ComposerUSA THE BULLETIN OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COMPOSERS, U.S.A. Series IV, Volume 17, Number 3 Winter 2011-12 $3.95 One national office, in particular, is the most time- consuming and crucial, both legally and financially, to our Retrospect national and chapter concerts and affairs -- the office of National Treasurer. Dwight Banks has served us well in by Deon Nielsen Price this responsibility since 2006, and has shepherded us NACUSA President Emeritus through time-consuming compliance with changes in state NACUSA Los Angeles Chapter Past President and federal accounting and through our growth from 5 to 10 chapters. n the mid-1970’s I began to attend NACUSA concerts at Also appreciated is the service of every other volunteer Southern California colleges and universities where on the Advisory Council, including the Officers' Council, members were on the faculties. I became a member I Board of Directors, Chapter Presidents, and Coordinators. because I felt NACUSA would be an avenue for These are all made up of composers “who really don't have performance and recognition as a serious composer. time to be administrators!” In order to assist them, the by- Although I was intimidated at first by the well-assured laws, minutes of Officer Council meetings, minutes and male professor members, I thoroughly enjoyed the resolutions of Board meetings, and Chapter Guidelines are NACUSA annual awards luncheons held at USC Town and available for reference on the web site. Fascinating concert Gown where I met national and international composers programs dating back to the 1970’s are also there, gathered and performers being honored. by Jeannie Pool in historical observance of NACUSA 75th Throughout the 1980’s and 90’s, President Marshall Anniversary. Bialosky encouraged me often.. He would telephone with, Kudos to all who have served and are serving! “Don't you have a song cycle to perform in our concert in A review of Composer/USA articles since 2002, outlines five weeks?” So I wrote To the Children of War, based on six NACUSA’s development from Fall of 2002, when I was poems by Maya Angelou. Or, he would ask what I had for appointed Interim President of NACUSA upon the a particular chamber ensemble, so I composed for that retirement of President Marshall Bialosky and Treasurer instrumentation. He always programmed my multi- Donald Thompson who had led NACUSA for a quarter of a movement works in their entirety. His attitude was that century. We honored them with a gala concert of their contemporary music was programmed so rarely he was music. The by-laws had been revised by then and we most comfortable with concerts stretching out as long as became a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that could needed to hear the complete works. I noticed that he was accept grants that could increase NACUSA’s membership similarly encouraging to other aspiring composers also. and performances. I was happy to serve with Marshall on the NACUSA In the Fall of 2003 the newly activated Board elected me executive committee as Secretary. I enjoyed adjudicating to be President of the Officers’ Council with Vice-Presidents the annual Young Composer Competition with the Daniel Kessner, David Lefkowitz, and Barbara Bennett; committee so I could hear the directions graduate school Secretary Jeannie Pool, Treasurer Anthony Wardzinski, and composers were taking. When I retired from studio President Emeritus Marshall Bialosky. The Fall 04 issue teaching and a college theory/composition/piano position contains probably the only published NACUSA financial in 2002, I did so with the desire to focus on composing and report to the members, prepared by then Treasurer, performing and continuing to serve in NACUSA with my Michael G. Williams. The same issue contains protocol musical colleagues and friends. suggestions for online Board meetings. In 2005, the first As I think back on the life of NACUSA these thirty grant to start a fund toward establishing an endowment for years, I believe there are two vehicles that keep NACUSA continuation of NACUSA concerts was received and today functioning effectively. One is the periodic publication I encourage generous contributions and bequests to this Composer/USA that began in the 1970’s and is continuing to endowment fund. be produced by our valiant editor Al Benner. The other is the now indispensable online venue, www.music- Los Angeles Chapter 2006 – 2011 usa.org/nacusa, the NACUSA web site established and n January 2006, Daniel Kessner accepted my request for updated by webmaster John Winsor, who was so persistent I him to complete the last two years of my term of office in convincing the Officers Council of its importance for as NACUSA National President because of my demanding national electronic communication in the 21st Century. --Continued on page 3 Page 2 ComposerUSA Winter 