Virtual

University Residencies

Overview

Contemporaneous, a 23-member ensemble dedicated to performing the music of now and recognized for “ferocious, focused performance” (The New York Times), is providing a new program for colleges, universities, and conservatories, offering composition students the chance to work virtually with the ensemble’s top-flight musicians and receive high-quality recordings of their work. Knowing that hearing one’s own music played by professional musicians is paramount to the education of an aspiring composer, Contemporaneous seeks to offer this possibility to composition students during the COVID-19 pandemic despite restrictions on physical gathering through this innovative new virtual residency.

Contemporaneous has extensive experience providing educational programs for students across the U.S. and has given in-person residencies at such institutions as Princeton University, Bard College, CUNY Graduate Center, Binghamton University, the University of New Orleans, and Williams College. Taking this experience and employing an exceptional recording and tech team, the ensemble is now offering entirely virtual residencies to institutions worldwide.

Recordings for Student Composers

Contemporaneous’ Virtual Residencies empower composers to pursue their creativity wherever it leads. The ensemble’s virtuosity and openness to experimentation allows composers to pursue their wildest imagination as they create new work, unencumbered by conventional concerns for playability. Contemporaneous is committed to bringing to life the musical dreams of composers through passionate and meticulous performance, and have brought this same dedication to the process of recording and rehearsing new music together in the virtual sphere.

Throughout the process, student composers will have the opportunity to work with the top-notch musicians of Contemporaneous as well as its audio engineers to create lasting documentation of their new works. A standard timeline for this process will feature the following:

  1. A video meeting between composers and Contemporaneous leadership to discuss the collaboration and creative process for their new pieces.

  2. Semester-long communication and collaboration between Contemporaneous and student composers as they write their works for the ensemble.

  3. Upon completion of scores, musicians will hold video meetings with composers, helping composers not only to get the sounds they want, but also allowing time for experimentation and feedback.

  4. Musicians and audio engineers work together to create high-quality, remote recordings of student works.

  5. Meeting between composers and audio engineers to discuss mixing and production for recordings.

  6. A final online presentation of recordings.

Of the full 23-member ensemble of Contemporaneous, the Virtual Residency program can offer any subset of the full group, tailored to fit the needs of the composers and composition program. The full instrumentation of Contemporaneous is as follows:

  • Flute

  • Oboe

  • Clarinet

  • Saxophone

  • Bassoon

  • Horn

  • Trumpet

  • Trombone

  • Guitar

  • 2 Percussion

  • Piano

  • Mezzo-soprano

  • 4 Violins

  • 2 Violas

  • 2 Cellos

  • 2 Contrabasses

Workshops

In addition to the Virtual Residency program for composers, Contemporaneous also offers virtual workshops for any and all musicians. In these workshops, the ensemble’s musicians and leadership impart experience and skills to help young composers and performers build their careers and develop as artists. Among the offerings are:

  • For all musicians:

    • “Adulting for artists”: best practices on personal finances and professional development

    • Multi-frame video editing

  • For composers:

    • Making scores and parts: what do musicians actually want to see?

    • Arranging non-classical music for classical ensembles

    • Bring your passion project to life: the practical side of composing without limits

    • In-depth workshops on instrumental techniques (any instrument or instruments in our ensemble)

    • Composition masterclass

  • For performers:

    • Instrumental, vocal, and conducting masterclasses

    • How to ace a gig: practicing and preparing in the “real world”

    • Chamber-pop for the classical musician

    • Vocal health and new music for singers

    • Score study masterclass for conductors