From September 27 to October 3, New York classical radio station WQXR will air the world premieres of nine compositions by students in the New York Philharmonic’s Very Young Composers Program. The participating composers are Owen Berenbom (age 11), Nicholas Hutfilz (15), Larissa Lakner (11), Devon Lee (14), Grace Moore (12), Clement Neveux (14), Matilda Surla (11), Gil Vardi (12), and Olivia Williams (11). The students composed short pieces for small ensembles exploring the theme of reconnecting and reuniting after a challenging year apart. The performance ensemble includes three Philharmonic musicians—Flute/Piccolo Mindy Kaufman, Acting Associate Principal Horn Leelanee Sterrett, and Associate Principal Bass Max Zeugner—plus violist Jordan Bak and mezzo-soprano Kara Dugan, who are members of WQXR’s Artist Propulsion Lab, an initiative founded this past April to support emerging artists in the New York City area who have been impacted by the pandemic. The New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers Program is an after-school initiative celebrating its 25th anniversary during the 2021–22 season. More information on the nine composers here.
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