PACIFIC SYMPHONY RECIPIENT OF ASCAP AWARD FOR
ADVENTUROUS PROGRAMMING PRESENTED AT
LEAGUE OF AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, has been selected by the League of American Orchestras to receive the Second-Place Award for Programming of Contemporary Music in the category of orchestras in Group 2. Recognized for its commitment to new music programming in
2009-10, the Symphony received $1,000 and a plaque during the Annual Meeting Breakfast at the League of American Orchestra’s 65th National Conference in Atlanta on June 18th.
The Symphony was chosen to receive the award for featuring the works of such contemporary composers as John Adams and Frank Ticheli. The award also symbolizes the Symphony’s long-held dedication to developing and promoting today’s young and established composers and to expanding the orchestral repertoire; this commitment to new works was illustrated through its commissions in 2009-10.
These commissions included a new work by the Symphony’s 2009-10 composer-in-residence, Michael Daugherty, “Mount Rushmore,” which made its world premiere during the Symphony’s American Composers Festival. Daugherty’s work kicked off St.Clair’s new American music legacy (a two-year commissioning program), which also included Richard Danielpour’s piano concerto, “Mirrors” (2010), William Bolcom’s Choral Fantasy (2010) and several jazz works by Alain Lefevre (2010).
“The ASCAP Award is a badge of honor for Pacific Symphony and a wonderful testament to the long-standing commitment to American contemporary music that has been the hallmark of Carl St.Clair’s 20 years as music director,” says Symphony
President John Forsyte. “With recordings, festivals, commissions and composer residencies, Carl has insisted that it is our responsibility to champion the work of our country’s composers. If not with the American orchestra, he emphasizes, then where can our composers find a champion?”
Pacific Symphony was one of 27 American orchestras honored with a 2009-2010 ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming. The League and ASCAP present the awards each year to orchestras of all sizes for programs that challenge the audience, build the repertoire, and increase interest in music of our time. More than $1 million dollars have been bestowed on orchestras since the awards were established in 1947.
In 2009-10, Pacific Symphony was selected from a group of 150 orchestras to take part in a new study by the League that explores innovative developments taking place in orchestras today. The study examines five American orchestras in an effort to better understand what an industry historically anchored by tradition is doing to survive and thrive in today’s fast-changing world. In addition to Pacific Symphony—noted for its efforts in contextualizing music, the new publication “Fearless Journeys: Innovation in Five American Orchestras” presents case studies of four other orchestras. The five orchestras represent a wide range of budget sizes, business models and geographic locations. They include the Atlanta Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Memphis Symphony Orchestra and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Pacific Symphony, located in Orange County, Calif., is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the last 40 years. It is widely recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scene, as well as in its own burgeoning cultural community.
The Symphony has played a central role in the phenomenal growth of the performing arts in Orange County. Presenting more than 100 concerts a year and a rich array of education and community programs, the Symphony touches the lives more than 275,000 Orange County residents—from school children to senior citizens. During the winter season, the Symphony performs in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa; the Symphony performs at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine for its Summer Festival.
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world’s largest repertory totaling more than 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 380,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances.
ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its writer and publisher members. ASCAP has representation arrangements with similar foreign organizations so that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world where copyright law exists.
Jayce Keane
Director of Public Relations
Pacific Symphony
3631 S. Harbor Blvd., Suite 100
Santa Ana, CA 92704
www.pacificsymphony.org
