Vox Novus

Vox Novus is the name of a New York City-based organization consisting of composers, musicians and music enthusiasts who state they want to support and spread new music.^[1] Vox Novus was founded by Robert Voisey to promote contemporary composers.^[2][3][4] in 2000.^[2]

This organization was created for the purposes of expanding the presence of contemporary music in the public's vision, empowering composers and contemporary musicians to create, produce, and promote their music. Vox Novus does this by the production of concerts, exposure on the Internet, and facilitating networking between professionals. Vox Novus promotes and produces contemporary music using repeatable methods and models that composers can take and use on their own. This way contemporary music can reach an ever wider audience thereby continuing the advancement of culture and art.^[5]

Vox Novus is most noted for its 60x60 project,^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]} the Composer's Voice Concert Series,^[12][13] Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame music project, Circuit Bridges, and New Nodes. It is also known for its resources for composers: Composers' Site, Music Avatar, NM421, and the American Composer Timeline.^[14] Based In New York City, Vox Novus has produced and promoted more than 300 concerts in over 20 countries around the world.^[15] More than 200 composers are members, including Beth Anderson, Dennis Bathory-Kitsz, Jay Batzner, Noah Creshevsky, Emma Lou Diemer, Dennis Eberhard, David Gunn, Jennifer Higdon, Liana Alexandra, Mary Jane Leach, Mike McFerron, David Morneau, Serban Nichifor, Maggi Payne, Dean Rosenthal, Ruth Schonthal, Laurie Spiegel, Allen Strange, and Augusta Read Thomas.^[16]

Performance Programs

60x60

60x60 is an artistic project comprising 60 one-minute performances. The project commemorates its origins each year by producing a one-hour electroacoustic/acousmatic music concert. 60x60 has been presented in venues and festivals throughout the world.^[17] Afterwards it collaborates with dance or video to produce a dynamic performance in its second season.^[18]

Since its inception in 2003, 60x60 has presented and promoted the works of thousands of composers in more than 50 mixes over a decade.^[19] Collaborating in many different media formats such as video and dance, 60x60 has been presented hundreds of performances in more than 40 countries ^[20] and has been presented in venues such as the Winter Garden Atrium in New York City, Stratford Circus in London, the Contemporary Art Museum of Chicago, and HEC-TV in St Louis.^[21]

The project has received critical acclaim from New York Times, Time Out (magazine), as well as other publication throughout the globe.^[22]

Composer's Voice concert series

The Composer's Voice Concert Series is a chamber concert series produced primarily in New York City.^[23] Started in 2001, the concert series was nomadic and presented in several locations in New York City including: Elebash Hall, Collective Unconscious, Under St. Marks, and South Oxford Space in Brooklyn. "On the whole, the programming for this chamber concert demonstrated that Vox Novus, with its beautifully appointed and acoustically pleasing chamber salon, offers a significant venue just a short distance from the Brooklyn Academy of Music for the presentation of serious works by established and emerging composers. Those voices should be heard, and they can even be reheard on the Vox Novus website (http://www.VoxNovus.com) that generously offers complete audio recordings and even full scores of works presented by Vox Novus at its concerts" ^[24]

From 2007-2014, the concert series started co-producing the concert series with the Remarkable Theater Brigade at Jan Hus Church in the Upper East Side in New York City. Concerts at Jan Hus were presented on a monthly and since 2011 Composer's Voice is presented bi-weekly.^[25]

Besides New York City, Composer's Voice has been presented in collaboration with other organizations for performances in Birmingham, Alabama; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Boston, Massachusetts; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; as well as, Bucharest and Constanta in Romania. The series has presented over 100 performances.

