On November 14th the Cincinnati Song initiative programmed Philip Lasser’s composition Elemental Earth as part of its program entitled Americana: On Life and Living celebrating the bicentennial of the poet Walt Whitman. Lasser’s work was the winning composition in the 2019 NATS Art Song Composition Award. Soprano Blythe Gaissert and pianist Donna Hallen Loewy performed the work. In partnership with NATS, the Cincinnati Song initiative has agreed to program each year’s winning composition. The deadline for the 2020 competition is December 1st. More info on the competition can be found Here. Visit www.cincinnatisonginitiative.org for more about their programming.