Taking Note: A Study of Composers and New Music Activity in the U.S. (2008)

Produced By: Research Center for Arts and Culture, Teachers College/Columbia University, 2008, New York, New York

Funding Agency/Sponsor: Taking Note was made possible by a grant from an anonymous foundation and additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts

Author: Jeffri, Joan  (Research Center for Arts and Culture, Columbia University)

Contributors:

• Oberstein, Eric J.   --  Research coordinator
• Reed, Trevor.   --  Research coordinator
• Perlmutter, Elizabeth H.   --  Project coordinator for AMC/ACF
• Torres-Reyna, Oscar   --  Data consultant

Abstract (CPANDA): Commissioned by the American Music Center (AMC) and the American Composers Forum (ACF), the two largest composer service organizations in the nation, the Research Center for Arts and Culture examined how composers create their work within the broad new music landscape. As RCAC’s Taking Note is the first known national study of living American composers, the research methodology broadly included nearly 100 interviews with composers and field experts from around the country, a national online survey, focus groups, and a series of in-depth investigations into innovative resources available to composers. The report includes insights into composers’ work, business practices, income, affiliations, collaborations, diversity and education along with extensive discussion on the opportunities and challenges facing the field of new music. Additionally, RCAC posits a series of recommendations for how composers’ work may be better employed within the American musical ecology and provides a series of spotlights showcasing the work of organizations breaking new ground for composers in the United States.

Methodology (CPANDA) : In-person interviews of 90 artists and an online survey with 1,347 respondents

Access Conditions (CPANDA): For detailed information about conditions for use of CPANDA data collections, please see the End User Agreement posted on the CPANDA web site.

Access Conditions (Author): The data are available without restriction. Users of the data are requested to notify the Research Center for Arts and Culture (Research Center for Arts and Culture, Teachers College, Columbia University, Box 78, 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027) about their intended uses of the data. Reports or publications based on the data should acknowledge the work of Columbia University to create the data. RCAC would appreciate receiving copies of reports or publications based on the data.