Composers Jin-Hi Kim and Augusta Read Thomas will serve as Music Alive Composers-in-Residence with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra (NHSO) for a two year period beginning September 2009.

Over this two year residency the NHSO's Shifting Patterns Project will explore numerous new innovative ideas - from Composers working with students with learning difficulties, to inspiring young composers through mentorships and instruction, to the influences of Asian and American cultures on art music.

Ms. Thomas will be taking the lead with the Young Composers Project, where she will mentor and guide a select group of high school age composers, culminating in performances of their music by the NHSO Contemporary Music Ensemble.

Ms. Kim will go out into select middle schools to teach Music and Meditation to special needs children. By combining traditional Korean music with meditation techniques, the children will learn new ways of personal development to apply to their lives, as well as gaining an appreciation of traditional Korean culture.

Both composers will write new works for the NHSO which will be premiered over the course of the two year residency. In addition several other works by both composers will be workshopped and performed.

The composers will also participate in advocacy for new music, collaborate with all artistic staff, interact with the public, and work with the orchestra in the preparation of their works.

For more information on how you can be involved with Shifting Patterns, please contact NHSO Director of Education Dan Kinsman at dkinsman@newhavensymphony.org or 203/865-0831 x13.

The Residencies of Jin Hi Kim and Augusta Read Thomas are made possible through Music Alive, a residency program of the League of American Orchestras and Meet The Composer. This national program is designed to provide orchestras with resources and tools to support their presentation of new music to the public and build support for new music within their institutions. Funding for Music Alive is provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, and the ASCAP Foundation Joseph and Rosalie Meyer Fund.