Inaugural Ditson Festival of Contemporary Music Features Boston’s Leading Musicians, Composers, and Ensembles
2008 Ditson Festival is Co-Produced by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) and The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston
Boston, MA--Gil Rose, Artistic Director of the 2008 Ditson Festival of Contemporary Music, today announced the Festival’s programming which runs for four days from Sept. 18-Sept. 21, 2008, at the Institute of Contemporary Art, 100 Northern Avenue, Boston. The Festival comprises eight cutting-edge concerts featuring seven world premieres, supplemented by multi-media works, visual art collaborations, and special events. The first in a series of biennial festivals of contemporary music initiated by the Alice M. Ditson Fund, which supports music by emerging American composers, the 2008 Festival celebrates Boston’s contemporary music scene with additional support from the Boston Musicians’ Association. Co-produced by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) and The Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, the Festival spotlights several of the city’s most influential ensembles such as the BMOP, Cantata Singers, and Boston Music Viva; prominent artists like Israeli-born cellist Matt Haimovitz and NEA Jazz Master George Russell; more than 25 local composers; and many up-and-coming participating musicians that contribute to making Boston an important epicenter of new music.
As Artistic Director/Conductor of BMOP and Music Director of Opera Boston, Gil Rose has been at the center of Boston’s contemporary music scene for over 15 years. Rose, who is recognized as one of a new generation of American conductors shaping the future of classical music, believes this Festival launches a new trajectory. “Some of the nation’s most notable artists, esteemed colleagues, and critically- acclaimed works derive from Boston. The Ditson Festival is an opportunity to showcase the City as a venerable hub of new music.” According to David Henry, ICA Director of Programs, “The ICA has long supported new music in Boston and we are thrilled to be hosting the first ever Ditson Festival of Contemporary Music in our beautiful water front theatre. The Festival is a wonderful opportunity to recognize the musicians and composers who enrich the contemporary music scene here in Boston. It has been an honor working with Gil Rose and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project to bring the inaugural Festival to fruition.” Fred Lerdahl, Secretary of The Ditson Fund, says, “Boston was selected as the first location of the Fund’s series of festivals because of its great tradition of contemporary art and music.”
As a cornucopia of new music, the Festival’s roster spans generations, genres, and styles including the profound jazz legend George Russell and the reunion of his high-impact ensemble, The Living Time Orchestra; BMOP, the nation’s ground-breaking orchestra for new music; and youthful groups like the energetic Firebird Ensemble. The list of composers includes Andy Vores, Dalit Warshaw, and Julie Rohwein, who will receive world premiere performances commissioned by the American Composers Forum New England (with support from the Argosy Foundation Contemporary Music Fund and the Thomas R. and Ruth R. McMullin Fund) plus many pillars of the new music arena such as Gunther Schuller, Leon Kirchner, and Mario Davidosky.
For Tickets and Information:
To purchase tickets call 617.478.3103 or visit http://www.icaboston.org. Tickets available for purchase starting August 19th. Full evening concert (only available by phone or at the ICA box office): General $40/Members, Students & Seniors $35. Prelude concert only: General $15/Members, Students & Seniors $10. Main stage concert only: General $35/Members, Students & Seniors $30.
Ditson Festival Schedule (subject to change)
*World Premiere
**World Premiere commissioned by the American Composers Forum New England with support from the Argosy Contemporary Music Fund and the Thomas R. and Ruth R. McMullin Fund
Thursday, September 18th
Prelude @ 6:30pm
Firebird Ensemble performs works by Curtis Hughes, Donald Martino, Mario Davidovsky, and Lee Hyla.
Main stage @ 8:00pm
Boston Music Viva conducted by Richard Pittman performs works by Gunther Schuller, Ronald Perera, Richard & Deborah Cornell, Julie Rohwein**, and Chou Wen-Chung.
Friday, September 19th
Prelude @ 6:30pm
Dinosaur Annex, conducted by Scott Wheller, performs works by Scott Wheeler, Barbara White*, Richard Beaudoin*, Brian Robison*, and Ezra Sims.
Main stage @ 8:00pm
Cantana Singers and Collage New Music conducted by David Hoose perform works by Donald Sur, Yehudi Wyner, David Rakowski, Irving Fine, and Dalit Warshaw**.
Saturday, September 20th
Prelude @ 6:30pm
Callithumpian Consort, led by Stephen Drury, performs works by Lei Ling, John Luther Adams, and Jo Kondo.
Main stage @ 8:00pm
The George Russell Living Time Orchestra featuring music by George Russell, who will be celebrating his 85th birthday.
Sunday, September 21st
Prelude @ 1:30pm
Cellist Matt Haimovitz accompanied by pianist Geoff Burleson and special guest DJ Olive performs works by Augusta Read Thomas*, Tod Machover, and David Sanford.
Main stage @ 3:00pm
Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) conducted by Gil Rose performs works by Paul Moravec, Andy Vores**, Harold Shapero, John Harbison, Arthur Levering, and Leon Kirchner. Special guest cellist Matt Haimovitz.
Visit website
George Russell at All About Jazz.
SOURCE: AMT Public Relations