2011-12 Vol. 17, No. 3 ComposerUSA The Bulletin of the National Association of Composers, U.S.A. President’s Message (ISSN 1086-1998) by Daniel Kessner National Office: 445 Sw Spindrift-E5; Depoe Bay, OR 97541-9530 ell, I described my (541) 765-2406 * [email protected] message in the Fall 2011 W Bulletin Office: issue as “probably my last.” It 503 Tahoe Street; Natchitoches, LA 71457-5718 was not. This one, however, (318) 357-0924 * [email protected] or [email protected] definitely is. It gives me great Bulletin Editor: Al Benner pleasure to report that a number Website: http://www.music-usa.org/nacusa/ of highly qualified candidates ComposerUSA is published three times a year. The deadline for for the various national offices submitted material for each issue is the 1st of March, June, and presented themselves over the September. Material received after the deadline will be included only as past couple of months, the Board time and space allow. All information to be included in the bulletin conducted an election, and we should be sent to the bulletin office address either by regular postage or now have a completely new Officers Council, as well as e-mail. When submitting member information, please try to follow the Membership Coordinator. I would like to extend a formal format presented in the bulletin. First priority will be given to articles, welcome to our four newly elected officers. reviews, etcetera, submitted by e-mail, then on a PC compatible floppy disk along with a printed copy. For change of address or membership Greg Steinke has been a long-time friend (actually for information, please contact the main office in California. ComposerUSA almost 40 years now), and has loads of experience as a gladly accepts advertisements. Ads that are received via email or on composer, performer, and administrator. He is our new floppy disk that are ready to go or can be prepared by the editor are National President, and has graciously agreed to take on accepted at the rate of twenty-five dollars per one-third column (three and the position of Membership Coordinator as well. He brings a quarter inch deep by three and a half inch wide or equivalent); or three a unique combination of skills and experience, which I consecutive issues for sixty dollars. Ads that are received in hard copy that cannot be duplicated on the computer by the editor are accepted at know will serve NACUSA very well in the coming years. the rate of thirty-five dollars per one-third column inch; or three He has been very active in other composers’ organizations, consecutive issues for ninety dollars. Other size ads are priced as well as our own Cascadia Chapter. proportionally. Please contact the editor for questions concerning ads. Wieslaw Rentowski has been serving us as President of © 2012 by the National Association of Composers, U.S.A. the Texas Chapter and is our new National Vice President. All rights reserved Joe Alexander, President of the Mid-South Chapter and National Advisory Council Chairman of the National Board, is the new National Board of Directors Treasurer. The President of the Southeast Chapter, Sylvia Greg A Steinke (Chair), Monica Lynn (At-large), Constantinidis, is National Secretary. David S. Bernstein (Cascadia), Max Lifchitz (East Coast), I think it will also serve us well that the new officers Daniel Kessner (Los Angeles), Harvey J. Stokes (Mid-Atlantic), already have experience as chapter leaders. They obviously J. Corey Knoll (Mid-South), Brad H. Cutcliffe (Missouri/Kansas), know the inner workings of NACUSA very well and Dale E. Victorine (San Francisco), Sylvia Constantinides (Southeast), understand what we need as an organization. I’lana S. Cotton (Southern Oregon), Wieslaw V. Rentowski (Texas), I will be taking over the Presidency of the Los Angeles Joe L. Alexander (Ex-officio), Deon N. Price (President Emeritus) Chapter, as Deon Price has expressed the need to re-focus Officers Council her energies in other areas. I would like to thank Deon for President: Greg A Steinke the fine job she has done, especially in producing an Vice President: Wieslaw V Rentowski extensive and high-quality chapter concert series for many Secretary: Sylvia Constantinidis Finally, I’d like to say that working with the outgoing Treasurer: Joe L. Alexander Officers Council, Vice President David Lefkowitz, Secretary Pres. Emeritus: Marshall Bialosky; Deon N. Price; Daniel Kessner Paul Humphreys, Treasurer Dwight Banks, and Coordinators Correspondence Coordinator Dante De Silva, has been a ComposerUSA Editor Chapter blast. They have contributed hundreds of hours of their Al Benner Aaron Johnson time and expertise for the good of all of us, and they have Correspondence Membership been great to work with. My thanks to all of you. Adrienne Albert Greg A Steinke I look forward to even greater things for NACUSA, and Chair of CD Projects Webmaster Karen A.