Linda Tutas Haugen, Janika Vandervelde Hannibal Lokumbe, Kevin James Photos courtesy Meet The Composer

Meet The Composer, the organization that for 25 years has fostered the creation, performance, dissemination, and appreciation of new music by living composers, recently named four American composers as the newest recipients of three-year residencies in its New Residencies program. Selected from 60 applications submitted, each of the four composers -- Linda Tutas Haugen of Grand Forks ND/East Grand Forks MN; Janika Vandervelde of Minneapolis/St. Paul MN; Hannibal Lokumbe of New Orleans LA; and Kevin James of New York City NY -- will receive $100,000 over the three-year residency period.

Working with one or more host organizations in each city, each New Residencies composer creates a number of works, many of them Incorporating local cultural traditions and people from such community organizations as neighborhood centers, schools, church organizations, and others.

Composers also present workshops and act as arts ambassadors to the community. A total of 18 arts and community-based organizations will take part in these four New Residencies programs.

In announcing these awards, Heather A. Hitchens, the new President of Meet The Composer said, "We are extremely proud of this program, as we think that New Residencies is at the very core of what we at Meet The Composer are trying to accomplish: to have each composer join with the community to produce music and programs that are relevant and that have a wide impact in each community, making for richer, fuller lives, even after the residency is concluded."

Webliography:

Heather A. Hitchens
www.meetthecomposer.org/whatsnew.htm

Meet The Composer
www.meetthecomposer.org/