Hmmm is this a personal bias? Probably. If you are a regular reader, then you know how much I adore new music. However, this challenge goes beyond just singing music that has been written in the last 20 years give or take. Your day 8<\/strong> goal is to sing new music because it supports the larger music community<\/strong> around you. As performers, we must be advocates for our art and industry. We need to continue promoting the classics while we encourage audiences to engage with music being written now. I have no fear that we will ever discard the greats that have come before. There is a new music cycle that we can follow to boost the profile of our art which is to strive to be superb musicians, faithful commissioners, and excellent business minds.<\/p>\n

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“I’ve always had an intense curiosity about new music”, says soprano Ren\u00e9e Fleming<\/a>. “I can remember sitting in symphony concerts as a kid and just flipping out over the Stravinsky and falling asleep in the Tchaikovsky. This has been my taste since I was very young; I don’t know why. Singing new music is not a chore for me”, she continues. “And I love any new American opera. It’s so exciting to sing in my own language, to get the chance to interpret music that’s never been interpreted before.” Ren\u00e9e Fleming\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n