A HOST OF OPPORTUNITIES…

As ever, opportunities abound at the Grammy Award-winning Oregon Bach Festival—and especially this summer, when the focus of the Composers Symposium will be the performance of music by ALL of the participants in three series of public events: concerts (“New Beginnings”); readings (“Virgin Ears Workshops”); and improvisation sessions (“Wild Nights Cafes”). The performers will be the symposium’s American Creators Ensemble (ACE) under the mentorship of the Fireworks New Music Ensemble and Beta Collide.

Esteemed conductor Helmuth Rilling of Stuttgart is the artistic director of the Oregon Bach Festival, and more than 30,000 people attend to take advantage of an exciting mix of choral/orchestral masterworks, chamber concerts, talks, a conducting master class, and social events. Although the festival is known for its concerts, education is at its core. This year will mark the tenth Composers Symposium (Robert Kyr, founder and director), which has featured George Crumb, Arvo Part, John Harbison, Krzysztof Penderecki, Lou Harrison, Martin Bresnick, R. Murray Schafer, Veljo Tormis, Tan Dun, Judith Weir, Osvaldo Golijov, Linda Bouchard, and Steven Jaffe, as its previous composers-in-residence.

A MESSAGE FROM ROBERT KYR, SYMPOSIUM DIRECTOR

Performances and Artistic Opportunities for:

Composers, Composer/Performers, Performers & Conductors

In these challenging times, it is more important than ever for us to create significant opportunities for composers and performers of new music. The economy may be in crisis, but we will survive if we support each other and remain committed to our strongest artistic values and beliefs. Thus, the OBF Composers Symposium is forming the first national composers/performers ensemble in order to promote the creation and performance of contemporary music: the American Creators Ensemble (ACE). Moreover, the symposium is NOT raising its tuition for 2009 and is offering the opportunity to apply for limited financial assistance.

From Monday, June 29 to Friday, July 10, 2009, the Oregon Bach Festival Composers Symposium will present “New Beginnings 2009,” which will feature composer-in-residence Sven-David Sandstrom, and artists-in-residence from the Fireworks New Music Ensemble and Beta Collide. ALL Participants will be directly involved as composers and/or performers in a wide variety of events:

1. •“ACE CONCERTS: New Beginnings,” a three-concert series;
   

2. •“VIRGIN EARS WORKSHOPS: 24 Hours of New Music Readings”;
   

3. •“WILD NIGHTS CAFES 2009: Improv Group & Piano Works.”
   

Each program will be professionally recorded and made available to the participants.

The focus of this year’s symposium will be the music of our participants—composers, composer/performers, and performer/composers—which will be performed (and recorded) by artists-in-residence from the Fireworks New Music Ensemble, Beta Collide, and ACE.

I hope that you will join us for eleven inspiring days during which we will celebrate your music through a host of activities. The symposium will give you an opportunity to interact with members of the Fireworks New Music Ensemble, Beta Collide, and our composer-in-residence, Sven-David Sandstrom, and to connect with composers and performers from around the world in a truly innovative musical environment.

All the best,

Robert Kyr

Director, OBF Composers Symposium