The American Brass Quintet has announced the recipients of Round One of its emerging composer commission grants funded through a major grant from The Jerome Foundation. In Round One, the ABQ determined to award two grants.

The recipients are Gordon Beeferman and Shafer Mahoney, both of New York City. Each composer will receive a commission grant of $6,000. The Beeferman work is tentatively scheduled for premiere during the 2007-08 season and that of Mahoney during the 2008-09 season. The works will receive premiers at Lincoln Center in New York as well as at the Aspen Music Festival with additional performances on tour.

Recipients

Composer/pianist Gordon Beeferman leads a diverse career ranging from concerto soloist to free-improviser regularly collaborating with classical and jazz artists as well as choreographers. As a performer he has been heard at Roulette, Merce Cunningham Studio, and the Improvised and Otherwise Festival as well as venues in Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Toronto. His compositions have been performed by organizations such as the Albany Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, and Eighth Blackbird.

Shafer Mahoney studied at Princeton and the Eastman School of music. Among his teachers were Christopher Rouse and Joseph Schwantner. Among the organizations previously commissioning him are the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, New York Youth Symphony, Seattle Symphony and Relache Ensemble. Mr. Mahoney is an associate professor at the City University of New York and teaches advanced orchestration at The Juilliard School.

Round Two

Round Two of the ABQ emerging composer commissions will have a mid-2008 deadline. Complete information and application materials will be posted to the ABQ website (listed below) in early 2008.

The American Brass Quintet

Founded in 1960, the American Brass Quintet is ensemble-in-residence both of The Juilliard School and Aspen Music Festival. Approximately 150 works have been commissioned or premiered by the ABQ and approximately 50 recordings have been released. While the ABQ has commissioned emerging composers throughout its history, a multi-year grant from The Jerome Foundation enabled the ABQ to formalize the process.

The Jerome Foundation

The Jerome Foundation was founded by filmmaker, painter, composer and philanthropist Jerome Hill. The foundation makes grants that support the creation of new work by professional emerging artists in Minnesota and the five boroughs of New York City.

Other Recent/Coming ABQ Commissions

Other composers currently or recently writing for the American Brass Quintet include:

• Grammy-winner Billy Childs, title tba, funded by the New York State Music Fund for premiere summer 2007.
• Pulitzer-prize winner Paul Moravec’s Cornopian Airs, commissioned by the Gabe Wiener Foundation, premiered December 18, 2005 in New York City.
• Joan Tower’s Copperwave, commissioned by The Juilliard School in honor of the School’s 100th anniversary, premiered 2006 at Lincoln Center.
• Adam Schoenberg’s Reflecting Light, commissioned by the Aspen Music Festival, premiered July 29, 2006 at the Aspen Music Festival.
• Robert Maggio, title tba, commissioned by West Chester University in celebration of the Universities’ new School of Music and Performing Arts Center. The work will premiere April 14, 2007 in West Chester, PA.

More complete information on the American Brass Quintet may be found at the website listed below.

Website:
American Brass Quintet

Source: ABQ press release