54th Annual Festival, October 2020

The Contemporary Music Festival committee at Indiana State University is excited to announce the 54th Annual Festival, scheduled for October 28–30, 2020! This year’s festival will feature works by our guest composer, Jake Runestad (photo credit: Travis Anderson) who will be joined by the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra as orchestra-in-residence. Guests will also include the Orchestra Composition Contest winner and Music Now Contest winners. In addition to guests, the festival will feature the students of the School of Music in both chamber music and large ensemble settings.

Jake Runestad is an award-winning and frequently-performed composer of “highly imaginative” (Baltimore Sun) and “stirring and uplifting” (Miami Herald) musical works. He has received commissions and performances from leading ensembles and organizations such as Washington National Opera, VOCES8, the Swedish Radio Symphony, the Netherlands Radio Choir, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Seraphic Fire, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, and more. “The Hope of Loving,” the first album of Jake’s music, recorded by Craig Hella Johnson and Conspirare, was nominated for a GRAMMY award. Jake’s visceral music and charismatic personality have fostered a busy schedule of commissions, residencies, workshops, and speaking engagements, enabling him to be one of the youngest full-time composers in the world. Considered “one of the best of the younger American composers” (Chicago Tribune), Jake Runestad holds a Master’s degree in composition from the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University where he studied with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts. He has also studied extensively with acclaimed composer Libby Larsen. A native of Rockford, IL, Mr. Runestad is currently based in Minneapolis, MN and his music is published by JR Music. Find out more at: JakeRunestad.com