IHS Major Commission Initiative
At the 2013 International Symposium the Advisory Council of the International Horn Society created a new fund. The purpose of the fund is to raise money consistently over the years, to assist the Society in periodically funding major works for Horn from world renown composers. Starting the fund now will enable the Society to have access to funds as they go forward with any major commission contracts.
This initiative formalizes a longstanding goal of the society, to encourage the composition of major horn works by international composers of the first rank. In 1999, the first commission of this type was completed, resulting in Beyond Autumn: Poem for Horn and Orchestra, by Joseph Schwantner.
The Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Fund
This fund was established by the Advisory Council of the International Horn Society in 1989. Meir Rimon (1946-1991) was Principal Horn of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and served three terms as Vice-President of the International Horn Society. In memory of our esteemed colleague who had a positive effect on many performers, composers, and audiences around the world, the fund was renamed in his honor in 1992. An annually updated list of works that have been supported by the Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Fund may be found below.
The purpose of this fund is to encourage new and significant compositions that feature the horn by offering needed financial assistance to qualified IHS members. Compositions of modest difficulty are particularly encouraged. Awards are granted by the Advisory Council of the IHS, which has sole discretion in the administration of this fund. The fund has a total of $8,000 available annually, but the Advisory Council reserves the right to offer less or more than this amount depending on the nature and merit of the proposed and selected projects. Advisory Council members, IHS staff and symposium host(s) may apply for any programs so long as that person is not on the judging panel or committee deciding on awardees of said program. If they are members of the awarding committee or in the decision making process in any capacity, they must recuse themselves from the deliberation and voting process or withdraw their application.
All applications should be submitted electronically to the MEIR RIMON COMMISSIONING ASSISTANCE PORTAL beginning November 1, 2023
Guidelines:
- The grant request must be from an IHS member in good standing using the official online application form.
- No more than three commissions will be granted to an individual composer within a ten-year period.
- No more than four funding requests will be granted to an individual IHS member within a ten-year period.
- Pieces, which receive funding from the IHS Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Fund, may not be entered in the IHS Composition Contest.
- Attach the composer’s current resume, including previous compositions, commissions, awards or recognitions that demonstrate the composer’s creative abilities.
- A brief narrative must be included with this application supporting the significance of this commission, the intended date of completion for the composition, the instrumentation and length of the composition, and the role that the applicant intends to take in the premiere performance and promotion of the commission.
- Electronic Applications: All applications should be submitted electronically to the Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance application..
- All electronic applications should be in either MS-Word or PDF format. All Application files will not be returned and will become the property of the International Horn Society.
- Composers selected for the Meir Rimon Grant, need to complete the composition within 2 years. Then the award will be paid upon completion.
- Deadline for Applications was March 15, 2023.
Dr. Randall Faust
re-faust@wiu.edu
Chair, IHS Commissioning Assistance Program
NOTE: Previous Rimon award recipients may not enter that piece in the IHS Composition Contest.
Past Commissions Assisted by the Meir Rimon Fund
Dr. Rose Valby has compiled a "Quick Look" introduction to many of the compositions that were created with support from the Meir Rimon Fund.
Completed works that were supported by grants from the Rimon fund include the following (year reflects the year the grant was awarded, not the year of completion of the work):
2021
Bill Richter for “a work for Two Horns and Piano-Working title “Every Now and Then, Then is Now “ by the composer Adam Wolf
Premysl Vojta for a work for for 8 horns in 2 horn choirs titled “Terre morte” for presentation at the “IHS Festival for the Summer, 2021.” By the composer José María Sánchez-Verdú
Blair Hamrick for a work for the Horn Quartet “Metropolitan Horn Authority” titled “Rush” by the composer Jessica Meyer.
Daniel Wood for a work for the Horn Quartet-Quadre, with piano, and Gospel Choir titled “Terra Sacrum (Sacred Earth)” by the composer Jeff Scott.
