The Douglas Moore Fund For American Opera Announces Staff Transitions

At a board meeting on June 4th, 2019 Gordon Ostrowski, Manhattan School of Music, was elected Chair; Joan Desens, Director of Institutional Advancement, Glimmerglass Festival was elected Vice Chair; Jim Schaeffer, Center for Contemporary Opera, Director Emeritus was elected Treasurer.

Composer Michael Ching has stepped down as Chair of the Douglas Moore Fund to pursue his own music. During his tenure he created an orchestra reduction of The Ballad of Baby Doe and curated the soon to be released Douglas Moore Songbook.

The mission of the Moore Fund has changed as well. The Fund, which previously provided fellowships to composers, is now focusing its purpose on promoting mid-twentieth century opera composers by presenting symposiums such as A Celebration of Dominick Argento-Jack Beeson-Douglas Moore-Virgil Thomson-and the Douglas Moore Songbook Recital on March 14, 2020 in Lang Hall at Hunter College from 1:30 pm to 9:00 pm.

The fund continues to nurture new composers and librettists by presenting New American Opera Previews: From Page to Stage in collaboration with American Opera Projects, Encompass New Opera Theater, and the Manhattan School of Music. This year the Page to Stage program will be presented at the Thalia Theater on March 22nd, 2020 at 2:30 pm.