Reaching New Audiences

I'm the Managing Director of a composers collective called the New York Composers Circle. For our concerts this year, we've decided that each composer should say a word or two about our piece, in an effort to better communicate with audiences. On the one hand, I think the music should speak for itself. On the other hand, audiences have been scared away from classical music for decades. If saying a few words now and then makes our art more accessible, then by all means we should do it. We have a responsibility to build new audiences for our music. And after all, popular musicians from Mick Jagger, Kanye West, and Dolly Parton are always asked to give interviews about their new albums.

Anyway, here's a pic of me at last night's NYCC concert at Symphony Space in New York, where Three Elegies was performed. (Click images for larger size.)