The Nashville Symphony has been named the recipient of a $15,000 grant that will be used to support three performances and the first-ever live recording in February of American composer Terry Riley’s At the Royal Majestic.
The recording, featuring the Nashville Symphony and acclaimed organist Cameron Carpenter, is slated for physical and digital release on Naxos, the Franklin-based company that is the world’s leading distributor of orchestral music.
The performances are Feb. 23-25, 2017, at Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
“Celebrated as the pioneering ‘father of Minimalism,’ Terry Riley is one of the most influential composers of the 20th and 21st centuries,” said Alan D. Valentine, Nashville Symphony president and CEO. “With its diverse array of sounds and styles, At the Royal Majestic displays the incredible breadth and richness of his gifts.”
The Art Works grant from the National Endowment of the Arts is part of more than $30 million in nationwide funding for local arts projects and partnerships announced by the NEA this week.
“We are grateful for the NEA’s support of this project, which will allow the Nashville Symphony to share this singular piece with music lovers of every age and background both here in Nashville and around the world,” Valentine said.
Riley will travel to Nashville for the February performances to assist and collaborate with the orchestra in its preparation, as well as oversee the recording project. He will also participate in a series of public lectures alongside Nashville Symphony music director Giancarlo Guerrero prior to or following each of the three performances.
The Nashville Symphony has released 27 recordings on Naxos, which have received 20 GRAMMY® nominations and eight GRAMMY® Awards.
