NASHVILLE, TN. (June 11, 2012) Nashville Symphony is one of 24 American orchestras honored with an ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming. The awards were announced on June 8, at the League of American Orchestras’ annual conference in Dallas, and recognize orchestras that challenge the audience, build the repertoire and increase interest in the music of our time. Nashville Symphony was recognized with a second-place award for Programming of Contemporary Music because of its focus on showcasing the work of contemporary American composers, including Béla Fleck, Terry Riley and Richard Danielpour.
The League of American Orchestras and ASCAP present the awards each year to orchestras of all sizes. Approximately $700,000 dollars have been bestowed on orchestras since the awards were established in 1947.
“We are excited to be recognized for this award,” says President and CEO Alan Valentine. “The Nashville Symphony has an extensive history of commissioning, premiering and recording contemporary American music. When the orchestra performs a brand-new piece, it adds to the excitement of the concert-going experience and allows us to hear the classics in a fresh context. We will continue our commitment to new music with more commissions and world premieres in the seasons to come.”
Over the past year, the Nashville Symphony performed the following new works:
Béla Fleck’s Concerto for Banjo — world premiere and Nashville Symphony commission
Richard Danielpour’s Darkness in the Ancient Valley — world premiere and Nashville Symphony commission
Daniel Bernard Roumain’s Dancers, Dreamers and Presidents — Nashville premiere and co-commission with Sphinx Organization Commissioning Consortium
Terry Riley’s Palmian Chord Ryddle — world premiere and Nashville Symphony commission
Roberto Sierra’s Sinfonia No. 4 and Fandangos, both of which will be featured on an upcoming Nashville Symphony recording
Lowell Liebermann’s Symphony No. 3, Opus 113 – Nashville premiere and commissioned by Magnum Opus Project
Nashville Symphony and Giancarlo Guerrero
Led by Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero and President and CEO Alan D. Valentine, the Nashville Symphony has a growing international reputation for its recordings and innovative programming. With more than 140 performances annually, the 85-member Nashville Symphony is an arts leader in Nashville and beyond, offering a broad range of classical, pops and jazz concerts; special events; children’s concerts and community outreach programs. The Nashville Symphony has received far-reaching acclaim for its 19 recordings on Naxos and one on Decca, making the Nashville Symphony currently one of the most active recording orchestras in the country. These recordings have received 14 total GRAMMY® nominations and seven GRAMMY® wins, most recently for the orchestra’s recording of works by Joseph Schwantner with percussion soloist Christopher Lamb.
About ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 410,000 songwriter, composer and music 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. 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. www.ascap.com
League of American Orchestras
The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions America’s orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its diverse membership of nearly 900 orchestras across North America runs the gamut from world-renowned symphonies to community groups, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles. The only national organization dedicated solely to the orchestral experience, the League is a nexus of knowledge and innovation, advocacy, and leadership advancement for managers, musicians, volunteers, and boards. Its conferences and events, award-winning Symphony magazine, website, and other publications inform music lovers around the world about orchestral activity and developments. Founded in 1942 and chartered by Congress in 1962, the League links a national network of thousands of instrumentalists, conductors, managers and administrators, board members, volunteers, and business partners. Visit americanorchestras.org to learn more.
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