Study

     soundSCAPE faculty and participant performers are here to champion your music. Artist faculty not only mentor you in leading rehearsals, they often join ranks with participant musicians in the performance of your work. In addition, the Composition Colloquium offers the opportunity to discuss your methodology and philosophy in a friendly and supportive environment.

     Competition for commissions, performances, and jobs in music is intense; musicians need to identify ways to distinguish themselves and their talent. Peter Moran (2006 composer) writes: Since developing my microtonal techniques in my duet ‘Table-ism’ after it was performed by the faculty at soundSCAPE, I was recently awarded the joint first prize at the 2010 Carl von Ossietzky Competition for my microtonal guitar trio ‘Bommy’… I remember I started working on that piece during the soundSCAPE festival, when faculty and student guitarists Robert Bekker and Ahmet Sonmezler were kind enough to help me try out some ideas. Check out what soundSCAPE can do for YOU.

     soundSCAPE places an emphasis on the exchange of ideas and culture; as such, the festival attracts composers and performers from around the world. You will join an ever-expanding network of musicians at the forefront of new music, resulting in further collaboration, commissions and performances.

     Composers are engaged to write AT the festival as well; each year features a new theme, and the resulting pieces are given a collective performance. We also encourage composers to attend workshops in improvisation, contemporary performance techniques, and in career development. Tuition includes admission to all rehearsals, master classes and concerts.

     The soundSCAPE calendar is a busy one… In a typical season we present the premieres of over 40 works. Most performances will be given at the City Auditorium of Maccagno; an intimate and modern concert hall with seating for 170. Regional performances highlighting music composed for the festival may also be presented in northern Italy. All performances are professionally recorded, and made available on the festival’s YouTube channel, and via other media platforms.

     The 2012 Composer in Residence is Josh Levine, professor of composition at Oberlin Conservatory. Mr. Levine will lead participants in the creation of new works AT the festival, focusing on a unifying theme. Performances of Levine’s music will be featured throughout the festival, with a special premiere of a new work for the soundSCAPE faculty trio.

Previous Composers in Residence at soundSCAPE:
     Lansing McLoskey
     Patricia Alessandrini

     In addition to filling out the online application, composers must submit one work of any instrumentation for evaluation, accompanied by a MIDI/mp3 recording. In March, you will receive a commission detailing instrumentation guidelines for the work to be premiered at the festival. Electro-acoustic works are also welcome.

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     Participants can expect to perform in a variety of contexts in collaboration with the actual composers of new music, while coaching with a world renowned artist faculty. soundSCAPE provides young artists with vital performance experience as they prepare to embark on their professional careers.

     Competition for commissions, performances, and jobs in music is intense; musicians need to identify ways to distinguish themselves and their talent. Andrew Booth (’08-’10 guitar) writes: Following soundSCAPE I am now full of inspiration to learn and perform as much contemporary music as possible and I envisage this to be a very rewarding career pathway. I aspire to expand the guitar repertoire and thanks to the festival, I now have a network of composers and performers from around the world to help me do so!
Check out what soundSCAPE can do for YOU.

     soundSCAPE places an emphasis on the exchange of ideas and culture; as such, the festival attracts composers and performers from around the world. You will join an ever-expanding network of musicians at the forefront of new music, resulting in further collaboration, commissions and performances.

     We present workshops in improvisation, contemporary performance techniques, and in career development. Tuition includes admission to all rehearsals and concerts, as well as the daily Composer’s Colloquium. Participants may also perform prepared repertoire in master classes and in solo recitals.

     Our faculty are noted for their broad range of experience and collaboration with diverse musics and ensembles. Performers are encouraged to coach with any and all of our faculty; as such, we encourage applications from all instruments and voice types. In past seasons, we have had performers on saxophone, oboe, trumpet, cello, mandolin, and clarinet, in addition to our mainstay faculty instrumentation.

     The soundSCAPE calendar is a busy one… In a typical season we present the premieres of over 40 works. Most performances will be given at the City Auditorium of Maccagno; an intimate and modern concert hall with seating for 170. Regional performances highlighting music composed for the festival may also be presented in northern Italy. All performances are professionally recorded, and made available on the festival’s YouTube channel, and via other media platforms.

     A special highlight of the festival is the concert readings of modern chamber opera, and settings of solo voice with chamber ensemble. Workshops focus on advanced rhythm and performance techniques. Performers will also collaborate with the Composer in Residence, Josh Levine, in the creation of new works at the festival, with performances at the regional museum for modern art, as well as various locations throughout Maccagno.

     Performers on any instrument or voice apply by submitting a live recording of TWO solo contrasting works, which may be from any style/period. Links to YouTube or Vimeo performances are accepted, as well as mp3 recordings submitted via the festival email. Performers must also include a repertoire list of modern works performed/studied on the online application.

     Please visit our News pages!

     Send us an email – we’re happy to help!

     There are a number of great reasons to attend as an auditor: as a performer, you may be interested in exploring new music outside the traditional canon of teaching repertoire; or too busy to meet our application deadline, but are still interested in pursuing a stimulating summer music experience; or perhaps looking for an opportunity to study with renowned faculty, with no performance commitments… as a composer, you may be looking for a place to relax, find inspiration amongst a variety of compositional approaches and aesthetics, or be looking for virtuoso performers to bounce ideas off of.

     As an auditor, you will be given free rein to attend all festival events; concerts, lectures, workshops in improvisation, rhythm studies, and career development, the Composition Colloquium, master classes, and even observe private lessons. You will be able to engage with participants and faculty 24/7, as we all stay in the same housing complex. Faculty are permitted to mentor you in individual consultation as their schedule allows. As you can imagine, the opportunity to grow is virtually unlimited; shop your scores, ask for pieces, forge artistic alliances for future performances, and make lifelong friends.

     The only requirements are a completed online application, plus a letter of recommendation from your major teacher/professor.

     soundSCAPE places an emphasis on the exchange of ideas and culture; as such, the festival attracts composers and performers from around the world. You will join an ever-expanding network of musicians at the forefront of new music, resulting in further collaboration, commissions and performances. Also the location is simply stunning; situated on Italy’s second largest lake, surrounded by the Italian Alps, just minutes south of Switzerland. Performances are held at the City Auditorium of Maccagno; an intimate and modern concert hall with seating for 170.

     Please visit our News pages!

     Send us an email – we’re happy to help!