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Andrew Norman Named Carnegie Hall's 2020-21 Debs Composer's Chair

Feb. 01, 2020

Andrew Norman Named Carnegie Hall's 2020-21 Debs Composer's Chair

Carnegie Hall has announced that Andrew Norman has been appointed the 2020-2021 Richard and Barbara Debs Composer's Chair. In making the announcement, they noted:

"Called the 'leading American composer of his generation' (Los Angeles Times) and 'master of a uniquely dazzling and mercurial style' (The New Yorker), Andrew Norman is one of the most sought-after voices in American classical music. Musical America’s 2017 Composer of the Year, his music surprises, delights, and thrills with its visceral power and intricate structures. Fascinated by how technology has changed the ways in which we think, feel, act, and perceive, Norman writes music that is both a reflection of—and refuge from—our fast and fragmented world. Striking colors, driving energy, and an underlying lyricism are all present in the work of a composer who defies traditional labels."

Andrew Norman will succeed fellow Schott composer, Jörg Widmann, who holds the 2019-20 Debs Composers Chair. During Andrew Norman's residency, his Violin Concerto—co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall—receives its New York premiere with Leila Josefowicz and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Norman’s music will also be performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker led by Kirill Petrenko, pianist Emanuel Ax, Ensemble Connect, yMusic, and more. Committed to the development of new work by emerging composers, Norman curates a program for the LA Phil New Music Group and participates in the Weill Music Institute’s All Together: A Global Ode to Joy. 

Speaking about his goals for the upcoming season, Andrew Norman hints at a visionary approach to programming, saying:

"The most important work we can be doing right now is thinking about how we are going to pass on an art form which is more inclusive and diverse than the one we were given, and how are we constructing a canon for the future that reflects all of who we are."


(Interview with Andrew Norman, 2020-21 Debs Composer's Chair)


Carnegie Hall's complete 2020-21 season may be viewed here.


To learn more about Andrew Norman, visit schott-music.com.  

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