In Thursday’s (8/7) Huffington Post, composer Dan Visconti writes, “It’s no surprise that the possibility of creating music on laptops and electronic instruments has captured the attention of today’s composers…. With new musical technology gaining acceptance in all genres of music, one might wonder what is to become of a more ancient musical technology: performance on acoustic instruments. … I think that it is cool to write music for acoustic instruments…. One of the biggest reasons that composing new music for traditional orchestral instruments brings something to the table that newer electronic means of sound production cannot is that the vast weight of tradition provides a useful foundation and springboard for creativity … [with] many rich and exciting opportunities to riff off of the past. One approach taken by several younger composers involves writing orchestral works that feature integrated electronics…. Engaging living composers can be an incredible way to revitalize their orchestra and community. When composers of our time write music performed by the same instruments that are made to perform Beethoven and Mozart, we gain a new understanding of ourselves and how we relate to the past.” Visconti’s most recent article for Symphony magazine appeared in the Winter2014 issue.
Posted August 8, 2014
