One of Lee Hoiby’s most popular works in recent years is a setting of the final correspondence from US soldier Jesse Givens before his death in Iraq in 2003.  ”Last Letter Home” has already been performed as a work for male chorus or for solo baritone. On November 8 in La Jolla, California a new version with string orchestra debuted. Here’s a video of baritone Andrew Garland performing with Hoiby at...

In the bio-pic “Wild Combination: A Portrait of Arthur Russell,” Allen Ginsberg describes Russell as a poet who sings.  I like that because it puts a finger on why I’ve never connected well with Russell’s music. Lord knows I’ve tried many times, always hoping to sink into the numerous posthumous collections of his music that have come out in recent years.  His songs and instrumentals always feel like sketches to...

Two upcoming events from gay composer extraordinaire David Del Tredici. His “Magyar Madness” – a klezmer inspired romp for clarinet and string quartet – will have its New York City debut with David Krakauer and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center at 5 p.m. on Sunday 10/18 in the shining new Alice Tully Hall. Go to: http://www.chambermusicsociety.org for tickets and more information. Pianist Marc Peloquin...

Gerald Busby (photo by Mia Hanson) Gerald Busby, a native of Texas, graduate of Yale, and protégé of Virgil Thomson, made his professional debut as a composer with a commission from Paul Taylor for the dance RUNES. The work has had nearly 1,000 performances around the world since its Paris premiere and was featured on the PBS series, Great Performances, Dance in America, and recorded on Nonesuch. Other significant collaborations...

Though located in Cooperstown, New York, Glimmerglass Opera knows where the money is and therefore throws its best parties in Manhattan. The company’s fall benefit is a celebration of the artistic kinship of Copland and Bernstein.  ”Aaron Copland and Leonard Bernstein: Their Words, Music and REminiscenes” features Jamie Bernstein and Rosamond Bernier and other guests and takes place Thursday November...

Twenty years before actress Meryl Streep and author/director Nora Ephron brought Julia Child to the silver screen with “Julie & Julia,” composer Lee Hoiby put the famous chef on the operatic stage.  His operetta “Bon Appetit!” starred Jean Stapleton (Edith Bunker) and debuted at the Kennedy Center in 1989 before going on to a successful run Off Broadway. Like many of Hoiby’s other theatrical works, “Bon Appetit!”...

The estate of the late composer/pianist Yvar Mikhashoff has announced its third year of an innovative funding opportunity to encourage collaborations between young composers and pianists. Guidelines available here. Deadline November 16, 2009.

The San Francisco Opera has announced commissions of new operas from Mark Adamo and Jennifer Higdon.  Adamo’s third opera, The Gospel of Mary Magdelene, is slated for June 2013 premiere and will feature the composer’s own libretto.  Higdon will collaborate with writer Gene Scheer for a piece to premiere in fall 2013, though no theme or topic is yet announced.

COOPERSTOWN – When the Italian American composer Gian Carlo Menotti died in 2007 at age 94, Michael MacLeod of Glimmerglass Opera was amazed at how little notice was given to the passing of such an important figure in 20th century opera. He responded by programming for the 2009 season Menotti’s “The Consul,” which opened Saturday night. MacLeod chose well.  A dark and gripping piece dating from 1950, “The...

“Those gay composers sure write beautiful music.” Those were a friend’s first words to me during an intermission at a concert late this past spring at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.  He could have been speaking of so many different folks, such as the Americans Aaron Copland, Virgil Thomson, or Leonard Bernstein, to name just a few. Or from the classics there’s Tchaikovsky or Handel, for that matter.  But on this...