selim Göncü and Dominick DeStefano as well as works by Steve Reich and Brittany J. Green, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 22 in the Sinquefield Music Center’s Sheryl Crow Hall. Described by the New York Times as “key figures from the contemporary music scene… with unmistakable devotion and excitement” and “wildly virtuosic” by The Wire, Yarn/Wire is a New York-based percussion-and-piano quartet (Russell Greenberg and Dustin Donahue, percussion; Laura Barger and Julia Den Boer, pianos) dedicated to the promotion of creative, experimental new music.
June 29, 2026
MNMI Artistic Director Stefan Freund’s “The Three Robbers” performed at UMKC
Mizzou New Music Initiative Artistic Director Stefan Freund joined the American Wild Ensemble for a performance of his piece The Three Robbers on Wednesday, June 24, at the University of Missouri – Kansas City. Freund’s piece was part of AWE’s 10th anniversary concert, which also included works by Michael-Thomas Foumai, Takuma Itoh, and Chris Stark, all of whom have been Resident Composers at the Mizzou International Composers Festival. The performance continued the decade-long collaborations between the American Wild Ensemble and MNMI, the highlights of which included a fall 2020 performance at Mizzou and…
June 4, 2026
MNMI releases schedule for Mizzou International Composers Festival
The Mizzou New Music Initiative has released the schedule for the 2026 Mizzou International Composers Festival, which takes place Monday, July 20 through Saturday, July 25 in Columbia, Missouri. Public events run from July 21-25. Admission is free. The schedule is as follows: Tuesday, July 21, 7:30 p.m., Sinquefield Music Center (SMC 130)Distinguished Guest Composers Jlin and Karola Obermüller deliver lecture presentations on their works and careers Wednesday, July 22, 7:30 p.m., Sheryl Crow Concert Hall (SMC 132)New-music quartet Yarn/Wire…
May 19, 2026
Mizzou Director of Choral Activities Brandon Boyd’s “Redeem the Dream” to be performed at Lincoln Center on Sunday, May 24, and as part of the Sing Democracy 250-50 States Program
Distinguished Concerts International New York at Lincoln Center will present Brandon Boyd’s Redeem the Dream at 7 p.m. May 24 in its David Geffen Hall. The concert is the New York Signature Concert of Sing Democracy 250, a nationwide musical initiative commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Redeem the Dream is based on Langston Hughes’ poem “Let America Be America Again”, written in 1935. The poem reflects on the gap between the ideals of American democracy as articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the reality…
May 13, 2026
World premiere of MNMI Artistic Director Stefan Freund’s composition “How Mr. Silver Stole the Show” previewed by St. Louis media
The Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis will present the world premiere of Mizzou New Music Initiative Artistic Director Stefan Freund’s How Mr. Silver Stole the Show as part of its program “Breathtaking and Heartwarming.” The piece is based on the children’s book by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise. The concert will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 17, at the 560 Music Center in University City. Tickets are $33.85 for general admission, $23.18 for seniors, and $7.18 for children or students…
April 26, 2026
St. Louis Symphony Members to Perform World Premiere of Student Composer Nate Leslie’s “Open Your Eyes, Now Is The Time” on April 30 at The Sheldon
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra musicians will perform the world premiere of Open Your Eyes, Now Is The Time, a new work for string quartet written by Mizzou New Music Initiative student composer Nate Leslie, as part of the SLSO’s Live at The Sheldon program on April 30, 2026. This expressive chamber concert will be curated by SLSO violists Chris Tantillo and Shannon Williams. “My piece reads like a fortune cookie, as it is about my journey in realizing the kind of person I…