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Creator
New Music for Young Ensembles
Call number
JPB 10-1
Physical description
3.5 linear feet (10 boxes)
Language
Materials in English
Preferred Citation

New Music for Young Ensembles records, Music Division, The New York Public Library

Repository
Music Division
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

New Music for Young Ensembles (NYME), founded in 1974 by Claire Rosengarten, was an organization which fostered musical composition of ensemble music for intermediate level players. The organization's main activities centered around an annual composition competition, and an annual concert of music which would include the competition winner and other contemporary music. The New Music for Young Ensembles records consist of a variety of materials, including correspondence, photographs, administrative records, concert programs, and scores documenting the entire history of NMYE from 1974 until 2004, as well as materials detailing the assembly of this archive.

Biographical/historical information

New Music for Young Ensembles (NYME) was founded in 1974 by Claire Rosengarten, who was a music teacher and singer (she was a vocal student of soprano Eleanor Steber). Ms. Rosengarten saw a lack of accessible contemporary music being performed and wanted to do something about it. She made NYME's primary aim to encourage composition of ensemble music for intermediate level players.

There were two primary activities of NMYE. The first was a annual composition competition. The competition solicited entries for works scored for two to five players of intermediate ability and with duration no more than ten minutes in length. The winner of the competition won a cash prize and had their work performed. The competitions were judged by a panel of distinguished judges. Over the years the judges included Milton Babbitt, Otto Luening, Vincent Persichetti, David Tcimpidis, Joan Tower, Ludmila Ulehla and Yehudi Wyner. Winners of the competition included Josef Alexander, Elliot Goldenthal, and Frank Retzel.

NMYE also put on concerts annually that included mostly contemporary music. These concerts took place in venues such as Weill Recital Hall and Tishman Auditorium. The winning work (or works) of the composition competition would be performed, along with a wide range of modern repertoire. Works by more well-known contemporary composers were frequently performed at these concerts, including John Adams, John Corigliano, and Ned Rorem. Sometimes jazz or Broadway standards were also performed. Though the composition competition was designed to find works for less-experienced performers, the performers for the concerts were professional ensembles.

Ms. Rosengarten's motto for the NYME was: "We paved the way."

List of award recipients (not all compositions are part of the collection):

  • 1975Joseph Ambrosio, Woodwind Quintet
  • 1975Philip Hough, Trio for two violas, and cello
  • 1975Emma Lou Diemer, Flutter for Woodwind Quartet (honorable mention)
  • 1976David Thompson, Night Song for oboe, cello and harp
  • 1978Deavid Earnest, Trois Morceaux for clarinet, cello and violin
  • 1978Gerald Warfield, Fantasy Quintet for violin, cello, clarinet, flute and piano
  • 1979David P. Jones, Woodwind Quintet
  • 1979Young Keun-Park, String Quartet
  • 1979Matt Doran, Trio in Two Movements (honorable mention)
  • 1980Daniel Perlongo, Saxophone Quartet "Aureole"
  • 1980William J. Ross, Divertimento for flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet and percussion
  • 1981Elliot Goldenthal, Jabberwocky for bass-baritone, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon
  • 1981Larry McFatter, Scherzo for violin, cello and piano
  • 1982Josef Alexander, Five Fables for Three Instruments (oboe, bassoon, piano)
  • 1982Brian Fennelly, Canzona for clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano
  • 1982Eduardo Larin, Double Bass Quartet (for four double basses)
  • 1983Phillip Schroeder, String quartet no. 1
  • 1984Michael Pagan, Impromtu, Chorale and Fugue for woodwind quintet 1984 John Downey, Prayer String
  • 1984Trio for violin, viola and cello
  • 1986James Park, Canzone no. 3
  • 1986Francis Thorne, Rhapsodic Variations no. 3 (commissioned work)
  • 1986Jerome Socsek, Little Symphony for Horns
  • 1986Frank Retzel, Movements
  • 1988Robert Baksa, Sonata for flute and piano [?]
  • 1990Ronn Yedidia, Black Snow for flute, clarinet and piano
  • 1990Joelle Wallach, Woodwind Quintet
  • 1993-94Rodney Lister, Bird of Night
  • 1993-94Robert O. Johnson, Mesas
  • 1993-94Frank E. Warren, Drei Lieder
  • 1998Jackson Berkey, Piano Trio Kassarjian
  • 2001Spencer Schedler, Piano Quartet
  • 19806th annual, to be given in 1981

