In Friday’s (7/29) Times Colonist (Victoria, Canada), Amy Smart writes about composer Jared Richardson. “Besides counting more than 70 compositions under his belt, the 17-year-old will be the first Splash Young Composer to hear one of his pieces performed by the full orchestra at Victoria Symphony Splash on Sunday. The outdoor music festival, which draws about 40,000 spectators to the Inner Harbour, has been called the largest of its kind. ‘I’m very excited to see the symphony bring one of my pieces to life,’ Richardson said. ‘It’s an incredible honour.’ He composed Winds of Kananaskis at age 15, after an inspiring family vacation through the Albertan Rockies. … While he imagined it for orchestra, he didn’t initially have access to one to have it performed, so he adjusted it for his high school concert band. … Richardson, who wrote his first official composition at 11, has created a variety of songs—from jazz-band pieces to lyrical pop tunes. He is one of a handful of promising young composers to participate in the Victoria Symphony’s vsNEW Composers Workshop. The program challenges participants age nine through 20 to explore music with the symphony’s resident composer. It culminates with a live performance and recording of their piece.”
Posted August 1, 2011
