Author: Heimenz, Jack

Publication Year: 1979

Media Type: Report

Summary:

When the Ford Foundation began a program in the arts in 1957, one of its principal purposes, as defined by W. McNeil Lowry, its first director, was interposing in a tradition - interposing on behalf of American music and American musicians. One of the program's first ventures was support of the American Music Center, which provided for the commissioning of new works by American composers and for their performance by American symphony orchestras.

Abstract:

When the Ford Foundation began a program in the arts in 1957, one of its principal purposes, as defined by W. McNeil Lowry, its first director, was interposing in a tradition - interposing on behalf of American music and American musicians. One of the program's first ventures was support of the American Music Center, which provided for the commissioning of new works by American composers and for their performance by American symphony orchestras.

As the Foundation's program in music grew over the next two decades, this original aim was kept in mind, but the program's support for musical quality and variety went beyond simple cultural nationalism. Composition and performance by artists of many national backgrounds were supported. The single largest program of grants in music, for example - $80.2 million to American symphony orchestras - was made with no conditions as to choice of repertoire or performers.

In addition, the Foundation's support of music went well beyond the province of the composer and the professional performer. Its programs touched on music as pastime (the province of the audience); music as education (the province of the schools); music as literature (the province of the musicologist); music as business (the province of the administrator); and music as journalism (the province of the critic). The following is an informal account of the Foundation's support of varied musical enterprises.

CONTENTS
Prelude.
Opera: New operas. 
Civic opera. 
The financial challenge.
Orchestras.
Artists: Concert artists. 
Opera singers. 
Conductors. 
Choral conductors. 
International exchanges.
Composers: New works. 
Residencies. 
Recording and publication. 
Administrators.
Performing arts centers.
Education: Music appreciation. 
Musical literacy. 
Contemporary music curricula. 
Conservatories. 
Minorities. 
Musicology.
Music and television.
Appendix - Ford Foundation:
     Assistance to American music.
     Opera companies.
     Symphony orchestras.
     Chamber music.
     Conservatories/Institutes/Schools.
     Minorities in music.
     Other grants.
     Individual awards.
     Critics.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Private Sector