CBC Radio is building on its legacy of commissioning original works from some of Canada's most talented musicians and orchestras with a $50,000 increase in its commissions budget, bringing 2008's allocation up to $170,000.
"We are excited to be putting more money towards the
creation of original compositions from some of Canada's
most talented musicians. These funds will allow us to work with
artists and orchestras throughout the country in creating
original and engaging pieces of music for Canadians to
enjoy," said
Mark Steinmetz, director of music for CBC Radio, in a
release.
"It's crucial for us that the national broadcaster not only reflect, but contribute to, the cultural landscape of this country. By increasing our available budget for commissions we will be giving even more Canadian composers a voice and a venue to explore their craft."
Steinmetz also noted that CBC Radio has almost doubled its
budget for commissions over the last five
years.
CBC Radio has been commissioning original works from Canadian composers for almost 70 years.
Since 1939, more than 1,000 original works of music have been commissioned by the national broadcaster, including classical music, light classical and 11 full-length musicals.
Original works commissioned by the CBC include: Patrick Carrabre's Inuit Games (composed for throat singers), Stan Rogers' musical So Hard to Be So Strong and the first Canadian commission by the CBC entitled Transit Through Fire by Healy Willan.
Interested composers can find more information about the commissioning process as well as how to submit their ideas by visiting http://www.cbc.ca/radiocommissions .
