About GroundWork(s)
Celebrating the musical creativity of composers in the hometown communities that first supported them.
About Groudwork(s)
The mission
To celebrate living composers through harp-centric commissions, and to pay homage to the communities that first supported them through hometown premieres.
The composers
The composers chosen are representative of the country at large, celebrating American diversity and creativity. Each state is represented by one composer.
What we do
GroundWork(s) is commissioning fifty two composers, from the fifty states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico, to write new works for harp in a solo or chamber setting. Each piece will be premiered in the hometown of the commissioned composer, in a concert of music that reflects the composer’s influences and tastes.
Why we do it
The mission of GroundWork(s) is twofold: to celebrate living composers through harp-centric commissions, and to pay homage to the communities that first supported them through hometown premieres.
For so many musicians, early support from family, friends, and local musical organizations provided them the encouragement needed for artistic growth and development. But the music world is transient, and musicians often focus on the global nature of their work. GroundWork(s) provides a platform to bring composers back to their early communities, showcasing the artistry of the composers in the cities that first supported them. Composers chosen reflect the diverse fabric of the United States, both musically and socially.
GroundWork(s) is the brainchild of Emily Levin, Principal Harpist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Believing in the importance of expanding both solo and chamber harp repertoire, and dedicated to fostering relationships between composers and musicians, Emily founded GroundWork(s) to promote collaborative relationships with a diverse group of American composers.
GroundWork(s) provides a platform to bring composers back to their early communities.
about the founder
Emily Levin
Emily Levin is Principal Harpist with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Bronze Medal Winner of the 9th USA International Harp Competition. She has performed as Guest Principal Harp with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Houston Symphony, and regularly appears with the New York Philharmonic. For her debut album, Something Borrowed, the Classical Recording Foundation named her their 2017 Young Artist of the Year. Emily is the founder of GroundWork(s), a new music initiative commissioning 52 new works, each premiering in the hometown of the feature composer. In Dallas, she is the Artistic Director of Fine Arts Chamber Players, a free chamber music series.
Emily received her MM degree at the Juilliard School in 2015. She completed undergraduate degrees in Music and History at Indiana University, and her honors history thesis discussed the impact of war songs on the French Revolution. Connect with her at www.emilylevinharp.com.