The series presented works by several notable composers performed by performance groups throughout the world.^[26]

Another remarkable example of support and encouragement of current composers is Vox Novus, an enterprise created by Robert Voisey. Of the many things that Vox Novus does, its Composer's Voice Concert Series brings works directly to the public. In order to maximize the number of composers whose works can be heard Mr. Voisey has ingeniously created a portion of many of the concerts entitled 15-Minutes-of-Fame. —Jim Fogle^[27]

Fifteen Minutes of Fame

Fifteen Minutes of Fame is a project of Vox Novus, which is a collection of 15 varied one-minute acoustic miniatures.^[27] The 15 selections are composed for a specific artist or chamber ensemble and then debuted on the Composer's Voice Concert Series.^[28] The project seeks one-minute music miniatures from composers working in any style and aesthetic. "Este concepto de las miniaturas se ajusta muy bien a nuestra 'era del zapping'" (This concept of miniatures fits very well with our 'age of zapping')^[29]

A call for scores is announced, and 15 pieces are chosen from the works submitted. The works are then performed on the Composer's Voice Concert Series in New York City. The concept started at a celebratory concert in 2009 for the birthday of Robert Voisey, the founder of Vox Novus and the 60x60 project.^[30]

"the 15 Minutes of Fame project of Vox Novus is a godsend. It organizes competitions whereby ensembles commission worldwide calls for submissions of approximately one-minute pieces, and then select their 15 favorites for premieres. The players, themselves emerging and without the funds for a traditional commission fee, get original works to present, while the likewise emerging composers get a chance for exposure and a premiere for minimal effort and commitment." - Seth Gilman, New York Music Culture Examiner^[31]

The presentation of fifteen works in a short time allows works of many composers who would not normally be included in a chamber concert to be played.^[32] "The brief time limit is also a catalyst for experimentation: when the pressure is off to develop or sustain a composition the pressure is on to make what little time you have very interesting"^[32]

Musicians

Fifteen Minutes of Fame gives the interpreter an opportunity to have many one-minute miniatures specifically written for them. This is done through a call by Vox Novus for works, sent to composer contacts around the world.^[33] A selection process ensues at the call deadline and the musician chooses 15 works as a set to perform. It gives the musician an opportunity to pick from a variety of aesthetics and styles written by different composers that they have never met before; Fifteen Minutes of Fame promotes community and fosters professional relationships.

Musicians who have participated in Fifteen Minutes of Fame include Austin Mandolin Orchestra ,^[34] Bruce Curlette,^[35] Shiau-uen Ding,^[27] Beth Griffith, Kenji Haba, Craig Hultgren,^[36] Conway Kuo,^[37] Jenny Ribeiro, Alyssa Reit, Peter Reit,^[38]Juan Maria Solare,^[39][40] SoundProof^[41] Thomas Piercy, Claudine Hickman, Poné Ensemble, Alex Sramek,^[42] West Point Woodwind Quintet,^[43] Sophia Yan, and Zentripetal.^[44]

Shiau-uen Ding premiered the first official Fifteen Minutes of Fame on March 27, 2011.^[45]

Sophia Yan performed the first Fifteen Minutes of Fame with selection from composers under the age of fifteen. The participants selected for the concert ranged in ages from 3 to 15 years old.^[46] One of the composers selected Emma Liddle, age 13, was profiled in The Bloomington Crow for her participation in the Fifteen Minutes of Fame selection.^[47]

Craig Hultgren's performance was praised for his "herculean effort to shift styles and sensibilities at a moment's notice".^[48]

"Fifteen Minutes of Fame" presented an anthology of one-minute pieces, written for the Poné Ensemble, that whet the appetite with mini-samples of a cornucopia of their talent, tastes and styles. - James F Cotter, Times Herald-Record April 29, 2014 ^[49][50]

Composers

Fifteen Minutes of Fame give the opportunity to have their work performed by adventurous musicians specifically looking to champion new music. While a constraint, the one-minute miniature format allows for the composer to write a short composition with greater ease than a longer work. Fifteen Minutes of Fame encourages experimentation and opportunities to write for instrumentation that are not commonly available. With the significantly larger number of works selected being 15 and the frequency Fifteen Minutes of Fame is produced, it becomes a huge resource for composers to have their work played and receive greater exposure.

