Ryan Francis Wins American Composers Forum Commission

Metropolis Ensemble's Wet Ink Composer Resident, Ryan Francis, won a competitive commission from the American Composers Forum with funds provided by the Jerome Foundation for his Piano Concerto. The world premiere will be presented by the Metropolis Ensemble's spring concert, Loop, on April 10, 2008 with pianist Anna Polonsky and conductor Andrew Cyr. Here's the official announcement:

The American Composers Forum announces the results of the 2007 Jerome Composers Commissioning Program (JCCP). JCCP, now in its 28th year and one of only a few national commissioning programs, supports the production of new musical works by emerging composers. It seeks to boost a composer's career by offering composers an early commission and more experienced composers a chance to stretch their current boundaries. Composers apply with an ensemble or presenter and request support to underwrite the commissioning fee. Awards this year ranged from $3,000-8,000. A total of 17 projects were funded from a pool of $90,000.

Jerome Foundation was created by artist and philanthropist Jerome Hill in 1964, and makes grants to support emerging artists across the performing and visual arts, particularly those based in Minnesota and New York.

American Composers Forum is an organization committed to supporting composers and developing new markets for their music. Through grants, commissions, and performance programs, the Forum provides resources for over 1,700 composers around the world.

Congratulations to Ryan for this exciting achievement!

Classical Domain Interview

What happens when you put Vivaldi, bluegrass, and Israeli folk music together? Why is an international cast of top musicians converging on New York City this month? Find out when Metropolis Ensemble conductor Andrew Cyr and featured composer Avner Dorman talk about our fall concert, On Record, with Classical Domain. Read the interview...

Avner Dorman: Concerto in A

This is part of our composer series on Avner Dorman.

Inspiration has many names. Avner Dorman's inspiration for his Concerto in A first came from Bach's Harpsichord Concerto No. 4 in A Major (BWV 1055). In 1995 while serving in the Israeli army, he heard the Bach performed on the radio. "I found the bright sound of the violins doubling the piano's top line very exciting, and then and there I improvised the opening tutti."

Avner takes us on a journey through the composition of his concerto: from Bartok and Ravel to jazz, rock, and Israeli horahs.



The second movement of the concerto features a long A-flat major seventh chord, influenced by avant-garde musicians including minimalist Brian Eno, jazz great Keith Jarrett, and Velvet Underground's John Cale.

Some of Avner's more novel devices appear in the third movement. He borrows techniques for the violin and harmonic progressions from The Police and Nina Simone. "I got even more ecstatic about the piece when I realized that using the traditional harmonic vocabulary enables me to effortlessly integrate jazz, pop, and rock elements into the piece."



Music credits: Dorman's Concerto in A performed by the Metropolis Ensemble featuring Eliran Avni on piano, Andrew Cyr conducting. Bach's Concerto in A performed by the Columbia Symphony Orchestra featuring Glenn Gould on piano, Leonard Bernstein conducting.

A Conversation with Avner Dorman

We're excited to introduce you to renowned Israeli composer Avner Dorman, whose complete chamber orchestra concerti are featured in Metropolis Ensemble's upcoming fall concert, On Record.

Through a series of recordings, Avner discusses the intimate details of each of his concertos, including his inspiration, important motifs, and some of his personal story along the way. We hope these posts will provide you a unique behind-the-scenes look at this bright young composer, and reveal a creative process that is as surprising and engaging as the works themselves!

Into the Studio

In October, Metropolis Ensemble is embarking on our debut studio recording. In the very capable hands of David Frost, 2005's Grammy-winning classical producer of the year, we will produce an exciting new album featuring music from our fall concert, On Record. Each of the four chamber orchestra concertos from composer Avner Dorman will be recorded and scheduled for a late-summer release in 2008. Stay tuned as we continue to share updates about the recording, mastering, and publishing process over the next year!

WNYC STAR Participant

Metropolis Ensemble is thrilled to be a featured participant in WNYC's Salute The Arts Initiative. WNYC profiles cultural nonprofit organizations in the New York metro area, and has selected Metropolis Ensemble as its featured participant for the month of September. Listen for our announcements on New York Public Radio, especially as we prepare for our upcoming fall concert, On Record.

Welcome Cristina Spinei

Metropolis Ensemble welcomes its 2007-08 Youth Works composer, Cristina Spinei. A Julliard masters student, Cristina will guide students at Manhattan's PS11 in our exciting composition class, culminating in a concert that showcases the students' work. Meet Cristina...

Composition Today Interview

David Bruce, our friend at Composition Today, recently sat down with Andrew Cyr to discuss the beginning of the Metropolis Ensemble, its mission, and plans for the spring concert and beyond. Read the interview...

New Partnership with Smithsonian

Metropolis Ensemble is pleased to announce a new partnership with Smithsonian Magazine, kicking off our 2007 concerts in New York City. Smithsonian is proud to be supporting Metropolis Ensemble and its emerging composers, musicians and the creation of music as a living art form.

"Smithsonian Magazine readers are avid cultural catalysts, and an overwhelming number of them fulfill their passion for the arts by regularly attending live music performances." —Kerry Bianchi, Smithsonian Publishing Group Publisher

Our spring concert will live up to that expectation, as conductor Andrew Cyr leads an international ensemble in a bluegrass inflected "east-meets-west" Mandolin Concerto by renowned Israeli composer Avner Dorman, complimented by in-vogue Argentinean composer Osvaldo Golijov, and the soaring Chamber Symphony of Dmitri Shostakovich.

Learn more about the partnership...