Jan. 19, 2021
Yoshiaki Onishi chosen as MMTA’s Commissioned Composer for 2021
The Missouri Music Teachers Association (MMTA) has selected Yoshiaki Onishi as their Commissioned Composer for 2021. Onishi (pictured), a postdoctoral fellow with the Mizzou New Music Initiative, was chosen after submitting a portfolio of works anonymously to a panel of three judges. As the winner of the award, he will be commissioned to write a new work to be premiered in November 2021 at MMTA’s annual conference. The winners of the Commissioned Composer competition in various states also are eligible to compete for the Music Teachers National Association’s “Distinguished Composer of Year” award, which includes…
Aug. 17, 2020
Carolina Heredia wins commission from Barlow Endowment
Mizzou assistant professor Carolina Heredia has won a commission for 2020 from the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition. Heredia was one of 15 composers selected from among 286 applications this year to the Endowment’s General and LDS commissioning programs, which will award grants totaling $83,000 to the winners. The Barlow Endowment was established in September 1983 through a gift from Milton A. and Gloria Barlow to Brigham Young University for the purpose of “engendering and supporting excellence in musical composition through the university and the BYU College of Fine Arts and Communications.” The Endowment hosts an international…
Jan. 28, 2020
Bret Bohman named 2019 MTNA Distinguished Composer of the Year
The Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) has named Bret Bohman as the 2019 MTNA Distinguished Composer of Year. Bohman (pictured) teaches courses in electronic music composition and music theory at the University of Missouri. He is a co-founder of the new music group Khemia Ensemble, and also records original electronic music under the name Bels Lontano. Bohman previously taught at the University of Michigan, where he received his doctorate. The MTNA award is given to the composer of the most significant work from among all compositions commissioned during the year by the organization’s state affiliates,…
Sep. 10, 2019
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra to read works by Mizzou composers
Hans Bridger Heruth, Ethan Forte, and Daniel Vega
From left: Heruth, Forte, Vega Three University of Missouri student composers will have their works played by musicians with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra this year as part of a joint educational venture between the orchestra and the Mizzou New Music Initiative. Student composers Hans Bridger Heruth, Ethan Forte, and Daniel Vega (pictured) were selected by SLSO Resident Conductor Gemma New to write new works for a 40-piece chamber orchestra drawn from the musicians of the St. Louis Symphony. The three works will be read, played, and critiqued in a private session on Tuesday, October 1 in St. Louis.
May 20, 2019
Mizzou New Music Initiative 2018-19 year in review
March 20, 2019
St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presenting public reading of new works
by Mizzou composers on Wednesday, April 3 at Powell Hall
From left: Colagiovanni, Roberts, Christensen Three University of Missouri student composers will have their works played by musicians with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in a public reading session at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, at Powell Hall in St. Louis. The public is invited to attend, with no admission charge or RSVP required. As part of a joint educational venture between the orchestra and the Mizzou New Music Initiative, student composers Mikkel Christensen, Ben Colagiovanni, and Libby Roberts were selected last year by SLSO Resident Conductor Gemma New to write new works for a 40-piece chamber orchestra drawn…
Feb. 25, 2019
Mizzou New Music Initiative gets $2.5 million gift
from Sinquefield Charitable Foundation
In a news conference on Thursday, February 21, University of Missouri officials announced that the Mizzou New Music Initiative will receive a gift of $2.5 million from the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation to help continue the program over the next three years. The funds will help support all of MNMI’s activities, including the costs of faculty and staff, graduate student assistantships, and two full-tuition scholarships per year for undergraduate composition majors; presenting the Mizzou International Composers Festival; bringing guest composers and performers to campus; funding the Sinquefield Composition Prize; and more. The University will match the $300,000 portion designated for…
Feb. 5, 2019
St. Louis Symphony musicians to premiere new work by Stephanie Berg
Musicians from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will premiere a new work by Mizzou alumnae Stephanie Berg in a concert next month at Powell Hall in St. Louis. Berg’s “Three Prayers” was commissioned by SLSO clarinetist Diana Haskell, and will be performed for the first time as part of of a program of chamber music titled “Equal Play: Celebrating Women Composers” at 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 1 at Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand in St. Louis’ Grand Center district. Berg (pictured) will introduce her work during the concert, which also will include music by Jennifer Higdon…