News

Sin City and Cavalcade premiered at Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts, on May 6, 2023, at 11 AM

CF2 composer mentor Alex Burtzos and his FSYO composer mentee Victor Acuna will receive back-to-back premieres of freshly written works for the FSYO Jazz Ensemble on Saturday, May 6 at 11:00 AM.

This double premiere represents the first of four mentor/mentee pairings that were created as part of Central Florida Composers Forum’s ongoing collaboration with the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras, and we could not be more excited.

Alex’s piece is entitled Sin City and Victor’s is Cavalcade (inspired by the classic Caravan).

Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts 

1905 Kentucky Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789
Ticket link:
https://fsyo.org/concerts-and-events.html

2022 Salon Concert – About the Composers and Program Notes

Sunday, October 23 – Timucua White House
2000 South Summerlin, Orlando, FL 32806.
Doors: 7pm. Concert: 7:30.

Info for Tickets

Stan Cording is an Orlando native and Rollins College graduate who writes music in a style called New Lyricism. He writes music in a wide range of genres and forms, from art song to choral, chamber, orchestral and Christmas music. His album, Christmas Carols Old and New, is available from Amazon.

This is the premier performance of Fête, which was written especially for the Confetti Trio. 

It has 4 short movements, depicting the moods created by various decorations at a party: Streamers, Banners, Lanterns and Tinsel.

A composer and writer, Charlie Griffin was born and raised in New York. Active in the Orlando area since 2010, he teaches in Full Sail University’s Bachelor of Science in Music Production degree program, is the founder and director of the Central Florida Composers Forum, and has been a large budget panelist for United Arts of Central Florida. His original music has been performed in 20 countries in venues like Washington DC’s Kennedy Center, New York’s Merkin and Weill recital halls, the American Cathedral in Paris, festivals such as Aspen, SpoletoUSA, and Mexico’s International Cervantino, and conferences such as the WPPC (World Piano Pedagogy Conference), PASIC (Percussive Arts Society), ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) and NFA (National Flute Association). Recent commissions include works for the Bay Area choral ensemble 21V and the Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra. His non-fiction children’s picture book, Indy and Jenny, is available on Amazon and all major outlets.

Samba Variations was originally commissioned and recorded by guitarist Robert Phillips as part of a multi-composer project for a CD release called Orange Blossom Dances. The title, I hope, is self-explanatory. I since revised and rearranged it for two of my dearest friends, guitarist and composer Troy Gifford and clarinetist Jessica Hall-Speak. This version adds substantially new melodic material. 

In 2004 The New York Times named Keith Lay (b.1958 Barberton, OH) “a composer to watch for.” Gramophone magazine described his music as “unapologetically emotional ” (2005). The Orlando Weekly called him “Orlando’s most inventive composer.” 

“My goal is to inspire reverent wonder about the world of sound and the science, perceptions, and emotions that connect us to nature and each other. A life of curiosity, working, music-making, teaching, and growing with Vipassana, Deep Listening, and experimenting help me achieve it.”

To pay respect to James Brown, I cataloged the riffs in his 1972 “Funky Drummer” to create “Funky Tubes for Tuba Trio,” commissioned by the FMTNA, premiering at their convention in 2018.

I met Bob after hearing about his search into lost metallurgic processes that produced superior tubas in the 19th Century and his sons at “Distance Music at Lake Eola” playing monstrous instruments. As his first call for studio sessions, drummer Gerald Law came to my attention through producer Darren Schneider.  

The extreme range of “Funky Tubas” is FIENDISHLY DIFFICULT, which just made the Carpenters love it more. I’ve rewritten it many times to make it easier, but they will have none of it! Because of their long wavelengths, tuba notes take longer to speak, dragging the tempo without constant vigilance. I’ve added the immediate sound of the drums to help maintain funk’s necessary precision.

Seunghee Lee (b.1980) is a Korean-American composer/pianist/educator. Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Lee moved to the United States in 2003 and has been on the music faculty at Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, FL since 2015.

