Composers Speak About Their Experiences With C4

Tarik O'Regan

is a London born composer currently based in Brooklyn. ​His work, recognized with GRAMMY® nominations and British Composer Awards, has been recorded on over 30 albums.

http://www.tarikoregan.com
What I like most about C4 is the quiet work it does to demystify what it is to be a composer - for its members, audiences, and the wider community. In its brilliant and varied programming, C4 does more to contextualize the act of composition - and with this to promote the idea that composition does not exist in a creative vacuum of its own - than any other ensemble with which I have had regular dealings in my career thus far. Put simply, C4 firmly (re-)connects composition with its siblings: conducting, performing, improvising, arranging, text writing, and organizational managing. In this regard, Bach-resurrected would feel right at home in C4. So, for that matter, would Hildegard of Bingen. Or Charles Mingus. C4 is truly a unique and vital organization, and I am exceptionally proud to be associated with it.
Žibuoklė Martinaitytė

is a New York-based Lithuanian composer whose works explore the tensions and longings of identity and place. She creates sonic environments where musical gestures emerge and disappear within transparencies and densities of sound layers.

http://www.zibuokle.com
When C4 performed the US premiere of my piece “The Blue of Distance”, I was continuously amazed by their attitude. They seemed to be invigorated and enthusiastic about musical challenges posed by the complexity of the score rather than discouraged or frustrated by it. From the very first rehearsal I felt completely understood and accepted by the composers and colleagues who are members of C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective. The atmosphere of congeniality and creativity permeated every rehearsal and created a productive experience and a meaningful exchange. Working with C4 gave me a feeling of belonging to a community of open-minded and curious musicians always ready to explore new musical terrains together and share what they have found with their audiences.
Christopher Marshall

is a New Zealand classical music composer who resides in Orlando, Florida, United States. His works include choral works, works for chamber ensemble, orchestral music and works for concert band, specifically wind ensembles.

http://www.vaiaata.com
Reflecting on last night's performance of Tihei Mauri Ora!  Wow!  C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective really knocked it out of the park! A brilliant performance directed by Colin Britt, with Nicholas Gallas making light work of the formidable clarinet part, and a moving solo by Fahad 'Gavião' Siadat in 'He Himene'. And such an enthusiastic audience response! A fascinating program all round! Really enjoyed hearing the works of fellow composers Timothy Brown, Lisa Whitson Burns and Bettina Sheppard and spending time with them afterwards. All in all a most memorable experience - feeling very fortunate!

The opportunity to witness in action, and to spend rehearsal and post-performance time with the extraordinarily gifted and committed musicians of C4: The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective was a real joy and privilege. I could not be more grateful for their friendship and support.
Andrea Clearfield

is an award-winning composer of music for orchestra, chorus, chamber ensemble, dance, and multimedia collaborations. Clearfield creates deep, emotive musical languages that build cultural and artistic bridges.

More at www.andreaclearfield.com


C-4 is a terrific choral collective championing music by living composers. With its high level of performance, creative thinking, composer/performer collaboration and forward moving approach to concert format and repertoire, C-4 provides an exciting model for contemporary choral arts. I was delighted with C-4's thoughtful preparation and expressive performance of my Shar Ki Ri for treble choir and vibraphone.
Chris Opperman

The music of award-winning composer Chris Opperman sounds like your best dream being poured into a glass. Since debuting on his own Purple Cow Records label in 1998 at the age of 19, Opperman has been carving his own niche in today’s pop-saturated music world. As an exciting, relevant composer of a rare hybrid of rock, jazz and classical that is his alone, he has already made a name for himself as a solo artist and by working with some of today’s most renowned musicians.

More at www.chrisopperman.net


C4 sang the holy Hell out of my piece "Tales from the Bizzaro World"... I really got spoiled by them. That piece is a monster.
Carlo Vincetti Frizzo

(2nd Prize Winner in the C4 Composer Commissioning Competition - 2015)

is currently completing his doctoral studies in choral conducting and composition at Indiana University.

A strong advocate of new music, Mr. Frizzo was the recent New Music Assistant for Accent12. He is one of the founders of the New Tertian Composers Collective as well as a member of ASCAP, NACUSA, and SCI.

http://www.carlovincettifrizzo.com
Hi Karen and Tim,

First of all, I wanted to thank you both for all the incredible work you put into these past concerts.  This whole process has just been wonderful from the beginning to the final concerts.  It was so clear the amount of dedication that you and the ensemble have for C4, new compositions, and music.  I was amazed at the number of people who attended and paid to go to a new music concert.  It is comforting to know we still have relevance.  I am also certain that it has much to do with the marketing and publicity you all do as well as putting on a consistent and excellent product.  I also thank you all for the care and attention you gave us the composers in both accommodations and our music.   Tim, thank you for all the care and work you gave my music.  You led the ensemble magnificently, and the proof was in the performance.

Finally, I would like to just say congratulations.  Congratulations for a fantastic ensemble with a great idea.  I love the notion of the collective and I love the sense of community it achieves.  I think you all have done marvelously in breaking down the barrier between performer and audience members.   Something I think is long overdue. And congratulations on a very successful competition and beautiful concerts.

Best wishes,

Vini
Gordon Williamson

(1st Prize Winner in the C4
Composer Commissioning Competition - 2015)

is a Canadian composer currently based in Hannover, Germany.

Gordon studied composition at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover, the Royal Danish Academy of Music, the Jacobs School of Music (Indiana), and Dalhousie University.

Recent activities include commissions and performances by RSO Stuttgart, the Swedish Radio Choir, International Ensemble Modern Academy, Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal+ and the Kairos Quartet. He is the recipient of young composer awards from both SOCAN and ASCAP, and was a finalist for the 2009 CBC/Radio-Canada National Young Composers.
Dear C4:

It was a thrill and an honor to be able to work with the you this past March in New York!

[Gordon's winning work premiered by C4 was Tape Recorder.] 

Sitting in Germany for most of the rehearsals for the new piece, I was a bit apprehensive about how the rehearsals would go without the my being there.  But I was in touch with Perry Townsend almost every week along the way and was even sent small clips from rehearsals along the way!  Never before have I had this level of contact with an ensemble preparing my music, it really put me at ease and in the end I really had no reason for concern:  the performances were great and working with the singers in New York was all a composer could hope for.

I should add a few words about the commissioning competition, which I also thought was also really well run.  I was very impressed with the thoughtful approach to structuring it (calling first for previous choral works and then later asking the finalists for new pieces), the time and effort that was put into judging the many many submissions and also the lack of application fees.  A really, really great job on putting that together so a very special thanks for Karen Siegel and the others for all of their work on the competition.

Thanks for a really great experience and also for showing just what a well run and conceived collective can accomplish.  Please keep up this great work, I really look to hearing about the 20th and 30th anniversary seasons!
​
Gordon Williamson