The Earshot New Music Readings

Opening Up The Creative Process: Opportunities For Audiences and Young Composers

Over the last 400 years, classical music has developed a canon of tried and true works that have stood the test of time. Orchestras across the world continue to celebrate legendary composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart, whose works still reign supreme in our hearts and minds.

Composers throughout the centuries have found creative ways to make a living. Until the end of the 19th century, many were employed by wealthy aristocratic families to produce music for entertainment and special events. This "patronage" system allowed composers such as Franz Joseph Haydn the financial and creative support they needed to create some of the greatest masterpieces known to humankind.

Composers even to this day often rely on commissions to write works for special occasions. Mozart was commissioned throughout his short life to compose funeral masses for the wealthy deceased, celebration music to commemorate great achievements, and operas based on particular topics of the commissioners’ choice.

Composers often were and continue to be entrepreneurs, organizing and presenting “one off” concerts, series of concerts, and touring throughout the world presenting recitals as a way of making a living. Sergei Rachmaninov was in such great demand as a piano soloist upon his arrival in America in 1918 that composing became an activity he could only indulge in during the summer months.

In the 20th century, the study of composition became more institutionalized, sequestered behind the protective walls of the university system. Master composers have turned to teaching, not only to mentor younger composers in the craft, but also to earn a living in an insular environment.

For the first time in history, in the 20th century, audiences began to look with disdain upon new works of music. As the avant-garde took hold, musical audiences began to reject the new for standard, well-loved works. This turn of events has continually challenged symphony orchestras that have business models based on donations and concert ticket sales. The new and avant-garde doesn’t generally have mass-market appeal, and in some cases, institutions have alienated audiences by performing too much music of our time. Still, there is much beautiful and meaningful music being written today.

With a tentative audience, how do young composers learn to write music, have access to an orchestra to hone their craft, and find ways to attract audiences while challenging traditional boundaries?

Many programs, festivals, and showcases for young and aspiring composers have been created and now dot the musical landscape across this country and the world. Earshot is one such program.

EarShot, a nationwide network of new music readings and composer-development programs, is the nation’s first ongoing, systematic program for identifying emerging orchestral composers, which provides professional-level working experience with orchestras from every region of the country and increases awareness of these composers and access to their music throughout the industry. EarShot is a partnership of American Composers Orchestra, American Composers Forum, New Music USA, and the League of American Orchestras. To date, more than sixty composers have been selected for New Music Readings with orchestras including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Berkeley Symphony, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Pioneer Valley Symphony (MA), New York Youth Symphony, La Jolla Symphony (CA), and the San Diego Symphony.

Earshot is one way in which orchestras like the Fort Wayne Philharmonic can provide access to, and encourage participation with, living composers while promoting new art and maintaining ticket sales.

At the Earshot New Music Readings, to be held on February 7, 2018 at First Wayne Street United Methodist Church, audiences will have access to three young composers on the brink of major careers. They will be invited to listen to live readings of three new works by Nathan Kelly (Redwood), Sohwa Lee (Palindrome), and Robert Rankin (Nijinsky Dances). At the readings, to be conducted by the Philharmonic’s music director Andrew Constantine, the composers will interact with moderators, the orchestra, and audience. In a Q&A session, the audience will come to understand more fully the compositional process, how inspiration leads to notes on a page, and what motivates composers to create works for audiences in the 21st century. In this way, the audience will benefit from understanding the composers’ points of view while assimilating their compositional language and wide array of sounds. Afterwards, the Philharmonic will provide online and written vehicles for audience feedback.