The New England Philharmonic, a volunteer community orchestra that performs at Boston University, kicked off its 40th anniversary this fall in typical fashion: with a full-throated commitment to new music. In its four decades the NEP has performed nearly 50 world premieres and supported several composers-in-residence. NEP’s season-opening world premiere in October—Xylophonic by former composer-in-residence Andy Vores, led by Music Director Richard Pittman—was followed in December by another world premiere, Bernard Hoffer’s Nocturne: The Timber Wolf. On tap for NEP’s March concert is the first performance of a fanfare by former composer-in-residence Richard Cornell. The season closes in April with two more world premieres: a fanfare by Peter Child (composer-in-residence from 2005 to 2011) and the Violin Concerto No. 2 by David Rakowski, NEP’s current composer-in-residence.
