[Voxnovus] NM421 - Celebrating 15 years of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame part II - Selections for CAMP - And THE SINGING HORN

[New Voice in New Music]

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<http://www.VoxNovus.com/NM421/issue/25-03-08.htm>March
8th, 2025
[image: M421 - Vox Novus newsletter] <http://www.NM421.com>
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[image: Celebrating 15 Years of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame]
Celebrating 15 Years of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame: Expanding Artistic CareersBy
Lauren Dean

Now in its fifteenth year, Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame—which features 15
one-minute works written by distinct composers for a specific musician or
ensemble—has grown from a once-a-year performance to an almost monthly
endeavor. Since 2020, more than 25 shows have occurred, thanks in part to a
move from live New York performances to online streams that can happen from
anywhere.

As the platform has expanded, so too have the careers of many participating
artists, forming a kind of symbiosis between the two. Speaking on this
relationship in recent interviews, artists expressed how
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame helped take their careers to the next level,
broadened their creative work, and benefited them in unanticipated ways.

One of the most impressive features of the project is the facility with
which artists move between the roles of musician and composer. While many
artists began participating as composers and were later invited to perform,
others used their performance as an opportunity to compose their very first
piece.
<https://youtu.be/WBe7R68dqiE?si=J4SNlr2F7fGgQ0h>

“I’ve had around twenty of my pieces performed,” says guitarist and
composer Rodrigo Baggio, who flew from Brazil to New York to participate in
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame in 2015. For him, this was a way of pulling double
duty, showcasing his work on both sides. “It gives the composer the chance
to actually have their piece performed,” amplifying their voice, but also
gives musicians a platform to engage with other musicians, as well as
composers, which leads to new projects, collaborations, and performances.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kePqKrPFuAY>

But it can also stretch artistic work in the opposite direction. Oboist
Robert Botti, who has performed frequently with the New York Philharmonic
Ensembles for thirty years, wrote his first piece in 2014 when he
participated in Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame. While it wasn’t a career-expanding
move, it was uncharted territory for him as a performer and a musician—and
an uplifting experience that has stayed with him over time.
<https://youtu.be/qIq7_We_mhg?si=sBfmqogA9tusXSUj>

That novelty is what many of the artists who participate value most. “This
is the beauty of experimenting with new compositions to convey the
composer’s intention through your own vision,” says Bayan accordionist and
composer Stas Venglevski, who first performed in Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame in
2023. “For any artist it is important to be who you are,” but finding your
voice within the series of compositions has the effect of pulling musicians
in new directions.

“Being able to pick the pieces definitely helps,” soprano Jenny Ribeiro
says. “It can stretch your artistry, your textual content,” given the
diversity of submissions. With performances in 2011 and 2013, she
acknowledges that “the pieces are written for your voice, so the composers
are listening to your recordings beforehand, and that really shows off your
artistry to the best advantage.” And yet, with an upcoming performance in
2024, she also knows that her voice has changed in the last ten years. “I
used to be a high, light soprano, but now I sing Wagner. So the new
compositions that come in should reflect the change in my voice.” This
reflexive relationship between the composer and the musician, gives both
sides an opportunity to expand. “I love that Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame is
very much for the artist and for the composer. It’s not weighted one way or
the other.”
<https://www.youtube.com/live/3Akndokh_90?si=ATlfx1c1d0B4Ro2B>

Plus, having the mediation of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame is “gold” in the
words of soloist and French horn player Mary Beth Orr. “It’s hard to get
commissions for new works—if you don’t want to keep doing the classical
cannon of white male composers. As an artist, showing the world your work,
it’s priceless to have [Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame] commission these composers
for you.”

With pieces designed specifically for her, “from a career standpoint,” she
says, “that’s a big deal.” In fact, the works she performed in her 2023
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame debut are now part of her flagship branding. When
she crowdfunded her first solo album for release in September 2024, she
used the pieces commissioned for her by Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame. “The
diversity, the exposure, having new pieces commissioned specifically for
you that are from all over the world”—those are all “big benefits,” she
says.
[image: The Singing Horn] <https://www.bigroundrecords.com/catalog/br8992/>Mary
Beth Orr and the release of her album "The Singing Horn"

Featured on this album are works from Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame and the works
by composers: Mitch Boucher, Erik Branch, Lydia Lowery Busler, Sara
Christie, Andrew Desiderio, Tom Haines, Brian Holmes, Michael Kosch,
Michael Laus, Matthew Murchison, P. F. Strohm, Jean-Pierre Vial, Anneloes
Wolters, Justin Writer, and Jianing Yang.

