April 29, 2015

Tom McKenney featured in Columbia Daily Tribune, on KBIA

W. Thomas "Tom" McKenney, who has taught composition and music theory at Mizzou for 47 years and has served as co-artistic director of the Mizzou New Music Initiative since it began in 2010,  is retiring from full-time teaching after the Spring 2015 semester. Although Professor McKenney (pictured) will still be around Columbia, teaching some classes,…

April 10, 2015

$10 million donation kicks off campaign for new music building at Mizzou

Jeanne and Rex Sinquefield have given a $10 million gift to the University of Missouri to help fund the proposed new School of Music building. The gift, the largest ever in support of the arts at MU, was announced in a news conference on Friday April 10 at the Reynolds Alumni Center on the Mizzou…

April 9, 2015

Mizzou New Music Ensemble to highlight works
by Hans Abrahamsen, Andrew Norman in concert
on Sunday, April 26 at Whitmore Recital Hall

The Mizzou New Music Ensemble will highlight works from the two guest composers for this summer’s Mizzou International Composers Festival (MICF) in a concert at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 26 in Whitmore Recital Hall, 135 Fine Arts Building on the University of Missouri campus. Admission is free for Mizzou students, $5 suggested donation for the…

Feb. 18, 2015

Mizzou students are winners in young composers competition

Mizzou composition students Erin Hoerchler and Gus Knobbe are among the winners of the Community Music School of Webster University's 11th Annual Young Composers Competition. Hoerchler, a 19-year-old freshman from Jefferson City, won first place in the 17-21 age division for her work "Flight of the Hang Gliding Nightingale…

Feb. 12, 2015

Mizzou New Music Ensemble to perform
new works by visiting and student composers
Sunday, March 8 at Whitmore Recital Hall

The Mizzou New Music Ensemble will play works by two visiting composers and three Mizzou students in their first concert of the new year at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 8 in Whitmore Recital Hall, 135 Fine Arts Building on the University of Missouri campus. Admission is free for Mizzou students, faculty, and staff with MU…

Feb. 11, 2015

St. Louis Symphony to perform Stefan Freund’s “Cyrillic Dreams”

Original music from Mizzou will be heard once again next year at Powell Hall in St. Louis, as the St. Louis Symphony’s announcement last Tuesday of their 2015-16 season schedule included the news that they’ll perform Stefan Freund’s "Cyrillic Dreams" as part of a concert on Friday, April 29, 2016. [caption id="attachment_2616" align="alignleft" width="149" caption="Stefan…

Feb. 5, 2015

Missouri Composers Orchestra Project chooses works
by Zachary Cairns, Hans Heruth for performance on Saturday, March 7

The famous conductor James Levine once compared the orchestra to a “treasure chest,” but the relative scarcity of modern works on orchestral programs means that few contemporary composers ever get the chance to access those riches. Now, two more Missouri composers will receive that valuable opportunity, as the Columbia Civic…

Dec. 4, 2014

Missouri Composers Orchestra Project
2015 entry deadline extended to Monday, December 15

The Missouri Composers Orchestra Project (MOCOP) deadline for 2015 submissions has been extended until Monday, December 15. Now in its fourth year, MOCOP is a collaborative effort of the Mizzou New Music Initiative, the Columbia Civic Orchestra (CCO), and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation to bring attention to orchestral works written in the state of Missouri.…