Next Wednesday marks the debut concert of my new ensemble, AMERICAN
ACCENT -- 8:00 PM, November 15th, at Manhattan's Merkin Hall -- with a
big program: Harbison's "Fantasy Duo", Perle's "Monody I", Gubaidulina's
"Klange des Waldes" and "Allegro Rustico", Rorem's "Bright Music", and my
own "ZONES - Piano Trio #2".  Since something of the rationale behind our
group's formation may be of interest to list members, I offer the following
background:

Almost four years ago I decided to found an ensemble that, simply,
would love to perform new music.  (This remains -- even in year 2000 -- a
"moderately" radical notion.) The group would cherish its connection with
the resident composer, would be excited about the music of our own time,
and would relish having the opportunity to present great pieces from
current-day repertoire regularly.  (Peter Maxwell Davies' Fires of London,
and Joan Tower's association with Da Capo Chamber Players are sorts of
models for a group of this kind.)

What's different here, though, is that American Accent celebrates
important recent music mostly composed in this country.  There are many
reasons why the music industry celebrates music and musicians from abroad
at the expense of home-grown excellence -- but those reasons are primarily
holdovers from past eras and really should not track forward into the new
century.  (Mark Swed's piece in a September issue of LA Times was blunt
on the subject.) As I've said a number of times in public, in this
'niche-market world' there are many adjectives one could use to describe me
as "composer", but the one that means most to me is the term "American".

If we take a fresh look at a sample of significant music, most of it
composed by Americans, we can begin to restore this sense of WOW!  about
the caliber, stature, variety and substance of our native product.  -- So,
AA revisits pieces already past their premiere, pieces that *should* be in
rep.  And every program will also have music by composer(s) from other
parts of the world, too, to encourage listeners to make appropriate
cross-references.

I broached the idea to pianist Joanne Polk in late '98.  (Joanne is
director of chamber music at the Manhattan School of Music, and she and
I also worked together in editing Vol.  III of THE MUSICAL WOMAN book
series.) Joanne and I became co-directors of AA, and before we knew it,
the Lark Quartet and flutist Chesis had signed on and we were ready to go.

We think we have a good shot at what we plan to present over the long
term: committed and passionate performances of some of the best music of
our country and our own time.  Please join us, if you can, for our first
concert next week -- and the second, on April 9th, when we present music
by Rands, Tower, Morton Gould, Messiaen, Ives and Beach.

Cordially,
Judith L. Zaimont
Composer WEBsite: www.joblink.org/jzaimont