2016/2017 SEASON COMPOSER COMMISSIONS

RUSSELL PODGORSEK

Russell Podgorsek is a composer, violist, and electric guitarist. His recent awards and commissions include a NewMusicUSA Project Grant for a collaboration with NANOFiction and the Cordova Quartet, Six Memos for the Next Millennium for the Bel Cuore Saxophone Quartet, Songs for the Sane 3.0 and Reversal of Fortune for the Life/Art Dance Ensemble (CO), MicroSymphony for the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra (MD), and Lament and Lullaby for the Sudbury Youth Orchestra (Ontario, Canada). His work Annachronism for solo violin was featured on the 2014 i care if you listen Summer Mixtape. He was also featured as composer-in-residence at the Simsbury Chamber Music Festival (CT) in 2008. He currently serves as Lecturer and Building Coordinator at the University of Texas where he earned his DMA studying with Donald Grantham, Dan Welcher, and Russell Pinkston. He is a graduate of both the Hartt School of Music (CT) and the University of Dayton (OH). 
 
Russell was a founding member of the Miklos Quartet, whose unique approach to music of all styles and perspectives has brought them on numerous tours and residencies throughout the Northeast and Midwest. As a member of the perceval duo he performed a number of his own works including Songs for the Sane and A Contest for the Future at the Woodstock Fringe Festival in Woodstock, New York. He has been awarded a number of grants and fellowships including several MetLife Creative Connections Awards.

MICHAEL MIKULKA

Michael Mikulka has written well over 100 pieces with varied styles, lengths, and instrumentations.  He has been named a winner or finalist 32 times in composition contests and calls for scores, and his music has been performed by members of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Kronos Quartet, and by performance faculty at several US universities, as well as by acclaimed soloists such as flutist Robert Dick.  Michael's music has been performed throughout the US and internationally,and it has been premiered in venues such as Dallas's Meyerson Symphony Center, Seattle's Benaroya Hall, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and North Carolina's Progress Energy Center.

In March of 2013, Michael created NewBandMusic, a composer advocacy site which promotes self-published wind ensemble works written by "emerging composers" for free.