Meet the Institute composers: Chris Rogerson

Chris Rogerson is one of the four composers of the inaugural NJSO Edward T. Cone Composition Institute. A Ph.D. candidate at Princeton, the Buffalo native's Institute piece, Night and the City, was inspired by his college experience in Philadelphia.

What attracted you to the NJSO Edward T. Cone Composition Institute?

It seemed like a great opportunity. I am currently in the Ph.D. program at Princeton University, so I live in Princeton. I’ve seen the NJSO perform, and I have some friends who perform in the Orchestra regularly. I thought the Institute structure looked like a really worthwhile [program], and I feel like I can learn a lot from it.

[As a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton], I’ve gotten a chance to work with [Princeton University Department of Music Chair and Institute Director Steven Mackey] a lot, and he’s obviously really great [as a mentor]. So this was an interesting opportunity to continue working with him, but in a different context.

What key experiences have shaped your journey as a composer?

I was lucky enough to go to the Curtis Institute of Music, where I met a lot of incredible performers—both faculty and students—and made lifelong friendships and connections. I think one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had as a composer is working on your music very closely with people who are just incredible musicians and who also happen to be the close friends you hang out with on a regular basis. That has been really valuable for me.

Curtis affords students a lot of opportunities. Most composers are lucky to get one orchestra performance ever [as a student]. But in my four years at Curtis, I had four compositions played by the world-class Curtis Orchestra. So that was obviously a great experience for me. That helped me compositionally, [Another key part of that experience was that] after working hard to write a piece that you’re proud of, you received a great recording of it, [which has been] very helpful in moving forward.

IN THE COMPOSER’S WORDS

Night and the City was appropriately composed primarily late at night in Philadelphia, where I was studying at the Curtis Institute of Music. The piece reflects the busy energy of such a large city, with people and traffic making noise seemingly without end. The middle section of the work is more tender and soft—perhaps the rare instance when one can imagine falling asleep. There is a sense of grandeur and splendor throughout Night and the City—it’s a musical portrait of my first experience living in a major metropolitan city.

Learn more about Rogerson and the other Institute composers.