e. c. schirmer/galaxy

The Washington National Cathedral Series is designed to be representative of the vibrant music making present in this great Cathedral. The series features anthems and instrumental pieces that are reflective of the emphasis the Cathedral places on being a National spiritual resource for people of all faiths and perspectives. The series is edited by the Cathedral’s Music Director, Michael McCarthy, who was appointed to the position in the summer of 2003.

Between 2002 and 2006, the local currency in Ghana included a 20,000-cedi note with the image of composer Ephraim Amu. These spaces are normally reserved for famous political leaders, generic situations that project the country’s industry and culture, and historic sites. That Dr. Amu shared this company speaks to the very high regard in which he is held. Indeed, Ephraim Amu is probably the best-known cultural icon of twentieth-century Ghana.

Every now and then a project comes along that is so unique and so meaningful that a composer cannot refuse the opportunity. So says composer Juliana Hall, whose new mezzo-soprano song cycle Through the Guarded Gate is the result of such a project.Through the Guarded Gate was commissioned by the Seattle Art Song Society (SASS) for performance on its 2018-2019 season, which is devoted to issues of social justice.

MorningStar Music Publishers welcomes the choral works of Howard Goodall to our catalog!

MorningStar is now the print publisher in North America for Mr. Goodall’s choral works. We are incredibly excited to further introduce Mr. Goodall’s publications to American and Canadian choirs. Known for his TV and movie themes, his dramatic choral works are sure to be very popular additions to the libraries of church and school choral directors. Be sure to check out the YouTube playlist below to get a taste of his choral compositions!

We've been noticing some great videos of Allen Shawn's work lately, and thought it was about time we did a featured post on the composer, pianist, educator, and author! Read on to learn a bit about Shawn, and definitely check out the videos below to hear his work, listen to an interview, and watch a discussion of his book on Leonard Bernstein.

A few months ago we did a short interview with Alistair Coleman, and had a wonderful time getting to know this young composer. We were even more thrilled to learn he received a coveted spot on From the Top, the "nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating the stories, talents, and character of young classically-trained musicians." In his radio spot, Coleman takes us on his journey from beginning piano lessons, to composing a musical, to finding his first composition teacher. The show also includes his piece, Images from Fallingwater, performed by students of the San Francisco Conservatory.

We're so thrilled to release David Conte's 2-disc vocal album Everyone Sang on the Arsis label, a project which has been several years in the making. A modest booklet is included in the physical copy (and viewable here), and we wanted to share extended performer information, program notes, and texts, below.

Explorers of French mélodie have an interesting journey ahead. Have you heard of the songs of Théodore Gouvy? Neither had I, but thanks to the research and study of Dr. MeeAe Cecilia Nam, there are eighty-eight songs by this nineteenth-century composer now available for perusal and performance. E. C. Schirmer Music Company has recently released a two-volume critical edition titled Songs of Gouvy, containing the song catalog of composer Louis Théodore Gouvy (1819-1898), edited by Dr. Nam, Professor of Voice at Eastern Michigan University, who has devoted the last number of years to Gouvy’s song output. These publications are the fruits of that labor.

This sizeable collection of 88 French songs has been virtually unknown and forgotten until recently. In order to preserve Gouvy’s legacy and perpetuate research and performance of his music, L’Institut

Tom Cipullo joined the E. C. Schirmer catalog in 2017. As one of America's most performed contemporary opera composers, we wanted to find out more about what makes him tick and the journey he's on.

How did you first become involved with music, and what drew you to composition?

I was lucky enough to be born into a musical family. My father, a jazz bassist, performed in post-war New York in every imaginable venue, and my older brother (who eventually became a rock drummer) and I were exposed to a large dose of listening as well as to live performance. Musicians were always in our home, sometimes for extended stays on our rather small living room couch. Whatever indiscretion landed them in that uncomfortable spot, they were a welcome and exciting resource for me, and their talk of songs, pianists, and bassists with “nice lines” fueled my imagination and inspired me.

How did you end up at ECS?

From 1990 to 1998, I worked as Editor at Scores International, a Boston-based music engraving company that is now defunct. We served world class composers, commissioning music organizations, and music publishing companies. ECS Publishing was one of our main customers; I helped to establish the ECS house style. In 1997, I decided that it was time for me to seek a new challenge, so I asked Robert Schuneman, the owner of ECS Publishing at the time, if he could use a full-time editor. Six months later, on February 23, 1998, I began working at ECS Publishing, which has since grown to become ECS Publishing Group.

Tell us about what you do as an editor.