Music of Vermont

Music of the United States
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Vermont is a state in the United States. One of the state's best known popular artists is Phish. Other bands of note include hardcore band Drowningman, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Waylon Speed, The Wards, The Cancer Conspiracy and Prydein.

The state is also home to many iconoclastic composers, from Revolutionary-era Justin Morgan through electronic/avant-gardist Otto Luening. Vermont's long list of contemporary composers includes Jon Appleton, Dennis Bathory-Kitsz, David Gunn, Brian Johnson, Laura Koplewitz, John Levin, Peggy Madden, Erik Nielsen, Thomas L. Read, GD, Su Lian Tan, Dennis Murphy, and Gwyneth Walker.

Music education and institutions

The Vermont Symphony Orchestra,^[1] founded in 1934, was the first state-funded orchestra in the nation. The orchestra's first artistic director was Alan Carter, followed by Efrain Guigui, and Kate Tamarkin. The Artistic Director and conductor today is Jaime Laredo. Laredo is a world-renowned violinist who played for many years with Isaac Stern and performs worldwide as a soloist and frequently in duo concerts with Sharon Robinson, cellist. The VSO's "Made in Vermont" series annually commissions a Vermont composer to create a large-scale work that tours the State. Previous recipients have included G. Walker, L. Koplewitz, et al. Current composer-in-residence with the VSO is David Ludwig. The Vermont Youth Orchestra ^[2] has come to prominence since the mid-1990s under the direction of composer/conductor Troy Peters.^[3] The Consortium of Vermont Composers was formed in 1988 to promote composers of classical music from the state; the Consortium calls Vermont the "most composer-friendly state" in the country.^[4]

Vermont has a program entitled the Vermont MIDI Project, a non-profit program that encourages young students from elementary school to high school to compose music and submit what they have written to a diannual competition. If selected, the compositions are performed by the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. This program makes use of Sibelius notation software, which allows people to compose music electronically.

Music festivals

The Vermont Mozart Festival, founded in 1974, is the state's largest classical music festival, and a popular summer destination for music lovers around the United States. As of 2006, the Mozart Festival has performed well over 2,000 works in over 30 locations, including 278 of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 626 compositions—possibly more than any other festival or concert series in the country.

The Marlboro Music Festival, which has been held since 1950, is another important festival for the state's music. There is also a Champlain Valley Folk Festival, the New World Festival held in Randolph and the One World, One Heart Festival, sponsored by local ice cream manufacturer Ben & Jerry's. The One World, One Heart Festival is held in Warren, Vermont and features concerts by folk and country performers.^[5]

References

• Byron, Janet (1996). Country Music Lover's Guide to the U.S.A. (1st ed. ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-14300-1. 
• "Consortium of Vermont Composers". Consortium of Vermont Composers. http://vermontcomposers.com/. Retrieved January 12, 2006. 

Festivus in Cabot, VT and Rhinofest in plainfield, VT

Notes

1. ^ Vermont Symphony Orchestra
2. ^ Vermont Youth Orchestra Association
3. ^ Troy Peters
4. ^ Consortium of Vermont Composers
5. ^ Byron, pg. 309

External links

• Champlain Valley Folk Festival
• New World Festival
• Composer Laura Koplewitz
• Waylon Speed