
March 7, 2023
Mizzou music students’ works performed by St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
Last Wednesday, three University of Missouri School of Music students found out what it is like to have their work performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall. For seniors Sam Whitty and Jack Snelling and graduate student Santiago Beis, the concert was the culmination of a process that began last year when they were selected to participate in the annual composer’s workshop which is a collaboration between the SLSO and the Mizzou New Music Initiative and is funded by the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. Next was a session last fall in which…

Jan. 31, 2023
Works by Missouri Composers Project winners to be performed by Columbia Civic Orchestra, Columbia Chamber Choir in Sunday, April 16 concert
The Columbia Civic Orchestra (CCO) and the Columbia Chamber Choir will perform the winning works from the 2023 Missouri Composers Project (MOCOP) competition in a concert at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 16 at First Baptist Church, 1112 E. Broadway in Columbia. Admission to the concert is free and open to the public. Now in its eleventh year, MOCOP is a collaborative effort involving the Mizzou New Music Initiative, the Columbia Civic Orchestra, the Choral Arts Alliance of Missouri, and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. Composers from all over Missouri…

Oct. 28, 2022
Missouri Composers Project (MOCOP) expands to include additional categories for composers of new orchestral and choral music from neighboring states
The Missouri Composers Project (MOCOP) is looking for new orchestral and choral music written by residents of Missouri as well as neighboring states. Now in its eleventh year, MOCOP is a collaborative effort involving the Mizzou New Music Initiative, the Columbia Civic Orchestra (CCO), the Columbia Chamber Choir, and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation to bring attention to new large ensemble works written in the state of Missouri in its high school and open categories. MOCOP now offers an opportunity for undergraduates studying at universities in the neighboring states of Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Nebraska. By identifying…

Oct. 18, 2022
Duo Axis Residency highlighted by Oct. 21st concert at Sheryl Crow Hall
Duo Axis, the dynamic pairing of flutist Zach Sheets and pianist Wei-Han Wu, will be in residence from October 20-21, 2023 at the University of Missouri School of Music. The Duo Axis residency is funded by the Mizzou New Music Initiative (MNMI) and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. Wei-Han Wu (left), Zach Sheets (right) During the residency, Duo Axis will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. October 21 in Sheryl Crow Hall. A highlight of the program is a performance of former University of Missouri School of Music faculty member Carolina Heredia’s composition, pruning.

Oct. 5, 2022
Composer José Halac’s Oct. 5-9, 2023 residency concludes with Mizzou New Music Ensemble concert
José Halac, an award-winning Argentinian composer and researcher of contemporary music, will be in residence from Wednesday, October 5 through Sunday, October 9, 2022 at the University of Missouri School of Music. Halac’s residency is funded by the Mizzou New Music Initiative (MNMI) and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. José Halac Photo credit: Susana Perez During his residency, Halac will work with the Mizzou New Music Ensemble on his new piece,…

Sep. 21, 2022
2023 Creating Original Music Project (COMP) offers awards, cash prizes for Missouri student composers
The Mizzou New Music Initiative is inviting young composers from all across Missouri to take part in the 2023 Creating Original Music Project (COMP). Now in its 18th year, COMP is an annual statewide competition sponsored by the University of Missouri School of Music and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. COMP showcases new, original music from Missouri student composers and songwriters in grades K-12, offering positive recognition, cash prizes, performance and educational opportunities, and more. Since 2006, 345 pieces of music by K-12 Missouri composers have been performed at the Creating Original Music Project Festival concerts.

July 7, 2022
2022 Missouri Summer Composition Institute Overview
From June 11th through the 18th, the 2022 Missouri Summer Composition Institute brought together 16 young Missouri composers for a full week of work creating new music on the University of Missouri campus. Above: Mizzou Postdoctoral Fellow in Composition Dr. Yoshiaki Onishi discusses notation with the students. Below: Mizzou percussion professor Dr. Megan Arns demonstrates the marimba. Working with MU School of Music faculty members and guest instructors, each student composed a new work of music that was workshopped, then performed and recorded at the end of the week by an ensemble of…

June 14, 2022
2020 and 2022 Missouri Composers Project winners honored at March 22nd concert
The Columbia Civic Orchestra (CCO) and the Columbia Chamber Choir performed works by the winners of the 2022 Missouri Composers Project (MOCOP) in concert on Sunday evening, March 20th at First Baptist Church in Columbia. Since the 2020 and 2021 MOCOP concerts were canceled because of COVID protocols, the 2022 concert also featured performances of the winning compositions from the 2020 competition. The concert performances were appreciated by the winning composers, as well as the musicians and conductors who played the compositions. Devin Cholodenko …