Boston Musica Viva:
Celebrating our First 50 Years

Published in 2019, this book catalogues BMV’s first 50 seasons of contemporary music. Click on the image of the book cover or the button below to access the PDF now. To request a printed copy, email bmv@bmv.org.

PREFACE

The cultural revolution that took hold in the United States in the late 1960s crossed genres and disciplines, from art and architecture to the full range of music being made on stage and in studios. And in 1968, while the lingering effects of the British Invasion and the Summer of Love were coming together to form a once-in-a-lifetime counterculture movement, similar sentiments of emergent and divergent sounds and styles in the chamber music realm were given a voice in Greater Boston thanks to Richard Pittman, who was brought here thanks to a job offer from preeminent musician, composer, educator, and tastemaker Gunther Schuller, then president of the New England Conservatory.

The result, launched only a few months after Pittman’s move to Boston, was the founding of Boston Musica Viva ‒ an ensemble that would go on to establish itself as a foundational proponent of daring new music for decades to come.

Through a steadfast commitment to both commissioning new works and premiering them at a peak professional level on programs of other contemporary music worthy of this rare opportunity, Pittman and this ensemble have played and continue to play a pivotal role in fostering new generations of creative leaders and the compositional canon of our generations. While we often like to say that if not for BMV, these works simply would not be written or heard, it may truly be fair to say that Pittman and Viva’s impact can be felt even further. Having championed leading voices such as Joseph Schwantner, John Harbison, Steven Stucky, and Ellen Taaffe Zwilich early in their careers, and dozens upon dozens of fledgling or otherwise unknown composers Pittman took the time to discover and elevate, BMV has supported entire waves of compositional evolution in America over the last half-century.

Pittman ‒ a Baltimore-native trombone player from the US Army Field Band and the National Symphony whose curiosity, eagerness, talent, and voracious appetite for new music led him to conducting, teaching, and assembling ensembles to fulfill his passion ‒ has instilled a tireless work ethic and unwavering demand for quality into the countless people who have worked and played for and with him through the years, including us. As those of us who are invigorated by Pittman’s efforts pass that spirit onto our students, colleagues, and friends, we recognize that his musical activism and inspiration only begins with the programs he presents on stage. In the grandest sense, he and Boston Musica Viva are among the leaders of our part of the cultural revolution. And for that, we could not be more grateful.

This booklet commemorates Boston Musica Viva’s first 50 years of new music under the baton of founder and director Richard Pittman. In addition to a compendium of composers and works presented by the ensemble, it includes thoughts, memories and notes of gratitude from a wide array of the musicians, composers, donors, patrons, colleagues, and board members. While they represent only a small fraction of the friends BMV has made along the way thus far, they embody the breadth of impact BMV aims to achieve as champions of contemporary music.

Please join us in celebrating the history and legacy of BMV's first 50 years, and the exciting musical exploration yet to come.

Sincerely,

Richard Cornell
President, Boston Musica Viva Board of Directors
Professor of Music, Composition and Music Theory, Boston University

Robert Pape
Executive Director, Boston Musica Viva