Since its inception in 1995, the Visiting Composers' Series has attracted national attention for being one of few programs that bring together diverse performance groups on a monthly basis to perform major works of today's leading composers. These concerts have introduced to Texas audiences such works as Joseph Schwantner 's Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra and John Corigliano 's A Dylan Thomas Trilogy for soloists, double chorus, and large orchestra. Other composers who have participated in the series include John Harbison , Jonathan Jones, Thea Musgrave , Joan Tower , and William Craft. Welcher feels that the Visiting Composer Series plays an important role in bringing new music to Austin. There is a lot of community support, people come to it who don't come to other events on campus.
All concerts are free and open to the public.
Funding for the series comes from the Meyerson Endowed Professorship. The money from this Professorship covers the visiting composers' fees, travel and accommodation expenses. This year composer David Maslanka opened the season. The UT Wind Ensemble, conducted by Jerry Junkin , presented Maslanka's Concerto for Saxophone on October 4 featuring UT faculty member Harvey Pittel . UT's New Music Ensemble, conducted by Dan Welcher performed Masalanka's Montana Music for violin, cello, and piano and Blue Mountain Music for wind quintet and piano on October 3.