EarRelevant Staff | 6 APR 2023
The American Composers Orchestra has announced its selection of four composers from a competitive nationwide call for scores to participate in EarShot Readings with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, May 9-10, 2023.
The EarShot Readings program, established in 1988, is the first ongoing, systematic initiative aimed at fostering relationships between composers and orchestras nationwide, aspiring to ensure a vibrant future for new American orchestral music. Over the years, the program has provided over 350 composers with artistic and technical resources and public exposure, resulting in a significant number of commission opportunities and awards for participants.
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s collaboration with the New York City-based ACO seeks to challenge the stereotypical image of a composer in the Western art music tradition. To that end, they specifically sought works by Black and Latinx composers.
Beginning on May 9, the selected composers, namely Alyssa Regent, Fred Onovwerosuoke, Ahmed Alabaca, and Sofía Rocha, will engage with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in private readings and feedback sessions with principal players and artistic directors under the guidance of mentor composers Valerie Coleman, Curtis Stewart, and Carlos Simon.
Jerry Hou, ASO resident condutor
The ASO, led by resident conductor Jerry Hou, will then perform the four works in a recorded, free public concert at Atlanta Symphony Hall on May 10, 2023, at 1:30 pm. When the video is finalized, these EarShot Readings will be framed with recorded interviews of participants and mentors as part of the orchestra’s Behind the Curtain film series.
This fall, another set of EarShot Readings will occur at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, October 3-4, 2023, with four other participating composers: Martin Hebel, Leyou Wang, Joseph Sowa, and Giuseppe Gallo-Balma. In those readings, conductors Samuel Lee and Daniel Wiley will lead the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Mentoring composers will be Melinda Wagner, Curtis Stewart, and Texu Kim.
Additional EarShot Readings will take place this spring at the Naples Philharmonic (May 15-16, 2023) and Dallas Symphony Orchestra (June 21, 2023), and as part of the American Composers Orchestra’s New York City-wide SONiC Festival on June 1-2, 2023 at Mannes School of Music and an EarShot: The Next Festival of Emerging Artists Choreography Workshop from June 5-9, 2023 at the Mannes School of Music.
Previous partner orchestras for the EarShot program include the New York Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Houston Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Tucson Symphony, and Aguascalientes Symphony Orchestra (Mexico).
EarShot operates in partnership with American Composers Forum, New Music USA, and the League of American Orchestras. ■
Concert: EarShot Readings at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Atlanta Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Jerry Hou, conductor
Alyssa REGENT: Where Even Shadows Are Light
Fred ONOVWEROSUOKE: The Gathering – An Overture for Orchestra
Ahmed ALABACA: Ode to Liberty
Sofía ROCHA: Collage d’hommages
This concert is a free event, but reserved tickets are required. For more information visit:
www.aso.org/events/detail/aso-earshot-live-video-recording
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