Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) has appointed Andrew Norman composer-in-residence for three years beginning July 2012, it was announced by Music Director Jeffrey Kahane. The highly regarded, prolific young composer, whose music has been hailed by The New York Times for its “daring juxtapositions and dazzling colors†and in the Los Angeles Times for its “Chaplinesque†wit, succeeds Derek Bermel as the Orchestra’s eighth composer-in-residence and fifth to be appointed by Kahane.
As composer-in-residence, Norman receives a commission through LACO’s innovative Sound Investment commissioning initiative, a program that offers investor members the rare opportunity to create a legacy in music and to observe first-hand the development of a new work from the composer’s earliest ideas to the finished composition.
Participants invest $150 to $300 for a membership, which includes multiple salons featuring in-depth discussion with the composer about his creative process and behind-the-scenes previews of the final work. During his tenure, various other Norman works are also slated to be featured on LACO’s programming. Additionally, Norman serves as an advisor to Kahane regarding promising emerging composers and artists, reviews scores submitted to LACO, and, under the Orchestra’s auspices, visits selected Southland high-school and college composition classes to discuss the composition process.
Norman served as the composer for the 2010-11 Heidelberg season and, in addition to his works being performed by the orchestra that season, the composer’s new work for theremin and orchestra, Air, premiered in Heidelberg in April, 2011, featuring soloist Carolina Eyck. In May, 2011, John Adams led the world premiere of Norman’s Try for chamber orchestra, on the LA Phil’s Green Umbrella series. Sonnets, for orchestra, premiered at the Aspen Music Festival and School in August of 2011 under Hugh Wolff.
Norman is a graduate of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, where he studied composition with Crockett and Hartke and piano with Stewart Gordon, and was twice named the Thornton School’s most outstanding graduate. He lives and works in Brooklyn and his music is published worldwide exclusively by Schott Music.
Since 1997, LACO has performed under the baton of acclaimed conductor and pianist Jeffrey Kahane, hailed by critics as “visionary†and “a conductor of uncommon intellect, insight and musical integrity†with “undeniable charisma.â€
For more information: www.LACO.org