THE SINGING HORN from classical hornist and folk vocal artist Mary Beth Orr
bridges the divide between opposites — folk and classical, raw and refined,
life and loss. The first five tracks of the album flow like a song cycle,
interweaving folk and classical elements, and culminating in the haunting
beauty of “Oh Death.” Later, we hear Good and True, inspired by the
birthing song of the Dagara Tribe as described by Sobonfu Somé. The works
harness the synergy of horn and voice as vessels for storytelling. Anchored
by heartfelt reflections on motherhood, love, and grief, THE SINGING HORN
is an artistic testament to the bittersweet complexity of human experience.
Celebrating 15 Years of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame: Expanding Artistic Careers
(continued)By Lauren Dean <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQCTe027TB4>

And while most of the interviewed artists agree that performing without pay
comes with the territory in the creative world, they’re also enthusiastic
about the opportunities that the project affords. “New music has not always
been the highly funded part of classical music,” says Jenny Ribeiro. “I’m
not going to not do it because there’s no pay. I love it. It’s a passion
project. But you can use it to get a paycheck in other ways. It’s a new
music forum. Just for being a part of the organization, you can leverage
it.”

She adds that, in the past, although she did a lot of solo work, she did
not consider herself a professional soloist. “I just didn’t think of it as
a business model,” she says. However, now that it is a part of her business
model, “this project is important,” not only for her but for composers and
collaborators. “It’s about relationships and relationship building.”

Rodrigo Baggio agrees that Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame, while unpaid, has a
“financial advantage.” In his case, he used it as a platform to showcase
his work as a performer, meet like-minded musicians, and initiate new
projects from those contacts. “This is a very different project because it
combines many places in the world and also different aesthetics,” he says.
It’s an important platform for “like minds to get together to expand
vocabularies on certain topics.” This struck him particularly in contrast
to his experiences in Brazil, where musicians remain somewhat segregated by
music type. “I was blissful of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame in that sense
because it combines many types of musical languages and gets them together.”
<https://youtu.be/ph4_mQ5XiwA>

Classical pianist Stephen Porter elaborates: “To give an unpaid concert in
a special place, of special music, perhaps in a different country, can lead
to making wonderful contacts, further concerts, recordings, reviews, new
commissions, online exposure, and help to expand one’s career.” With
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame performances in 2013 and 2016, he adds that “I’ve
made friends with composers involved in Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame that have
led to all of those things.”

Indeed, for some the project has been fundamental in informing their
artistry. “This project is part of the tapestry of my musical experience,”
says soprano Mary Hubbell, who participated in Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame in
2014 and 2023. “It has offered me a chance to grow and take chances as a
performer, connected me with other performers and composers, and is folded
into how I think of myself as a singer (classically trained with special
experience in new music).”

But with all the benefits that artists speak of in connection to
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame, sometimes it’s the simple things that matter most:
“Seeing composers faces of gratitude when I performed their work,” Mary
Beth Orr says, “that means a lot.”
[image: Celebrating 15 Years of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame]

This special edition on NM421 is the second of a special 5 part series of
interviews with musicians who have been featured on Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame.

The first installment was published on February 8th, 2025.
<http://www.voxnovus.com/NM421/issue/25-02-08.htm> The next installment
will be published on April 12th, 2025.
<http://www.voxnovus.com/NM421/issue/25-04-12.htm>

Vox Novus is asking composer who have submittied to Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame
to share their stories about their one-minute works. (Whether they have
been selected for a set of 15 or not)

Vox Novus is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its groundbreaking
project, Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame, and we want to hear from you! Whether you
are a composer, musician, dancer, performing artist, or audience member,
your story is part of the rich tapestry of this project’s legacy.

Selected stories will be featured in the NM421 / Vox Novus newsletter and
shared on our social media platforms and other publicity avenues.
Contributors of chosen stories may also receive a limited-edition T-shirt
created to commemorate this special anniversary year.

Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame is an extraordinary initiative that brings together
15 composers to write one-minute works for a specific musician or ensemble.
Over the past 15 years, the project has premiered works by more than 1,000
composers and collaborated with over 100 musicians, fostering creativity,
innovation, and meaningful connections in the world of contemporary music.
You can submit your story here:
Submit <https://forms.gle/3NEFYYYAu5UpuPbT9>
https://forms.gle/3NEFYYYAu5UpuPbT9
[image: Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame featuring CAMP]
<http://www.voxnovus.com/15_Minutes_of_Fame/featuring/CAMP/>Announcing
selections for Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame featuring Contemporary Art Music
Project

Vox Novus and Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame is proud to announce the selected
composers for its latest Call for Scores for Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame
featuring Contemporary Art Music Project. These exceptional works will be
featured in upcoming performances by renowned musicians Eunmi Ko
(piano/Suzuki Andes recorder keyboard), Kevin von Kampen (percussion),
Sebastian Stefanovic (viola), and Katherine Weintraub (saxophone),
continuing CAMP’s mission to promote contemporary music and
interdisciplinary collaboration. The winning compositions include:

