Allentown Symphony Orchestra (ASO)2021 Composers Summer Workshop

Featured Image: Allentown Symphony Orchestra Conductor Diane Wittry (Right), Composer in Residence Chris Rogerson (Left) with Pierre Bohemond Composer (Center)

On July 22-24, 2021 I attended the Allentown Symphony Orchestra – Composers Summer Workshop hosted by Diane Wittry, ASO Music Director & Conductor, and Chris Rogerson, Composer in Residence. In my opinion, the workshop was extremely successful and well presented. I learned so much over the three days. I came away feeling energized & inspired!

The program was very well designed notably giving composers one-on-one sessions with extremely knowledgeable mentors. The feedback I received about my compositions from the Faculty Members and our hosts Diane Wittry and Chris Rogerson was invaluable – their input took my writing to a higher level. It was truly a memorable experience to then hear my compositions performed live by the Allentown Symphony Orchestra’s very talented musicians.

During the workshop, the Guest Speakers shared with us their personal musical journeys and gave us practical advice that we can quickly implement to propel our music careers forward. Most importantly, they taught us how to identify and communicate our own musical vision to our listeners.

First Day: The Keynote Speaker was Tania León a composer, conductor, educator, and advisor to arts organizations. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Music for her orchestral work “Stride” commissioned by the New York Philharmonic. Ms. León walked us through her lifetime of musical experiences telling us wonderful stories about moments both big and small. Also on the first day, modern classical composer Viet Cuong shared with us his unique compositional style. He also reflected on the growth of his career in the classical music industry. Chris Rogerson, ASO Composer in Residence lectured us on the importance of “Listening in Composition”. Chris’s presentation was masterful and inspiring!

Second Day: In the morning, we were divided in small groups for the score review sessions. We met one-on-one with our mentors who listened and commented on our scores. In the afternoon, we listened to Live Readings of our Violin & Piano compositions.

Third Day: In the morning, there were live Soprano & Piano readings. In the afternoon, we were treated to more Music Industry personalities who spoke on such topics as “The Future in Classical Music” and “Being Classically Entrepreneurial”. Andrew Ousley, from the PR and marketing agency Unison Media spoke on many subjects and provided us with practical guidance on how to improve our composer bios. In our bios, Andrew stressed the importance of clearly defining our musical style to our readers. He also drew our attention to the significance of having a composer website and a dedicated professional Facebook page.

Lastly, two very talented composers Nina C. Young and Alex Weiser addressed the group and played excerpts from their most current musical works. Their stories took us through the steps that led them to be discovered on the classical music scene, and showed us how they succeeded in getting their compositions performed by world renowned orchestras.

A Closing Ceremony & Reception concluded the three-day workshop.

I will undoubtedly sign up for next year’s ASO Composers Summer Workshop! The knowledge I took away from this year’s workshop is already inspiring new compositions. I am happy to add that during the three-day workshop, I made new friends and I feel that these relationships will be long lasting.

Thank you ASO for offering this workshop to the community!