Works Commissioned by YPC for Radio Radiance to Premiere This Month

On Saturday, April 25, at 7 p.m., SubCulture, New York City's intimate new downtown performing arts venue, will be transformed into a radio recording studio, when the Young People's Chorus of New York City conducted by Artistic Director/Founder Francisco J. Núñez sings the world premieres of five compositions commissioned for its Radio Radiance broadcast/digital new music series. The music is being recorded that evening for later broadcast by WWFM, The Classical Network, other public radio stations, and digitally through podcasts.

The series was created by YPC in 2009 to excite and challenge the music perceptions of young people by reaching them through the kinds of audio technology they use every day: iPods, iPhones, sound pods, MP3's, laptops, as well as the time-honored medium of radio. In their compositions, each of the composers-Samuel Adler, Ryan Lott (aka Son Lux), Caroline Mallonée, Frank Oteri, and Aaron Siegel-have been challenged use new ideas and ways of thinking to write for today's young people and in the way they are most likely to enjoy music, not only in concert halls, but on the go.

The April 25 concert/recording session will be hosted by YPC's longtime radio colleague, Soundcheck's John Schaefer, and attended by all of the composers, who will meet audience members at a Meet-The-Artist reception afterwards.

Tickets for the April 25 Radio Radiance concert/recording are $25 and are available on the SubCulture website at http://subculturenewyork.com/event/ypcnyc/.

Tickets are also available at SubCulture (45 Bleecker Street) an hour before doors open for any SubCulture performance. For more information, call SubCulture at 212-533-5470.

YPC invites regional youth choruses to sing Radio Radiance works. To enable more young people to become more excited and open to this music, YPC invites regional youth choruses across the country to study, premiere and broadcast a Radio Radiance work of their choice for audiences in their local areas. The choirs are provided with a Radio Radiance score, support, and in addition, the composers themselves have also been helpful with interpretations and technical questions.

"We are so excited by the enthusiasm of young people to this music," said Francisco Núñez. "The YPC choristers are always looking forward to seeing what the composers have come up with in reaching young people with great new music through aural technology."

"Around the country," says Mr. Núñez, "choral conductors who have worked with their own choristers on a Radio Radiance piece, tell us they are continually amazed at the transformation in their chorus members as they gain confidence and skill to understand a piece, tie it together, and take it on to a meaningful performance."

Radio Radiance is an extension of YPC's groundbreaking Transient Glory new music series, created in 2001 to encourage today's top composers-Pulitzer Prize, MacArthur, and Guggenheim recipients-to write for children's voices. Today, between the two series YPC has commissioned more than 80 pieces of music for young voices. Not only has this music invigorated the repertoire, but it is a compelling record of how music is evolving in the 21st century.