New England Philharmonic Announces Contract Extension of Composer-In-Residence, Eric Nathan

BOSTON — The New England Philharmonic (NEP) announces the contract extension of Eric Nathan as Composer-In-Residence. This final contract extension will conclude at the end of the 2024 - 2025 season, finishing Nathan’s six years tenure in the role. Throughout his tenure as Composer-in-Residence, Nathan has engaged with the orchestra in a wide range of capacities — as a composer, conductor, performer, interviewer and artistic advisor. 

"It has been an immense privilege to have been able to play such an active and varied role with the NEP as its Composer-in-Residence as we have brought new music, new artistic voices and initiatives to our audiences,” said Eric Nathan. “I have treasured this relationship – having the opportunity to explore new ideas in my orchestral music and having the strong support of the NEP to champion music being created today by composers in our community and beyond. I look forward to working with the orchestra this summer in our inaugural New Music Readings, and next season for my new premieres, with great excitement.”

“The NEP has been honored to have Eric Nathan serve as Composer-in-Residence, and it has been a joy to perform his music,” said Board President, John Kessen. “I am especially grateful for the time and energy he gave to the organization during the period of our Music Director search. During Eric’s tenure, the NEP has greatly benefited from his creativity and passion, and from his commitment to fostering the composition of new music. In the seasons ahead, I look forward to a continuing relationship between Eric and the orchestra outside of the CIR role.”

Nathan played a central role in artistic programming for the NEP, working to diversify its repertoire to include many local, national and international voices. This has led to local premieres and performances of over 30 contemporary composers, including: Kati Agócs, Jonathan Bailey Holland, Chen Yi, TJ Cole, Adeliia Faizullina, John Harbison, Hannah Kendall, Texu Kim, Gabriela Ortiz, Bernard Rands, Kareem Roustom, David Sanford, George Tsontakis, and Wang Lu. In addition, he helped lead forward new commissions, including a work by composer Matthew Aucoin, as well as a series of fanfares in honor of retiring Music Director Richard Pittman by composers Michael Gandolfi, Bernard Hoffer, Kathryn Salfeder, Yehudi Wyner, and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.

Nathan’s own works have been premiered and co-commissioned by the NEP, including In Between II and Double Concerto, featuring violinist Stefan Jackiw and clarinetist Yoonah Kim. In the NEP’s 2024 - 2025 season, his co-commissioned Flute Concerto will be given its world premiere, featuring renowned Mexican flutist Alejandro Escuer, and a performance of his Open again a turn of light for orchestra and choir. Other works by Nathan performed by the NEP include: space of a door, Opening, and Omaggio a Gesualdo (by the NEP Chamber Players).

Nathan co-founded the Listening In series with concertmaster Danielle Maddon, taking audiences behind the scenes to see how the music is made, what inspires it, and how performances have come together. Nathan has conducted numerous interviews of featured composers and guest soloists, which have become an integral part of the NEP’s engagement with audiences, helping the listeners understand how various composers think, create and work.

This season, Nathan founded and will direct the NEP New Music Readings as both its conductor and as a mentor composer. A new initiative of the NEP, which will take place in June 2024, the New Music Readings gives rising composers the opportunity to hear their works performed by full orchestra and get feedback from mentor composers, who will include Kati Agócs and Kareem Roustom. The inaugural iteration of the Readings will feature orchestral works by composers Yangfan Xu, Cristian Lazo Andres Remedi and Austin Ali.

Nathan additionally oversaw and adjudicated the annual Call for Scores competition. Through the competition, works by composers Igor Santos, Sofía Rocha, Elijah Daniel Smith, Oswald Huỳnh, and Bobby Ge were selected for performance by the NEP. 

Nathan conducted the orchestra in a program featuring music by Bernard Hoffer, Hannah Kendall, Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite as well as Nathan’s own the space of a door. Nathan joined the orchestra’s percussion section on the conch shell in a performance of Sylvester Reveultas’ La noche do los Mayas. 

Learn more about Eric Nathan by visiting his website at www.ericnathanmusic.com.