Bring the masterwork "Winter" symphony to life!

Half a lifetime ago, I composed a masterwork. I called it "Winter: Three Songs on the Nature of Armageddon", a dark symphony some 35 minutes long for a large orchestra and dramatic mezzo-soprano.

Want a demo first? Here it is: Winter demo on Bandcamp

If you often listen to nonpop (what used to be called "classical music") you're aware that big orchestras in the U.S. are afraid to present long, dramatic works that are new and untried—especially music by little-known composers.

Yes, I'm little-known even having written 1300 compositions, including two operas and five symphonies, with 650 of the creations having been performed. Even orchestras played them. Audiences loved them. Musicians loved them.

But that was then; times have changed. The musical world has grown conservative. Where once large symphonies might be played, now it's rare. It's a difficult time, something I know from having sent large works to symphonies and being ghosted.

Still, I wish that everyone felt as Aaron Krister Johnson wrote on BlueSky, "Dennis Bathory-Kitsz's music is really quite genius-level, and bowled me over with its uniqueness when I first encountered it. This is a worthwhile project to support if you have the means to do so."

What does all this mean? It means that I'm turning to an orchestra in Europe familiar with new music. They have already seen the "Winter" musical score, chosen the musicians, and begun the groundwork for a performance in Eastern Europe on March 20, 2025.

But it's expensive, and without a substantial grant, I have to raise the money. As a composer friend wrote to me, "Composers have always had to organize, barter, or pay someone to perform their work; if you get a grant or a benefactor you are still paying."

So here we are. By the time the rehearsals, premiere, and recording release are finished, the total will come close to $10,000*. My goal here is to commit as much of my own funds as I can afford—and ask for your help for the rest.

If you want to know more about my music, here are some links:

Videos of my music on YouTube

Audio of my music on SoundCloud

A complete list of my musical creations

Thanks for visiting. I hope you can help out.

*Some folks have asked why so much. By the time travel, lodging, editing, design, production, and distribution are added to the cost of the orchestra, conductor, and soloist, this will be close to the total. I'm good at cutting costs, so I set the actual fundraising goal to $7,500 -- the minimum for everything sans disasters!