Join Email List
ACO has awarded composer Carlos Bandera its 2018 Underwood Commission, bringing him a $15,000 commission for a work to be premiered by ACO in a future season. Chosen from six finalists during ACO’s 27th Underwood New Music Readings on June 21 and 22, 2018, in one of the most coveted opportunities for emerging composers in the United States, Bandera won the top prize with his work Lux in Tenebris.
In addition, for the ninth year, audience members at the Underwood New Music Readings had a chance to make their voices heard through the Audience Choice Commission. The winner this year was composer Tomàs Peire Serrate, for his piece Rauxa. As the winner, Serrate also receives a $15,000 commission from ACO for a composition to be premiered in a future season.
“Carlos Bandera’s orchestral writing speaks with clarity and purpose,” says ACO Artistic Director Derek Bermel. “We were impressed by the expansive, colorful landscape in his tone poem Lux in Tenebris and look forward with great enthusiasm to his new work for ACO.”
ACO President Ed Yim adds, “Tomàs Peire Serrate’s piece Rauxa takes the audience on a visceral ride of arresting rhythms and colors. He harnesses the forces of a large orchestra with such amazing command, and we applaud our audience’s good taste in picking his piece as the Audience Choice Commission. The commission that goes with the audience favorite vote puts a high value on the input of our listeners in the discovery of the future of orchestral music.”
Carlos’ Sound: Lux in Tenebris (Peabody Symphony Orchestra, Jisoo Kim conductor)
Tomàs’ Sound: Toccata (for piano, premiered by José Menor)
Click here to view the full press release.
Photos by Maitreyi Muralidharan (Bandera) & Jason Buchanan (Serrate) available upon request.