Tonight We Celebrate New Music…

Thus began Music Director Alan Gilbert’s announcement last evening that composers Anthony Cheung, Franck Krawczyk, and (as previously announced) Peter Eötvös would share proceeds of The Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music at the New York Philharmonic with inaugural recipient Henri Dutilleux, at his request.

Also announced at last night’s all-Dutilleux concert (featuring Yo-Yo Ma and the Miró Quartet): the New York Philharmonic has named Sean Shepherd as the Kravis Emerging Composer. Shepherd, here with Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis, is already known to Philharmonic audiences, as Alex Ross notes, “from his vibrant CONTACT! commission, These Particular Circumstances.”

All four composers will pen works to be premiered by the Orchestra in upcoming seasons.