Barry Jekowsky

Posted in News on June 6, 2002

The BMI Foundation, Inc. recently awarded a Special Citation to Barry Jekowsky and the California Symphony for their “visionary and passionate support of Young American Composers.” Foundation President Ralph Jackson presented the award in May at the orchestra’s Season Finale at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Performing Arts in Walnut Creek, California. Jekowsky is the founding Music Director of the California Symphony, which celebrated its 15th Anniversary Season in 2001-2002.

During the presentation, Jackson sited the California Symphony’s outstanding Young American Composer-in-Residence (YACR) program, through which the orchestra has commissioned and performed a work by a young American composer each year for the last ten years. The program is unique in that Jekowsky and the orchestra rehearse the commissioned piece and work closely with the composer during the entire composition process. This allows the composer the rare opportunity to hear and refine the composition before the premiere takes place. According to Jackson: “We know of no other orchestra anywhere in the world doing this type of groundbreaking work with young composers.”

SOURCENews TAGS Classical Foundation Ralph Jackson Barry Jekowsky