Utah Symphony to receive $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support Composer in Association Program with Arlene Sierra

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (June 10, 2020) – National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Mary Anne Carter has approved more than $84 million in grants as part of the Arts Endowment’s second major funding announcement for fiscal year 2020. Included in this announcement is an Art Works award of $20,000 to Utah Symphony | Utah Opera for Utah Symphony’s 2020-21 season Composer-in-Association program. This is one of 1,015 grants nationwide that the agency has approved in this category.

“These awards demonstrate the resilience of the arts in America, showcasing not only the creativity of their arts projects but the organizations’ agility in the face of a national health crisis,” said Mary Anne Carter, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts. “We celebrate organizations like Utah Symphony | Utah Opera for providing opportunities for learning and engagement through the arts in these times.”

“Commissioning new music and bringing leading composers to Utah is essential for injecting creativity and fresh ideas into our cultural community,” said Utah Symphony Music Director Thierry Fischer. “I’m so grateful for the National Endowment for the Arts’ support of our Composer in Association program and look forward to seeing the impact of Arlene Sierra’s work in our community next season.”

This grant supports Utah Symphony’s 2020-21 Composer-in-Association program and its engagement of American composer Arlene Sierra, who will spend three weeks in Salt Lake City during the 2020-21 season. Ms. Sierra will work with Utah Symphony Music Director Thierry Fischer and the orchestra to prepare U.S. premiere performances of her works “Aquilo” in November 2020 and “Nature Symphony” in January 2021 at Abravanel Hall, as well as the world premiere of the Utah Symphony-commissioned “Bird Symphony” in April 2021. Ms. Sierra, who is also a distinguished educator, will furthermore meet with diverse groups of local musicians, music students, youth orchestras and composers.

For more information on this National Endowment for the Arts grant announcement, visit arts.gov/news.