Mission Statement: The WSMTA Commissioned Composer of the Year is the Washington State segment of the MTNA Composer Commissioning Program. MTNA is dedicated to encouraging the creation of new works by American composers, and annually assists its affiliated State Associations with the generation and performance of new music through the national Composer Commissioning program. A newly commissioned work receives its premiere performance at the convention of the State MTA, which is then submitted to a panel of recognized composers for selection of the MTNA Distinguished Composer of the Year.
Nathan Campbell, 2024 WSMTA Commissioned Composer of the Year
The premiere of Nathan Campbells’s piece was performed at the WSMTA Conference in June, and was very well received. Orbits, for cello and piano, was performed by cellist Ben Workman Smith, with the composer on the piano. Nathan’s composition will be sent to MTNA in December to vie for the Distinguished Composer of the Year. We wish him all the best! Thank you, Nathan, for representing WSMTA!
Nicole Buetti, 2025 WSMTA Commissioned Composer of the Year
We are pleased to announce the 2025 WSMTA Commissioned Composer of the Year, Nicole Buetti!
In addition to her work composing and creating children’s educational content with In A World Music/The Nirks®, Nicole Buetti has composed extensively for chamber ensembles and large ensembles of various configurations, and has had music commissioned and licensed for use all over the world. She loves to incorporate whimsy and wonder into her musical works. She was appointed the Composer inf Residence for the Assisi Performing Arts Music Festival in Italy in 2013. Her published works for chamber groups, wind bands, and orchestras are available from Goes to Eleven Media on her website, Forton Music, Brotons-Mercadal Publishing, Warming Sun Music, and JW Pepper. Her works have been performed worldwide from Portland, Oregon to Assisi, Italy, to Tokyo, Japan. She is always looking forward to new projects, commissions and collaborations. Nicole is also a bassoonist and contrabassoonist (which she adores) and performs with several orchestras in the Pacific Northwest. Nicole resides in Vancouver, WA. When not composing, puppeteering or performing, she teaches bassoon at the University of Portland, Willamette University, Clark College, and her private studio. Please see her very entertaining website: nicolebuetti.com.
Nicole’s proposal for her commissioned work:
As for the piece, currently, I’m leaning towards a trio for 2 bassoons and contrabassoon. A working title is. “A Series of Oddities.” It will be a multi movement piece. I hope to capture and highlight the whimsy, wonder and strangeness of the world (or possibly universe) around us (which is why a contrabassoon will definitely be involved. It doesn’t get much odder than that). I hope to combine contrapuntal music techniques, pointillism, and odd meters (naturally) into a piece that will hopefully evoke joy and wonder from the audience.