Festival of Contemporary Music 2016

Boston Symphony Orchestra, Cambridge, USA

The Tanglewood Music Center (TMC) is the BSO’s summer academy for advanced musical study. Established in 1940 by Maestro Koussevitzky, the TMC’s goal is to further the tradition of classical music and to create an American school of playing, conducting, and composing. The TMC provides approximately 150 of the world’s most promising young musicians eight weeks of rigorous, performance-oriented instruction from BSO musicians and visiting guest artists. As part of the TMC 2016 summer season, the Festival of Contemporary Music (FCM) with the support of EvS Music Foundation will present six concerts at Tanglewood.
In total, the FCM will be featuring the work of twenty-two composers, including world and national premieres and two commissions. A highlight of the Festival will be a newly commissioned work by George Benjamin. Following the great reception his opera Written on Skin received at the Festival of Contemporary Music in 2014, we look forward to the U.S. premiere of Dream of the Song for orchestra, women’s chorus, and counter tenor solo, co-commissioned by the TMC with the BBC Symphony and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw Orchestra. On the same program, the TMC Orchestra will perform Messiaen’s Turangulîla Symphonie, a BSO commission, one of the great works of the 20th century and a rare performance opportunity for our Fellows. Given that Messiaen was George Benjamin’s teacher, this pairing is particularly meaningful; the juxtaposition of old masters/teachers with younger composers/students is one of the programming themes of the festival.
The Festival will introduce important current composers from around the world who have made big impressions in recent years, including those from the youngest generation, like Erin Gee, whose TMC commissioned work for soprano, violin and double bass will have its world premiere at the Festival.

July 21.–25., 2016
Tanglewood, Seiji Ozawa Hall

Further Information:
www.bso.org