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TM
PROJECT : ENCORE NEWS PROJECT : ENCORE’s

Featured Composer Series

Developing teams as key
to major projects

Michael cites the importance of “the team” in putting
a project together – very different from the image
of a lonely composer sequestered away in artistic
creation. In the case of The Unarmed Child, “It means
entering the community of families who have been
affected by gun violence.” Her team on that project
consisted of one of the
“Team is everything aggrieved parents who
very
motivated
was
when I am starting a to make a difference,
project.” along with her lyricist
Shantel Sellers, and
Adrian Dunn, who collaborated on the hip-hop
movement. The team worked together through the
emotional challenges of the topic, in addition to the Michael Bussewitz-Quarm
compositional process itself.

What is next? Michael has been commissioned by
“Sing Democracy 250” to write a large choral work
entitled “US”, which will be performed in all 50 states,
in honor of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence. Thirty-three different
leaders are quoted in the libretto, the theme of which
is one of uniting all of “us” in the US, as we seek to
move forward together.

• Explore Michael’s biography and full compositional
activity on her website:
https://www.listenafresh.com/

• For immediate access to her style, check out
her thirteen PROJECT : ENCORE works here:
ProjectEncore.org/michael-bussewitz-quarm

DEBORAH SIMPKIN KING, PHD.
Conductor
P:E Director and Founder
DeborahSKing.com