American Composers Forum
Background and Purpose
The American Composers Forum (the Forum) is a national non-profit organization, created in 1973, located in Saint Paul. Its mission is to enrich lives by nurturing the creative spirit of composers and communities. The Forum provides new opportunities for composers and their music to flourish, and for communities to engage in the creation, performance and enjoyment of new music. By building two-way relationships between artists and the public, the Forum develops programs that educate audiences, provide new roles for composers, develop new markets, stimulate collaboration, and promote musical creativity.
With a national office staff of fourteen and five active chapters in New England, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Minnesota and San Francisco, the Forum administers a dozen programs that reach performers, friends of new music, and audiences in all 50 states and 14 foreign countries. The Forum has nearly 1,800 members and serves more than 7,500 artists annually, of which 900 are composers from Minnesota. The Twin Cities area chapter was established in May 2000. A national board of 28 members governs the organization.
Current Request
Last year, The Saint Paul Foundation awarded the Forum $12,500 in first year funding of Saint Paul Listens, a music education program for three Saint Paul middle schools: Humboldt, Murray, and Capitol Hill. The goal of the program is for students to experience all aspects of music composition: how music is inspired, critiqued, refined, interpreted and readied for performance.
The objectives are to increase awareness and understanding of the work of living composers, promote an appreciation and understanding of the compositional process, and provide teachers and students tools and strategies for creating their own music. The first year was devoted to planning. During this time, music specialists from each school participated in curriculum design and professional development so they can integrate the learning in their coursework. Three local professional composers (Gao Hong, Mike Croswell and Dough Little) created new pieces for the students to study. All have experience working with this age group. Each piece has been recorded by the new music ensemble, Zeitgeist. The composers met with the partner teachers to plan the residency.
The Forum is now requesting support for the second year of the program. During the 2008-2009 school year, students will meet the composers, learn about new music, and engage in creating their own original music using composition software. Students who wish to can submit their piece to the Young Composers Competition. Finalists in the competition will have their pieces recorded on CDs and on-line for others to listen. Community members will be able to vote on their favorite piece. The winners will have their original songs performed at two culminating concerts in May 2009.
The program will benefit four tiers of young people: the students studying with the three middle school music specialists and composers (approximately 60 in each school); all the other students in these three schools who will see the performances; any other Saint Paul middle school students whose teachers choose to incorporate the curriculum; and all students in the school district who choose to participate in the Young Composers Competition.