Performances of her composition have taken place in notable venues and festivals worldwide, including concert halls in Germany, Finland, Italy, Hong Kong, Columbia, South Korea and across the United States. Her music has won several competitions, residencies, and commissions, including the 2019 Judith Lang Zaimont Prize of International Alliance for Women in Music, McCormick Percussion Group Commission, Florida Youth Symphony Orchestra Composer Residency, and Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra Commission. www.seungheeleemusic.com

Heung, for Piano (Merriment for Piano, 2022), is a piece I wrote for Pianist Chee Hyeon Choi. Her interest in contemporary piano repertoires representing Korean traditional tunes and beats were the main compositional inspiration for this project. This piece is my own interpretation of traditional Korean music, keeping the fundamental impression of tunes and beats (i.e. half-step grace notes for pitch-bending, quasi-whole tone scales, mimicking the performance style of Janggu drum, etc.).  I’ve written four short movements to represent four emotions (happiness, anger, sadness, and joy), which are the main emotions frequently referred in East Asian cultures as Hee, Roh, Ae, and Rack (희로애락, 喜怒哀樂). In the midst of going through these emotions over four thousand years, Korean people have kept merriment alive with them to this day.

Brandon Martin is an Orlando-based vocalist and composer. While he regularly performs at EPCOT with The Voices of Liberty, he has also performed as soloist with the Orlando Philharmonic and has been an actor in or music director for various local theatre productions. As a composer/arranger, Brandon has been commissioned by Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras for its 2019-20 and 2022-23 seasons and is published by Excelcia Music.

Program Notes:

“Confession Drops” and “Full of Life Now” come from a song cycle called Calamus, sharing the name of a collection of Walt Whitman poems. These poems have been interpreted as homophilic, conjuring scenes of “manly, adhesive love” between comrades: at times celebrating the platonic love and camaraderie between men, but sometimes, in a quieter tone, celebrating the romantic love between men. As a fan of Whitman’s poetry, it seems some of his most intimate writing. As a gay man, it feels like a “coming out”, an illuminating and celebrating of love that too often, throughout history, is shrouded in shadow.

Paul Austin Sanders has been with Central Florida Composers forum since 2018 …so far, since then he has had the opportunity to premier 6 original soundscapes at the CF2 Salon concerts in 2018 and 2019 at Timucua Arts Foundation ..And Compose  an original Wind Quintet score for the Joint project with Orlando Story ..where each composer wrote original music to go with each story teller.Paul Moved here from Seattle ,Washington originally to work in entertainment at Disney and later Universal..Since then he has been evolved in the arts community in a variety of ways in Music, Theatre, Film and Visual Art..He Was a Voice Major at Western Washing University in Bellingham ,Washington , with additional Studies in Composition,jazz bass and Actors Studio….

    This will be his first Neo Classical composition to premier at Timucua..This Elations String Quartet  4th movement was completed during the early days of the Pandemic lock down.which became a very creative time..where a diversity of new neo classical music was begun..As well he was able to put together some new creative pages to get his music and art expressions out on to the internet 

paulaustinsandersstrangerthanfiction.bandcamp.compatreon.com search renaissanceartzman

2022 Annual Composer DIY Salon Concert

Sunday, October 23 – Timucua White House
2000 South Summerlin, Orlando, FL 32806.
Doors: 7pm. Concert: 7:30.
VIP Tickets are $30, other seating by donation.

For nine years, Central Florida Composers Forum (CF2) has been offering its members a first-come, first-on, get-er-done yerself opportunity to present work to the Orlando/Central Florida public. The composers themselves perform or arrange for the performers. That always means a wider variety of sonic possibilities than a more typical curated CF2 concert featuring a unified instrumentation.

This program features Alex Burtzos’s SEA, for Vibraphone; Stan Cording’s Fête for violin, flute, and oboe; Charlie Griffin’s Samba Variations for clarinet and guitar; Keith Lay’s Funky Tubes for three tubas and drums; Seunhee Lee’s Heung (Merriment) for solo piano, Brandon Martin’s “Confession Drops” and “Full of Life Now” from Calamus for tenor and piano; and Paul Austin Sanders’s Elations – Mvt. 4 for string quartet.

Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra premieres Charlie Griffin’s Looking Up in Perfect Silence at the Stars at Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Centre – June 18, 2022

The Orlando Contemporary Chamber Orchestra launches its 2022 summer concert season in partnership with the Central Florida Composers Forum, (CF2) with each concert featuring a premiere by a local composer member of CF2. The first concert of the series is called To There From Here, and features CF2 composer Charlie Griffin‘s Looking Up in Perfect Silence at the Stars, an 18-minute work for 18-piece chamber orchestra, along with David Wilborn‘s Rhapsody for Bass Trombone and Chamber Orchestra (featuring the composer on bass trombone), and Kyle Throw‘s Myth and Dreams.

The concert will take place at Harriet’s Orlando Ballet Centre (600 N Lake Formosa Drive in Orlando) on June 18 at 7pm. Tickets are $25 and are available here.

Preludes and Serenades: New Music for Piano

Friday, October 1, 2021 – Timucua Arts Foundation
2000 South Summerlin, Orlando, FL 32806.
at 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM
Tickets $20/$10 students, veterans, Timucua & CFCF members

Pianists Will Daniels, Rose Grace, and Barry Snyder perform a striking and stimulating program of new music by local composers.
Join us for the Central Florida Composers’ Forum’s fall concert, which will present new music for piano by local composers. Pianists Will Daniels, Rose Grace, and Barry Snyder perform a striking and stimulating program of music by ChanJi Kim, Keith Lay, Troy Gifford, Stan Cording, Charlie Griffin, Jamie Wehr, Erik Branch, and Alex Burtzos.

There are two performances of this program, one at 7 PM and one at 8:30 PM.

Tickets available at:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/preludes-and-serenades-new-music-for-piano-in-person-tickets-166806656199 (to attend in person)

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/preludes-and-serenades-new-music-for-piano-live-stream-tickets-169003145959 (for the livestream)

8th Annual Composer DIY Salon Concert

Sunday, August 29 – Timucua White House
2000 South Summerlin, Orlando, FL 32806.
Doors: 7pm. Concert: 7:30.
VIP Tickets are $30, other seating by donation.

For eight years, Central Florida Composers Forum (CF2) has been offering its members a first-come, first-on, get-er-done yerself opportunity to present work to the Orlando/Central Florida public. The composers themselves perform or arrange for the performers. That always means a wider variety of sonic possibilities than a more typical, curated CF2 concert featuring a unified instrumentation, and if you’re looking for even more concerts you can use services that offer concerts near me to find more events.

This program features Erik Branch’s Late Hours, for guitar and piano; Alex Burtzos’s Atoms, for guitar and drum set, Kasey Crawford’s It’s A Game, for solo piano; Stan Cording’s Seven Wonders, for voice and piano; Chaz Underriner’s LandScape Home, for guitar, field recording, and video; Bob Walker Jr.’s Two Lane Road To Nowhere, for two guitars, bass guitar, and piano; Jeremy Umlauf’s Falling Cycle, for soprano voice and piano; and Jamie Wehr’s Vignettes for Clarinet, for two clarinets.

Joyland: A night of intimate storytelling and original music – January 29 at The Abbey

Wednesday, January 29.
The Abbey – 100 S. Eola Drive, Suite 100, Orlando FL
Show starts at 7:30pm, doors open at 7:00pm
$15 in advance, $20 at the door

What happens when six composers from the Central Florida Composers Forum collaborate with six storytellers from the Orlando Weekly “Best of 2019” Orlando Story Club on a predetermined theme? The result is “Joyland,” a one-of-a-kind and first-of-its kind event in Central Florida, produced by the Downtown Arts District. Storytellers will perform compelling personal experiences accompanied by original scores by local composers. The stories and styles are as diverse as our city, they have been in wonderful places performing and learning at Muse Mantra School of Music & Arts for next shows.

