New Music

Lux et Veritas by Fenno Heath, Poem by Sandra Boynton Commissioned in 2001

The long and deep tradition of choral music at Yale owes much to a continuous flow of new choral music created by composers within the Yale community and by commissions to outside composers.

One of the missions of the Yale Alumni Chorus Foundation is to sustain and enhance this respected tradition by commissioning new choral pieces to be sung by our chorus and other choruses at Yale, and also as a contribution to the wider body of choral music to be made available to any group interested in performing the music.

We have established a fund to underwrite these commissions for new music and have developed a process for identifying composers whose works are consistent with our goal: to add something new to the literature of choral music. This may be harmonic, melodic, rhythmic, or a sound comprised of some or all of these elements, or of the voice used in an appealing new manner; it should be music that thrills us for its beauty, excites us, stimulates us intellectually, or brings us peace; not music that evokes anger or unrest.

The Foundation is actively researching contemporary choral music, seeking out composers in this country and abroad who might help us reach our goals. All members of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and others have been invited to submit the names and, if possible, a CD containing music of the composer they propose. After screening by our New Music Committee, a recommendation is made to the Board.

New music may be composed to celebrate an event such as an anniversary or a success, an ideal (e.g., liberty), or just as appealing, music for its own sake. The lyric may be one relating to the event or anniversary, a poem deemed to be worthy of a musical setting, or a lyric that the composer is anxious to set to music. In most cases, we will specify a cappella or cantata with accompaniment by piano, cello, guitar, or another interesting instrument or small group of instruments. Duration will be that of typical anthems – approximately five minutes (plus or minus two minutes). 

Upcoming Commissions

In November, 2007, the New Music Committee recommended to the Board that we commission a new choral piece to be composed by René Clausen and introduced by the Chorus at its 10th anniversary celebration in New Haven in June, 2008. The Board approved and Dr. Clausen has accepted the commission.

Rene Clausen is conductor of the Concordia Choir at Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota and founder of the Rene Clausen Choral School. He was a mentor of Jeff Douma when Jeff attended Concordia.

Previous Commissions

For More Information

For additional information about New Music activities of the Foundation, contact William Holding by email at wbholding@optonline.net