2020
Olli Virtaperko, Concerto (natural horn and baroque orchestra)
Chia-Lin Pan, "a work for two horns and piano, based on and around Taiwanese musical themes"
Shawn E. Okpebholo, Wunlit (unaccompanied horn)
Chris Neiner, Trio (violin, horn and piano)
Eric Wubbels, A Horn Trio (Horn, Violin, and Piano)
Jacob Miller Smith, "A composition for prepred horn and live electronics"
Alyssa Weinberg, “a composition for Two Horns and Piano based on the poem THE HOUSE by Warsan Shire”
2018
Andrew Phillips, Harrowing Sky (trumpet, horn, piano)
Barbara York, Personalities (horn, Euphonium, tuba)
Thomas Bough, Alloy 7645 (horn quartet)
Ken Davies, Crystal Kaleidoscope (horn and vibraphone)
Michelle McQuade Dewhirst, Diffusion (horn quartet)
James Naigus, Empyrean Skies (violin, horn, and piano)
Andrew Sigler, To See the Starlings (horn octet)
Jeremy Thurlow, Crooked Consort, (concerto for natural horn and string quartet)
2017
Glen Cortese, Serenata Notturna (horn, trombone, piano, and percussion)
Fernando Morais, Mosaico No. 3 (horn and piano)
Corrado Saglietti, Trio di Velluto (horn, Euphonium, and tuba)
Octavio Vazquez, What a Circus! (horn, tuba, and piano)
2016
Eric Guinivan, Shenandoah Fanfares (solo horn with horn quartet)
Douglas Hill, Returning Home (solo Alphorn and two horns)
Douglas Hill, Three Solo Pieces (Alphorn or natural horn)
James Naigus, Spectra (horn, trombone, piano)
Nick Norton, Gone to the Other Shore (Wagner tuba or horn and tape)
Tyler Ogilvie, Realm’s End (trumpet, horn, bass trombone)
Michael Thurber, Jam Session (horn and piano)
2015
Paul Basler, Passages (horn, flute, piano)
Chase Dobson, Horn Concertino (horn and chamber orchestra, with piano reduction)
Chris Fischer-Lochhead, Sunsetting (19 horns)
Josh Oxford, Trio (flute, electronic horn, percussion)
Tomi Räisänen, Smash!t (Solo horn + ensemble [flute, oboe, clarinet, 2 violins, viola, cello, double bass, electronics])
Philip Spaeth, Quintet for Winds (woodwind quintet)
2014
Gary Schocker, In Arkadia (horn and harp)
Andrew Wolfe, Triptych (horn, trombone, and piano)
Kerry Turner, Couperin Variations "La Bandoline" (horn and piano)
Mark Goodenberger, Brave Wind (horn and field drum)
Dan Welcher, Spring Music (woodwind quintet)
2013
Jason Thorpe Buchanan, Double Concerto (two horns and chamber orchestra)
Michael Daugherty, Prayer (two horns and piano or four horns)
Tomi Raisanen, Väki (horn and tape+live electronics)
Rory Merritt Stitt, Folk Songs from a Fantasia (horn and piano)
2012
Paul Ferguson, Table for Three at Chez Janou (horn, bass trombone, and piano)
Bruce H. Frazier, Collage (horn and piano)
Glenn James, Pastoralia (horn and piano)
Elizabeth Knudson, Alchemy (horn, cello, and piano)
Andre Mehmari, Music for Horn and Piano (horn and piano)
James Naigus, Beale Suite (horn quartet)
2011
Lydia Busler-Blais, Lanterns (horn, flute, piano)
David Cronin, Thrashing the Siren (horn, harpsichord, string bass, percussion)
Timothy Davis, Sonata for Horn and Percussion (horn and percussion)
Johanna Eranko, Finite (solo horn)
Frank Newton, Savannah Vistas (horn, marimba, vibraphone)
Charles Ruggiero, Early Berlin (horn, clarinet, piano)
Jeremy Schreifels, Morningside (horn, piano, drumset)
Andrew Wolfe, The Cave of Souls (horn and piano)
2010
Adam Berndt, Quintet No. 1 (horn and string quartet)
Anthony DiLorenzo, Phoenix (horn and piano)
Mark Olivero, Thunor's Gate (horns and live electronics)
2009
Johanna Murphy, Sonata for Horn and Piano (horn and piano)
Jess Turner, Last Dances of Prospero (horn quartet)
Jeff Myers, L'Histoire de Rimbaud (horn, tenor voice, and piano)
Matthew Saunders, South Africa (horn and marimba)
2008
Isadora Zebeljan, Dance of Wooden Sticks (horn and strings)
Kai Nieminen, Ancient Songs... (Dreaming of Queen of Sheba) (horn and harp/piano)
2007
Daniel Barta, As the Sparks Fly Upward (horn and piano)
John Clark, Fakes and Snakes (clarinet, horn, violin, viola, cello)
2006
Karen Griebling, Suite (horn and piano)
Stanley Glasser, Two for Erik (horn octet with African Instruments)
Justinian Tamusuza, Okukoowoola Kw'Ekkondeere (solo horn)
Carson Cooman, Moon Shards, op 700 (horn, trumpet, alto sax, percussion, piano)
2005
Scott Watson, Concert Piece (horn and concert band)
Charles Rochester Young, Callings (horn quartet)
Raymond Chase, Contradictions (two horns and piano)
2004
Alla Sirenko, Sea Mosaics (double concerto)
Hugh Chandler, Suite (horn quartet)
Robert Rumbelow, Hive (horn choir)
Kerry Turner, Scorpion in the Sand (horn, cello, piano)
2003
Brad Bodine, Rhapsody (horn and percussion)
Andrea Clearfield, Into the Falcon's Eye (two horns and piano)
Paul Basler, Canciones (horn and piano)
Perttu Haapanen, Prism (solo horn)
2002
Eric Ewazen, Woodland Quartet (horn quartet)
2001
Jennifer Margaret Baker, Red Sky at Night (horn, oboe, and piano)
1998
Steven Winteregg, Blue Soliloquy (solo horn)
Michael Kallstrom, Around the Clock (horn and orchestra)
1997
David Maslanka, Sea Dreams (two horns and wind orchestra)
1996
Stanley Friedman, Jerusalem Fugue (horn and string quartet or string orchestra)
Yehudi Wyner, Horn trio (horn, violin, piano)
1995
James Woodman, Chamber Sonata II (horn and organ)
1994
David Maslanka, Sonata (horn and piano)
1993
Kerry Turner, Six Lives of Jack McBride (horn, violin, tenor voice, and piano)
1992
Todd Barton, Apogee (woodwind quintet)
1991
Thomas Benjamin, Horn! (horn and piano)
Verne Reynolds, Trio (horn, oboe, and piano)
Jean-Michel Damase, Trio (horn, oboe, and piano)
David Sampson, Sonata Forty (horn and piano)