The pairs are as follows: Bobby Wesley with Mark Piszczek; Jesse James with Charlie Griffin; Logan Anderson with Erik Branch; Madeline Potts with Paul Austin Sanders; Daniele Ziss with Alex Burtzos; and Aquanza Cadogan with Holly Cordero.

The storytellers will perform with live music by players drawn from the local Alterity Chamber Orchestra, a group known for its dedication to performing contemporary music at the highest levels: Tina Edelstein, flute; Beatriz Ramirez, oboe; Jessica Speak, clarinet; Kathy Thomas, horn; and Christian Eberle, bassoon.

Premiere of Fanfare on a Tetrachord by CF2’s Jeremy Umlauf at Cathedral of St. Luke on January 26

The Central Florida Composers Forum (CF2) partners with The Cathedral Church of St. Luke for their 27th annual Horns & Pipes Concert. CF2’s very own Jeremy Umlauf will have his Fanfare on a Tetrachord premiered. Come join St. Luke’s renowned orchestra of brass, percussion, and pipe organ in a marvelous acoustic. This is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Admission is free. Donations encouraged.
Sunday, January 26, 2020 at 3 PM – 4:30 PM
Cathedral Church of St Luke
130 N Magnolia Ave, Orlando, FL 32801

Transcend: Movement Meets Music – CF2 and Emotions Dance at Timucua Arts Foundation, October 27

Sunday, October 27 at the Timucua White House
2000 South Summerlin, Orlando, FL 32806.
Doors: 7pm. Concert: 7:30.
VIP Tickets are $30, other seating by donation.

The Central Florida Composers Forum (CF2) is excited to present its first collaborative event with Emotions Dance. The performance will feature music by local composers Daniel Crozier (Symphony No. 1, Fairytale), Troy Gifford (Milonga Abandonada), Charlie Griffin (Between Islands), ChanJi Kim (Jong; Ta), Christopher Marshall (Hikurangi Sunrise; Transcending), and Bob Walker (Silent Scream; Music on the Water). Bob Walker and Benoit Glazer will perform live.

Emotions Dance are: Amparo Padilla, Chloe Haslett, CJ Sheffield, Veronica Ramirez, Katie Masterson, Brooke Shoultz, Autumn Goetting, Raleigh Shelton, Emily Nunez, Jacquelyn Cheffer, Lauren Theriault, and Larissa Humiston.

Emotions Dance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2007 by Artistic Director and Choreographer Larissa Humiston. Emotions Dance consists of a professional contemporary dance company that focuses on social and environmental awareness through the art of dance, dance education training at the organization’s state of the art dance studio, and programs that enrich the local community. The organization emphasizes strong technical training and education combined with passionate artistry. Through inspiring performances, arts-education programs, and active community outreach the company touches thousands of people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds.

Wind Talkers: Music for Woodwinds by Mark Piszczek at Timucua Arts Foundation, October 12

Central Florida Composers Forum is proud to support a concert featuring music by one of Orlando’s musical treasures, Mark Piszczek, performed by some of Orlando’s best musicians: flutist Nora Lee Garcia, pianist Richard Drexler, and Alterity Chamber Orchestra founders Beatriz Ramirez-Belt and Natalie Grata, along with other members of Alterity.

Sunday, October 12 at the Timucua White House
2000 South Summerlin, Orlando, FL 32806.
Doors: 2pm. Concert: 2:30pm.

“This concert features four world premieres! The compositions include a trio, quartet, two quintets and a sonata for flute and piano.
It’s a sort of musical travelogue depicting many of the beautiful and historic locations that I was privileged to call home over the last twenty five years, including Seattle, Southwest Wisconsin, Maine, Peterborough NH, Columbus OH Winston Salem NC and Winter Park FL. Two of these compositions includes movements dedicated to the late, Sam Rivers and composer Elliott Schwartz who was a dear friend and mentor.” – Mark Piszczek