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Modern Classical Music in Orlando

Image: Composer Steve Reich, twitter.com
Image: Composer Steve Reich, twitter.com

The wave of appreciation for modern classical music in Orlando shows no signs of cresting.

In the past couple of years, we’ve witnessed an unusual sight: adventurous, young listeners – well, young-ish – filling seats at classical concerts – or even standing at rock clubs – to hear music by Philip Glass, Steve Reich and other living composers.

No one group can claim credit for the shift – the Bach Festival Society, the Civic Minded Five, the Central Florida Composers Forum, New Score Chamber Orchestra and Accidental Music Festival have all had a hand in it.

Those last two groups are involved in this summer’s most ambitious new music event: the Marathon AMF, happening May 7th at Timucua Arts White House.

Starting at noon Saturday, ten short programs stretching over six hours will function as a kind of buffet of contemporary composition, interspersed with artist interviews and the shared wine-and-potluck mingling that Timucua is known for. Guests are invited to come and go, stay for a few sets or settle in for the whole thing.

In addition to well-known contemporaries like Glass, Reich, William Duckworth and Terry Riley, the young ensembles will perform work by not just living, but local composers including Damien Simon, Charles Griffin and Benoit Glazer.

Find out more about Marathon AMF at accidentalmusicfestival.com.