SUSAN NELSON​

Dr. Nelson is the director of the Bassoon Chamber Music Composition Competition: BCMCC. The mission of the BCMCC is to encourage new music for the bassoon and to offer opportunities to composers.  The competition, held every other year, expands the chamber repertoire available to bassoonists by encouraging composers to write new music that includes this instrument. The competition judges, comprised of professional musicians, provide feedback to each composer that enters. The BCMCC works with the winning composers to have the pieces published, premieres the winning works at a large event, and creates a professional recording.  

 

PURPOSE

• To increase repertoire for the bassoon.

• To help in the creation of new, cutting edge music.

• To help in the distribution of these pieces to musicians and the public by creating opportunities for access such as live performance, the publishing of the works, and recordings.

 

The competition typically runs every other year with composers submitting new chamber works that feature the bassoon.  These works are then evaluated by a panel of professional bassoonists, and the winning pieces are published and then premiered and recorded by the BCMCC.  

 

 The inaugural competition was held in 2010 and was a resounding success. The feedback strongly indicated the need for another BCMCC, so a Board of Directors was formed, the BCMCC was incorporated, and has become a 501c(3) National Arts organization public charity.  Competitions have been held in 2010, 2012 and 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018.  

 

RECORDINGS

The BCMCC has two CDs released on the MSR Classics label:

1. Bassoon and Friends, winning works from the 2010 competition 

2. Elements, winning works from both 2012 and 2014 competitions