The 45th Annual Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young will take place on April 5-7, 2024 and will feature this year’s commissioned composer Lera Auerbach.
Admission is free, please register by completing the form at the bottom of this page.
2024 Concert Schedule
The 2024 Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young takes place from April 5-7, 2024. Please click the drop-down menus for the complete summary of events for each day of the event:
7:30 p.m. | Faculty Recital in Rivera Recital Hall
Works of Lera Auerbach, Whitman Brown, Kurt M. Mehlenbacher, Fazil Say, and Gary Schocker.
1:00 p.m. | Concert in Rivera Recital Hall
Music includes Istantanee (Snap-Shots) of Simone Fontanelli with illustrated projections, music of Lera Auerbach, Elaine Fine, Vincent Ho, and John Musto, and a premiere of Dan Shore.
3:00 p.m. | Concert in Rivera Recital Hall
Performances include music of Lera Auerbach, Dianne Goolkasian Rahbee, a student premiere by Vybhav Velamoor, and seven commissioned pieces by composers from Tufts University: Yasaman Ghodsi, Eliza Howells, Carlos Mauro, Ronja Mokráñova, Katianna Nardone, Aviva Senzon, and Molly Wong.
4:15 p.m. | Reception
Reception in the lobby of Bradley Hall and the opportunity to meet the commissioned composers from Tufts University and their mentor, John McDonald, and Lera Auerbach, the 2024 commissioned composer for the Seminar.
5:00 p.m. | Concert in Rivera Recital Hall
Works include music of Lera Auerbach, Steven Laven, and premieres of Mariana Joyce, Chloe DeSteno, and a student premiere of Adalia Wen.
1:00 p.m. | Concert in Rivera Recital Hall
Music by such composers as Lera Auerbach, Larry Thomas Bell, Philip Glass, Aleksey Igudesman, Alice Jones, and Nico Muhly.
3:00 p.m. | Concert in Rivera Recital Hall
Performances include works of composers Ayumi Okada, Didier Rotella, a student premiere by Jack Benson, a premiere by Sarah Tenney, and three commissioned pieces by composers from Tufts University: Joaquin de Jesus, Matthew Seliger, and Yixiao Wang.
4:15 p.m. | Reception
Reception in the lobby of Bradley Hall to meet the commissioned composers from Tufts University, and their mentor, John McDonald, and Lera Auerbach, the 2024 commissioned composer of the Seminar.
5:00 p.m. | Finale in Rivera Recital Hall
Music by Connor Chee, Simón Garcia, Andrew List, a premiere by Peter Child, and the world premiere of the 2024 commissioned work, String Symphony No. 2 by Lera Auerbach.
Downloadable Summary of Events
About
The Rivers School Conservatory Seminar on Contemporary Music for the Young was founded to address the need of young performers to hear, play, and learn the music of their time. Since 1978 the seminar has presented 3,254 pieces, representing more than 1,920 composers and 720 premieres, including 227 commissioned pieces. Each seminar’s programming is unique; pieces are performed only once, so that repertoire, composed within the last 25 years, is constantly being explored. Every year RSC commissions one composer for a major work. Past commissioned composers and guests include:
John Cage
Sorrel Hays
Chen Yi
Wendy Rolfe
Ivan Tcherepnin
Daniel Pinkham
John Harbison
Gunther Schuller
Joan Tower
Sir John Tavener
Lukas Foss
Samuel Adler
Lowell Liebermann
Michael Gandolfi
Robert Sirota
Libby Larsen
Matthew Aucoin
Andrew List
The idea of young performers, composer, and audiences interacting with one another in an artistic and creative way has sparked the imagination of educators. Our seminar has become the model for many such events throughout the United States and the world.