The one-minute miniatures for Fifteen Minutes of Fame are written by composers from all over the globe.^[51] Fifteen Minutes of Fame has presented more than 100 composers including Dennis Bathory-Kitsz, Joshua Barlage,^[38] John Bilotta, Scott Brickman,^[27][52] Carson Cooman, Salim Dada,^[53] Emma Lou Diemer, Bobby DeLisle,.^[54] Moritz Eggert, Francesco Di Fiore,^[55] Arthur Gottschalk, Emma Liddel,^[30] David Morneau, Serban Nichifor,^[56] James Soe Nyun,^[57] Michael Mikulka,^[58] Nova Pon,^[59] Nolan Stolz, and David Wolfson.^[60]

Circuit Bridges

Circuit Bridges is an electro-acoustic concert series designed to present and promote the electro-acoustic music. The series does this by creating "bridge" concerts between communities, organizations, or ensembles. "Circuit Bridges is a monthly electronic music concert series that collaborates with organizations from around the globe that foster and promote innovative electronic music and sound."^[61]

One of the endeavors of Circuit Brides is New Nodes. "New Nodes is a traveling program that creates bridges on a growing network of electronic music communities around the world." ^[62][63]

XMV eXperimental Music Video

XMV was and experimental music video night hosted in New York with Collective:Unconscious^[64] XMV was designed to present artists experimenting with video and music; from shorts to features, from psychedelic to abstract imagery, from minimmalism to edgy pop, and even live performances and dynamic video.

Resources for Composers

Composers' Site

Composers' Site is a free on-line tool for composers to find competitions, contests, calls for works, and other opportunities for composers.^[65]

Music Avatar

Music Avatar is an on-line tool for Vox Novus to process and judge the calls for scores and audio works for its concert programs as well as the greater new music community.^[66] The tool was instrumental in administering the "The Sayat Nova International Composition Competition" run by the The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU).^[67][68]

American Composer Timeline

Started in 2000, the American Composer Timeline was Vox Novus's first contemporary music initiative.^[14] Its purpose was to highlight the tradition of composition in the United States from it very first beginnings of the formation of the colonies until contemporary times. It boasts more than 1300 composer listings with links to their biographies and more detailed information.

Articles & reviews

• Concert showcases experimental music by Sabrina Hayes - The MSU Exponent, February 26, 2015
• Austin Mandolin Orchestra Premieres 15 New Pieces By Joel Hobbs Mandolin Cafe - February 1, 2015 - 1:15 pm
• Craig Hultgren's well-earned 15 minutes of fame unfolding at Moonlight on the Mountain in Birmingham By Michael Huebner, AL.com, May 21, 2013
• D.M. composer's 60-second work receives New York premiere by Michael Morain, Des Moines Register Jul 13, 2012
• A Parhelion sighting in Queens, Part 2 - Seth Gilman, New York Music Culture Examiner
• Seleccionados los 15 tangos en miniatura para Juan Solare en Bremen Argentina Es Tango, July 10, 2012
• 13-Year-Old Composer is Chosen for Fifteen Minutes of Fame By Gina Szafraniec, The Bloomington Crow September 1, 2011
• Gone in 60 Minutes: Electronic Compositions Showcased at NC State University, Alexandra Jones, "Classical Voice in North Carolina", October 1, 2007.
• WRITERS' BLOCK, Chris Pasles, Los Angeles Times, July 22, 2007
• Time and Motion, Anne Cammon, "Fly Global Music Culture", May 26, 2007
• 60x60 Project presents 60 composers in 60 minutes, Rachel Slade, North Texas Daily February 28, 2007 Accessed May 1, 2007
• October 20, 2002 Composer's Voice Concert, John de Clef Pineiro, New Music Connoisseur, March 2003 Vol.11 No.1
• "El argentino Solare promueve la expansión del tango más allá de sus fronteras", Carlos Gallardo Ruig, ExpressNews Nr. 645, London, August 2012.

References

External links

• Vox Novus
• 60x60
• Composer's Voice concert series
• Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame
• Composers' Site
• Music Avatar
• American Composer Timeline
• XMV eXperimental Music Video