Miller Theatre’s Composer Portraits Turn 25 with a Photo Exhibition

Miller Theatre's flagship concert series, Composer Portraits, celebrates its 25th anniversary this season. To mark the occasion, Miller will present in its lobby an exhibition of photographs commissioned over the years of composers who have participated in the concert series. The photos will be on view through May 30, 2025.

Composer Portraits have given audiences an evening-length immersion into the work of some of the world’s best composers, featuring conversational, on-stage talks that demystify the creative process. The series has fostered the creation of new work, served as an incubator for emerging artists, and created a community of adventurous listeners. Championing the work of today’s most inspiring composers, Composer Portraits are a mainstay of New York’s contemporary artistic landscape.

Columbia News caught up with Melissa Smey, executive director of Miller Theatre, to discuss both the exhibition and the concert series.

How did this exhibition come about?

We wanted to find a special way to showcase the incredible composer photography we've commissioned over the years, so we worked with the talented young curator Akhira Montague to conceptualize how best to activate the Miller lobby space. The photos are stunning, and they show both the range of people who are composers, and reflect the ambition, grace, humor, joy, and skill embodied by their music. I can't wait for the Columbia community, concert audiences, and the public to interact with the exhibition.

What is it about this series, Composer Portraits, that is so distinctive and enriching for New York's music scene?

Composer Portraits give audiences a full-evening immersion into the work of a living composer, with onstage conversations that humanize the creative process for listeners. Classical music concerts typically feature works by a few different composers from the (sometimes distant) past, and what makes this series distinctive is that we focus on one living composer. It’s like listening to a ‘90s mix playlist versus a full album by a particular artist or band.

This gives listeners an opportunity to develop more nuanced opinions about new music that may be unfamiliar. We also invite the composers to be in residence at Miller Theatre for several days leading up to the concerts, so they have time to work closely with the musicians, and to help guide their interpretations of the music. Composer Portraits connect audiences with the current pulse of new music—what artists are thinking about, with work that speaks to the time and reflects the moment.

Can you share some of your most memorable Composer Portrait evenings over the years?

First and foremost are the wonderful audiences that come to these concerts. Attendees are curious and ready to listen—even for music that some perceive as “difficult” or “challenging.” Being a part of Columbia is key, as there is a spirit of inquiry here that is a fundamental facet of campus life.

Ironically, one of my fondest memories is when a subscriber happily told me once at intermission that she didn’t like anything she had just heard, but that she always appreciated her encounters with new music at Miller. Also, I will never forget the Lou Reed Composer Portrait in 2010, which included a transcription of his Metal Machine Music album for a 16-musician amplified ensemble. The decibel level for parts of that concert were so high, it literally shook plaster off the ceiling.

How do you decide which composers to feature each year? Some composers are returning, and others have never performed at Miller before, correct?

For this coming season, all five composers are presented in the series for the first time. We worked with Courtney Bryan and Miguel Zenón on our podcast Mission: Commission, and have included music by Miya Masaoka and Jessie Montgomeryin other series at Miller. Lisa Streich will be new for Miller audiences.

I have a very long wish list of composers I’d love to work with one day! We actively design concerts that audiences cannot hear anywhere else, often featuring world, U.S., and New York premieres, which draw audiences locally and from across the region precisely for these unique opportunities. Diversity is a deeply embedded tenet of our programming philosophy. Composer Portraits has been widely recognized for the range of styles and perspectives it embraces, and the concert series has earned special mention for its gender diversity. This continues to be urgent work: Among the broader global classical music landscape, only 7.5% of works composed by women were performed by orchestras worldwide in 2023-24. Over the last five seasons at Miller Theatre, 44% of the featured composers were women, and 8% were nonbinary.

Which upcoming Composer Portraits this season are you especially excited about?

All of them! But I’ll share highlights for two concerts this fall. We open the season on September 12 with a homecoming for Courtney Bryan, who received her Doctorate of Musical Arts from the Department of Music. A native of New Orleans, Courtney is a brilliant composer, pianist, and educator whose music draws inspiration from gospel and jazz. On November 14, we’ll have the first performance in New York of Miguel Zenón’s Golden City, an evening-length multimedia work for an all-star lineup of musicians. Miguel is an acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, and this suite is dynamic, joyful, and engaging.