   - Music for piano and viola in A minor – E. Bugra Balci
   - On, Off – Logan Barrett
   - Vertical Advection – Douglas DaSilva
   - Mini-Werk XXXXXIII WVE-401 – Shigeru Kan-no
   - crazy – Jona Kümper
   - Deduce, Decycle, Defuse – Ralph Lewis
   - Look Where the Light is Best – John Liberatore
   - Dérive – Shiwei Liu
   - Elodea - Flow with Grace in Eb Mixolydian – Emily Macklow
   - Polytonal – Vinícius Nascimento
   - Moonbeast – Darth Presley
   - rituals I the sundance – Volker Ignaz Schmidt
   - Choro em 7 – André D. Tuffo
   - Picnic – Joseph M. Vogel
   - The Restlessness On The Horizon – YU Zhuen

These works showcase a dynamic range of styles and artistic perspectives,
reinforcing CAMP’s commitment to fostering new and innovative music.

For more information on upcoming performances and CAMP’s initiatives, visit
contemporaryartmusicproject.org.
[image: Andrew White]
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-Featuring-Andrew-White-2025/index.html>

Call for Vocal Scores
Deadline:
March 31, 2025

Vox Novus is calling for one-minute pieces composed for
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame with baritone Andrew White with or without
electronic accompaniment to be premiered online in 2025 Only works
one-minute in length for baritone voice will be considered with or without
electronic accompaniment.

Find more information and submit at
Music Avatar
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-Featuring-Andrew-White-2025/index.html>

[image: Yumi Suehiro]
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-Featuring-Yumi-Suehiro-2025/index.html>

Call for Piano Scores
Deadline: May 1, 2025

Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame Featuring Yumi Suehiro Vox Novus is thrilled to
announce a new edition of Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame, featuring the acclaimed
pianist Yumi Suehiro. Composers are invited to submit one-minute
compositions that showcase the piano’s expressive and dynamic capabilities
while highlighting Ms. Suehiro’s exceptional artistry and technical
virtuosity.

Find more information and submit at
Music Avatar
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-Featuring-Yumi-Suehiro-2025/index.html>
[image: Andrew White]
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-featuring-Daniel-Vaczi-with-the-Glissotar/index.html>

Call for scores for the Glissotar
Deadline:
May 27, 2025

VCalling for one-minute pieces composed for Glissotar featuring the talents
of innovator Daniel Vaczi. The Glissotar is a unique, modern wind
instrument that extends the capabilities of the saxophone and tarogato.
Designed without traditional tone holes, it features a continuous wooden
tone chamber with a specially designed slot with a magnetic ribbon
attached, allowing for seamless glissandi, microtonal precision, and
expressive timbral shifts.

Find more information and submit at
Music Avatar
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-Featuring-Andrew-White-2025/index.html>

[image: Yumi Suehiro]
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-featuring-soprano-Coco-Lau/index.html>

Call for Piano Scores
Deadline: June 1, 2025

Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame featuring soprano Coco Lau Vox Novus is honored to
announce a Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame call for scores featuring the
distinguished soprano Coco Lau. Renowned for her exceptional artistry,
technical virtuosity, and compelling stage presence, Ms. Lau has captivated
audiences worldwide with her dedication to the performance of contemporary
music and her deep commitment to the art of storytelling through song.

Find more information and submit at
Music Avatar
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-featuring-soprano-Coco-Lau/index.html>
[image: Heroines]
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Heroines---Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-Featuring-Mary-Beth-Orr/index.html>

Call for Scores: Heroines
Deadline:
June 16th, 2025

r Vox Novus invites composers to submit one-minute works for
Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame featuring Mary Beth Orr, an acclaimed French horn
player and vocalist. This special edition, titled Heroines, celebrates the
stories of heroines from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and imaginations.
The theme for this call is Heroines, inviting composers to craft works that
are programmatic in nature and tell the story of a heroine of their
choosing.

Find more information and submit at
Music Avatar
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Heroines---Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-Featuring-Mary-Beth-Orr/index.html>

[image: Yumi Suehiro]
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-Featuring-Thomas-Piercy-and-Lish-Lindsey/index.html>

Call for Scores
Deadline: June 30, 2025

Compose a bold, one-minute masterpiece! Fifteen Minutes of Fame seeks
miniatures for hichiriki and/or alto, bass, or contrabass flute for the
dynamic duo Thomas Piercy and Lish Lindsey. Explore rich timbres and unique
sonorities in just 60 seconds of music. Submit now and let your creativity
shine!

Find more information and submit at
Music Avatar
<http://www.musicavatar.org/categories/Fifteen-Minutes-of-Fame-Featuring-Thomas-Piercy-and-Lish-Lindsey/index.html>

Click Here for upcoming events with Vox Novus
<http://www.voxnovus.com/calendar/>

Subscribe to the Vox Novus channel on YouTube
<https://www.youtube.com/@Vox_Novus>

And always, thank you for your support!


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