(Sounding Board, March 2003) When people refer to “L.A.,” it’s generally not just the city they’re talking about.Those initials have come to represent a wide geographic swath of Southern California, filled with countless languages,cultures,and histories. An international musical hub, L.A.’s music scene is defined not by a genre or a style but by a vital eclecticism that reflects the area’s diversity.

Likewise, the heart of the Los Angeles Chapter doesn’t revolve around a type of music, but around a diverse group of composers who make L.A. their home. They have been the driving force behind the chapter. Area composers, musicians, and ensembles regularly risk their ideas, thoughts, time, and music to create a lively,supportive musical community whose strength in turn serves the whole of L.A.

At the January 26, 2003, Composers Salon, moderator Alex Shapiro talks with composer Joan Huang following a performance of her work.

At the chapter’s first meeting in May 2000, members listed what they wanted from the chapter, and — mirabile dictu! — then volunteered to make these things happen.The chapter went on to surprise local members with an additional list of goals,and joined the artists in planning an impressive program including salons, workshops, a Web site, a granting program, a new music calendar, and community residencies. Thanks to a generous three-year startup grant from the James Irvine Foundation, the chapter was able to take its plans and hit the ground running.

Following that meeting, members quickly formed a committee headed by composer Kubilay Üner and launched the Composer Salons. Unlike formal performances, composers organize these gatherings to benefit composers (though nonmusicians are always welcome). The salons offer opportunities for composers to share work and ideas with colleagues. The informal performances also act as a window on the local music scene, and are followed by questions and comments moderated by composer Alex Shapiro.

The success of the Composers Salons inspired the teXalons (as in “tech salons”), led by composer Richard Zvonar. Based on the same salon model of informal performances and discussions, this series focuses on new developments in music technology and the people who have pioneered them. Over time, teXalons have added a workshop series covering a range of topics — including MIDI, effects processing, and digital recording — to give members hands-on opportunities to learn new technologies and expand their artistic palettes.

Area composers had been frustrated by the reluctance of the local media to cover experimental concerts and present a comprehensive view of L.A.’s musical life. Renowned music critic and writer Alan Rich challenged the chapter to create a true calendar of area performances. In turn, the chapter challenged him to be its editor. He accepted, and the chapter published the first edition of “New Music L.A.” in May 2000.

With a distribution of 4,000, the free calendar is published every other month and is available at gathering places and music venues throughout the metro area. “New Music L.A.” provides the public with a broad spectrum of music listings, covering the organizations and musical genres that are often overlooked by the mainstream press along with the area’s more established ensembles. Rich provides colorful, insightful editorial descriptions of the works listed, and guests from the musical community contribute front-page editorials addressing provocative issues affecting the L.A. music scene.

Composer Ron George, chair of the chapters education committee, meets with Cindy Bernard from SASSAS (The Society for the Activation of Social Space Through Art and Sound) and Jorge Martin from Beyond Baroque at the chapters October 2002 networking session. The event drew 70 composers and representatives from 32 arts organizations.

“New Music L.A.” is also published on the chapter’s Web site, www.composers.la. Envisioned as a virtual community that counteracts the area’s isolating sprawl, the site keeps composers, musicians, and audiences current on chapter news and events, local and national Forum programs, opportunities, and funding resources. Another member-driven project, the site was developed by Looking, an area design firm, in collaboration with a chapter committee headed by composers Brian Leader and Richard Zvonar. It will soon expand to include a database of composers, musicians, and venues that will promote networking and community-building and help users connect with collaborators and production partners.

Though print and Internet communications are extremely important, face-to-face meetings are crucial. As the area’s geographic span and composers’ deadlines make regular meetings prohibitive, the chapter focuses on less-frequent networking sessions that allow composers to reap the maximum benefits from short gatherings.

On October 27, 2002, the chapter held an informal networking session with 32 representatives from presenting organizations, ensembles, the Pasadena Arts Council, and a radio station. The organizations were eager to meet the 70 attending composers, and enthusiastic members talked about making more useful connections in one night than they normally did in a year.

Subito is an artist's dream; it allows freedom in the creation and distribution of musical ideas. Composer James Carney, Subito recipient

Second graders at Longfellow Elementary School in Whittier, Calif., explore the world of instruments packed in the Composers Suitcase.

In the two years since its founding, the chapter has also piloted some of the Forum’s most innovative programs. One of the success stories is Subito, a career advancement grant program that started as a Los Angeles Chapter pilot. The program is currently expanding to cover the entire state and will also be implemented by the Philadelphia Chapter. Conceived by Forum Senior Director of Programs Philip Blackburn, Subito awards grants of $500 to $1,500 using a streamlined application process and a three-week turnaround time. The flexible application process allows artists to determine their own needs and request support. This flexibility, along with the rapid response, allows Subito to fund projects that often fall between the cracks of other granting programs. Managed by the chapter’s assistant director, Karl Montevirgen, the program has awarded more than $70,000 to 45 artists since it was launched in March 2001.

The chapter is also in its second year of administering Composers Suitcase™ in the Whittier, Calif., school district. The multi-cultural curriculum, developed by Forum Director of Education Krystal Banfield, fills a gap in elementary music education by enabling regular classroom teachers to provide music instruction that meets national and state standards for the arts. To date, the chapter has implemented pilot programs of the second- and third-grade curriculum, with the fourth-grade units planned for the 2003-04 school year. Following further testing and refinement, the Forum intends to offer Composers Suitcase to schools across the country.