“Even the most inspired teacher doesn’t have the power to transform a talented composition student into the next Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms or Stravinsky,” writes Donald Rosenberg in Sunday’s (3/8) Plain Dealer (Cleveland). “But young composers can be guided beyond matters of harmony, form, thematic development and orchestration. They can be taught to be professionals. In this respect, the composition program at Cleveland State University is setting standards. Along with a bold curriculum and opportunities for students to hear their music performed and recorded by noted guest artists, the program includes a Music Composition Resource Center unlike any in the nation. The large, third-floor room in CSU’s Music and Communication Building houses a bounty of technology that enables students to create pristine editions of their music, print and bind the scores, and mail them to ensembles, soloists and competitions. A virtually unlimited supply of blank compact discs is available to copy recordings of the composers’ works.” Composition head Andrew Rindfleisch opened the center in 2005 with a $50,000 start-up donation from Lawrence and Mickey Beyer. “Cleveland Contemporary Players, the organization Rindfleisch founded in 2004, imports major artists and ensembles for residencies. The guests hold workshops, perform student works and record each piece.”
Posted March 10, 2009
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