Honorable mention:

  • 1975Emma Lou Diemer, Music for Woodwind Quartet
  • 1975P. Howard Patrick, Illtyd for flute, viola and harp
  • 1975Nikola Ovanin, Cherubim for violin, viola and piano
  • 1975John Webber, Quartetto no. 2 for woodwind quartet
  • 1975John Granet, Three Canzonas For Four Brass Instruments.
  • 1975Paul Klein, Trio for flute, oboe and piano
  • 1977Hubert C. Bird, Dialogues for flute, clarinet and piano
  • 1977Frederick B. Clesser, Chamber Sonata for Violin, Oboe, Clarinet and Harpsichord
  • 1977Edward F. Ullrich, Divertimento for Trumpet Quartet
  • 1978David Sartor, Thrice Told Tales of the Pomegranate Forest for Trumpet, Violina and Bass Clarinet
  • 1979Matt H. Doran, Trio for Flute, Clarinet and Piano
  • 1979David Maves, Woman's Songs for Voice, Violin, Trumpet and Percussion
  • 1979Pasquale Tassone, Suite for Winds
  • 1981David Snow, A Bakers Tale, for Narator, Violin, Clarinet, Trumpet, Bassoon and Piano
  • 1981Jonathan Bruce Brown, Flight Dream Fantasies for piano trio
  • 1983Joelle Wallach, Of Honey and Vinegar for Mezzo-Soprano and Two Pianos.

Scope and arrangement

The New Music for Young Ensembles records consist of a variety of materials, including correspondence, photographs, administrative records, and concert programs. The entire history of NMYE, from 1974 until 2004 is represented, as well as materials from between 2004 and 2006, detailing the assembly of the archive.

The bulk of the collection is either administrative (Series II) or functional (Series III) in nature. The administrative materials include board meeting minutes, business correspondence, and founding documents including the certificate of incorporation and by-laws. Meanwhile the functional materials include correspondence with judges of the annual composition competition and competition participants, photos from judging sessions and concerts, concert programs, and scoring sheets from the blind review of competition submissions with notes from the judges.

Other materials in the collection include correspondence with donors, performers, and past participants in the composition competition, as well as publicity photos of concert performers (including Dick Hyman, Marni Nixon, the Audubon Quartet, and Milt Hinton).

The New Music for Young Ensembles records are arranged in seven series:

  • Series I: "NYME: 30 Years at a glance"

    This series consists of miscellaneous materials related to the history of NMYE. Comprised of the contents of the first binder of the collection. Arrangement is generally chronological.

  • Series II: Administration materials

    This series consists of materials related to the administration of NMYE, including correspondence, board meeting minutes, and budget information. There are the following sub- series:

  • Series III: Concerts and Competitions

    This series consists of materials related to the yearly composition competition, including judges' sheets, correspondence with judges and participants, and publicity. Also included are materials relating to concerts put on by NYME. There are the following sub-series:

  • Series IV: Miscellaneous, "Reviews, Stories, Donors, Benefits"

    This series contains miscellaneous materials, including concert reviews and articles about cont NMYE, as well as materials relating to donors and benefit events. The series contains the contents of Book 9, and the folders reflect the original divisions in the book. Arranged as found.

  • Series V: Photo Gallery

    Photographs and images from the history of NMYE. Some photographs are also duplicated in other series. The series contains the contents of Book 10, and the folders reflect the original divisions in the book. Arranged as found.

  • Series VI: Letters

    Miscellaneous correspondence spanning the history of NMYE. The series contains the contents of Book 11. Arranged as found.

  • Series VII: Music

    Contains musical compositions submitted to the NYME. This is not a complete collection of works, nor have all works included won. Arranged alphabetically by composer. Oversized works are located in Box 9. These oversized scores have been integrated into the list below to maintain alphabetical integrity (in to make it easier to browse and locate). For some works, the music was missing and the folder contained only biographical information on the composer. These are noted in the "notes" column.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

The New Music for Young Ensembles Records was a gift of its founder Claire Rosengarten. A number of scores were donated in 1988, while the bulk of the collection was donated in 2005.

Processing information

Processed by Rebecca Hyams and Mary Freeman

Using the collection

Location

Music Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, contact the Chief, Music Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts