I’m excited to announce some big news: nienteForte Contemporary Music is merging with Versipel New Music. I’ve been appointed the new Executive Director of Versipel New Music and will still act as an interim Co-Artistic Director for nienteForte. Founding Director of Versipel New Music Kari Besharse will be stepping more fully into her role as Artistic Director, focusing on the Versipel Collective.
The joint effort to make this merger happen has been a few years in the making thanks to the efforts of me and Kari along with Versipel New Music’s Assistant Director Phil Scheussler and nienteForte’s Outreach and Operations Director Stephen Montalvo. The merger represents a recognition that combining our individual efforts into a singular unified entity will better serve our shared mission to celebrate and amplify new music in our region.
I’m grateful to be given this opportunity and have three primary objectives as the new Executive Director of this merged organization: focus, unify, and grow.
1. Focus
One of the strongest motivators for this merger is a desire to bring into sharp focus the roles that Versipel New Music and nienteForte play as New Orleans-based new music entities. nienteForte has established its brand as a new music residency series featuring concerts, masterclasses, and student-reading workshops from world-renowned new music performers and ensembles from across the globe. Versipel New Music has established its brand as a New Orleans-based collective of performers and composers dedicated to concert performances that showcase the best in new music today. We’re steering the events we curated as separate organizations towards these more precise brand definitions under the new unified organization, allowing both the Versipel Collective concerts and the nienteForte residencies to hone in on their strengths and offer more support so we can continue to curate new music in the ways that our community has come to expect.
2. Unify
Collaboration has been a core tenet between Versipel New Music and nienteForte even before we started discussions of merging. This comes from a philosophy we all share that the community we serve is made stronger when we work together. As the new Executive Director, I’m establishing a stronger framework designed to elevate and unify our operations as a single organization. This framework is multifaceted with various pillars that range from big picture goals of better defining our mission and vision to detailed goals of streamlining how we operate including scheduling, communications, and fundraising strategies. Additionally, the Versipel New Music brand will be used to advocate for and support projects from any of the talented individuals within the organization, granting them agency and independence within our roof. Establishing and guiding these pillars will be instrumental in reducing the barriers that interfere with our ability to spend time doing what we want to the most: making new music together.
3. Grow
The cultural vibrancy of New Orleans makes it a natural hub for new music, and Versipel New Music and nienteForte have done a lot to cultivate and foster that local community. But passion for new music in our region is not exclusive to New Orleans. Across the state of Louisiana, there is a network of individuals and organizations that share our love for new music. In the same spirit of collaboration that has driven this merger, we are launching outreach initiatives to create new connections and partnerships throughout the state, welcoming both established and emerging talent into our new music community. The first of these is Batture Contemporary, a Louisiana-focused new music festival that will have its inaugural debut this coming September. This call-for-scores festival will harness and cultivate a larger new music community by bringing composers from across the state to New Orleans to hear their work performed by the Versipel Collective. This, along with other initiatives that we will be rolling out gradually over time, will provide increased access to concert, residency, and festival opportunities, paving the way for a stronger and brighter new music identity not only in New Orleans but across Louisiana.
The Path Forward
The integration of Versipel New Music and nienteForte together opens up new doors and opportunities to fulfill our program goals while retaining the individual autonomies that have made these programs persevere for over a decade. My ultimate directive as the Executive Director is to leverage the strengths of these existing programs while simultaneously establishing new ways for us to engage with our community, cementing a stronger and larger foundation of sustainability and stability. nienteForte will continue bringing world-class new music performers and ensembles to the region for concerts, masterclasses, student readings, and workshops. The Versipel Collective will continue pushing the boundaries of its New Orleans concert programming and will also be an integral part of a new pilot program to engage with composition programs outside of New Orleans. Batture Contemporary will showcase the strongest in new music across our region. I’m excited to turn the page and guide and influence this new chapter in our organization’s history.
Diversity Still Matters
As I move into this new role, I feel it is important to make a statement on behalf of Versipel New Music regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Despite the potential negative impact on federal and state grant funding we may receive due to changes in philosophy and policy around diversity initiatives across the country, we will not be silenced in what we feel is our moral imperative to amplify creative voices from a wide spectrum of communities including those that have been systemically marginalized. Diversity in the arts is a strength, not a handicap, and Versipel New Music stands firm in our commitment to provide a platform for these diverse voices to be heard and given their well-earned spotlight.
Thank you.
Versipel New Music and nienteForte were both independently created to find and bring together individuals that are passionate about new music. Now, over a decade later, the strength and perseverance of both organizations are a direct result of the belief and support of the new music community that has embraced us. As we navigate this exciting new chapter of our unified venture, I wanted to say thank you. While there are still many challenges ahead of us, I am confident that with the continued support of our dedicated community of composers, performers, staff, donors, and fans, Versipel New Music will become a defining new music force in New Orleans, the state of Louisiana, and the Gulf South.
Happy new music making,
Mendel Lee
Executive Director
Versipel New Music
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