The Albany Symphony’s American Music Festival’s Reading Sessions offer a one-of-a-kind sneak peek into the world of music today as up-and-coming composers from a competitive national selection process have their works read by an orchestra for the very first time.
Two of this year’s composers are William Gardiner and Katherine Balch.
Katherine is a composer and pianist currently enrolled in the Tufts University/ New England Conservatory of Music dual degree program. At Tufts, Katherine is double majoring in history and political science. She is is an alumnus of the Boston University Tanglewood Institute, the European American Musical Alliance hosted at La Cantorum in Paris, and the Atlantic Music Festival in Waterville, Maine. Her piece, “Twin Compasses” will be performed at this festival.
William Gardiner is an Australian composer currently pursuing doctoral studies at the Yale School of Music in the United States, where he has worked with Martin Bresnick, Aaron Jay Kernis and David Lang.Gardiner previously attended the University of Sydney, where he received degrees in Arts and Law. His piece, “Arion,” will be performed at this festival.