NOTION Music News

International Music Competition Selects University Professor to Record with London Symphony Orchestra

2008-09-17T00:00:00-05:00

NOTION Music Names Mark E. Wilson as Grand Prize Winner, Realize Music Challenge NOTION Music has announced that Dr. Mark Edwards Wilson, on the faculty of the School of Music at the University of Maryland, is the grand prize winner of the company's second Realize Music Challenge, an annual orchestral composition competition that draws entries from composers across the globe. As the grand prize winner, Wilson receives a paid trip for two to London to be at Abbey Road Studios when the London Symphony Orchestra records his composition. In addition, he receives a cash prize of $2,500. "Musicians from all over the world used NOTION software to compose their entries," said Jim Boitnott, President, NOTION Music. "We were especially happy with the diverse nature of the entries, ranging from lightly orchestrated minimalistic compositions to very complex large orchestral works - with an overall quality that exceeded last year's submissions." Wilson has had his compositions performed and recorded around the world, from the Kennedy Center to the Kiev Philharmonic. From his home in Bowie, Maryland, Wilson commented on his latest award: "This opportunity comes at a particularly important juncture in my development as a composer. 'The Phoenix Rising' is among the first works that I have composed using what has become for me a radically new style emphasizing the dramatic narrative. It has inspired my renewed passion for the symphony orchestra with its myriad colors, visceral power, and unrivaled richness." "The Phoenix Rising" was the first composition Wilson completed using NOTION software. "The first time I used NOTION I was immediately impressed with its streamlined efficiency. It is very direct, easy to learn, and, above all logical," he says. "Their samples are acoustically clear and allow one to easily perceive even complex textures. This is first-rate music software." Finalists in three other categories were selected in recognition for their composition skill. All three Finalists receive a $1,000 cash prize. * Professional (published) composers category: David Coscina, from Ontario, Canada, was chosen for the Finalist award in this contestant category with his composition "Musashi Suite for Orchestra." * Emerging (unpublished) composers category: John McIntyre, also from Canada, received the Finalist award in this category for "Festive Overture." * Young (under 18) composers category: Matt Webster of Canberra, A.C.T., Australia, captured the Finalist prize in this category with his "March of the Ants." Also named are nine runner-up winners (three in each contestant category): * Young Composers: Adam Violaris (London, United Kingdom) "Appalachian Trail"; Anthony Blackman (Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada) "Largo and Vivace for Strings"; and Jules Pegram (Greensboro, North Carolina) "Earthquake!" * Emerging Composers: Richard Birdsall (Thornaby, Stockton on Tees, United Kingdom) "Enigma"; Phillip Martin (Scarsdale, New York) "Sarabandoid"; and Jacob Kirk (St. Augustine, Florida) "Paul's Travails." * Professional Composers: Vincent Oppido (East Meadow, New York) "Celebrations: for Leonard Slatkin"; Mike Pettry (Astoria, New York) "Requiem"; and Ricardo Iznaola (Denver, Colorado) "In the Eyes, a Silver Dagger." Each runner-up winner receives five NOTION expansion sound kits of their choosing. The expert panel of judges who selected the top winners represented concert hall, motion picture, and education settings. John Corigliano, one of the most widely recognized American composers today, has won several awards, including Grammy and Academy awards - and a Pulitzer Prize. Carter Burwell, an in-demand Hollywood composer, has over 65 motion picture titles to his credit, including A Knight's Tale, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and It Could Happen to You. Lawrence Dillon, an esteemed educator and an internationally acclaimed composer (the youngest to complete a doctorate at Juilliard), has a broad portfolio of works - from solo pieces to full-length opera. Composers from all walks of life created and submitted entries between November 2007 and the end of May 2008, and the judging concluded in August. NOTION Music plans to release details about the next Realize Music Challenge, renamed the NOTION Music Challenge, later this year.

Amateur Guitarist Wins NOTION Music's Be A Rock Star Contest

2008-08-19T00:00:00-05:00

Attorney Bests Field of International Rockers When NOTION Music, Inc. announced the winning video in the first annual Be a Rock Star contest, the prize went to an unlikely candidate: Randy Pate, who holds a button-down job in the Washington, D.C. area. As an attorney for the Health Care industry, Randy normally exhibits little in common with his more edgy competitors in NOTION's guitar-lead competition. But with an electric guitar in his hands and a video camera capturing his licks and bends, Randy walked away with top honors and prizes worth over $2000. Submitters to the Be a Rock Star contest provided YouTube links to NOTION Music to videos of themselves playing guitar leads to their choice of four background tracks created in NOTION Music's PROGRESSION software. Would-be rock stars as far away as England, Japan, and Australia participated in the competition by capturing on video their lead solo to a tune based on blues, modern rock, classic rock, or Pachelbel's Canon. From his home in Virginia, Randy says, "This is a great feather in my musical cap. I had a blast playing along with the track. I'm already working to up my game next year to defend my title." "He is really an average dude," says Mark Urmos of NOTION Music's marketing department, "But he can really rock out." Mark, and the other NOTION Music judges, enjoyed the straight-out performance from this left-handed guitarist with no knowledge of his more pedestrian day job. For his efforts, Randy received a full complement of NOTION Music software (PROGRESSION, NOTION, and all expansion sound kits), a year's subscription to Guitar World magazine, and an endorsement on the NOTION Music web site. Three other finalists were also selected for their musical achievement: * Blues winner: Scott Smith of Ayrshire, Scotland * Modern rock winner: Joe Pluff of Merriam, Kansas, U.S. * Pachelbel's Canon winner: Ben Tinker of Crows Nest, Australia The next Be a Rock Star contest is currently scheduled to be launched in early 2009.

Three Renowned Composers Judge Realize Music Challenge

2008-03-25T00:00:00-05:00

Luminaries of Concert Hall and Hollywood to Pick Winners of NOTION Music's International Competition NOTION Music, Inc., makers of NOTION™ music composition and performance software, has named three eminent composers - John Corigliano, Carter Burwell, and Lawrence Dillon - as judges for this year's Realize Music Challenge. This is the second year for NOTION Music's annual orchestral composition contest that attracts contestants from around the world. The judges rank top submissions to determine the winners of thirteen prizes. One Grand Prize winner, accompanied by a guest, will be flown to London to record the winning composition with the London Symphony Orchestra, the same orchestra featured in NOTION's built-in sound library. This recording session will take place at Abbey Road Studios, home to some of the most acclaimed recordings in music history. The Grand Prize winner will also receive hotel accommodations while in London and $2,500 in cash. Twelve other prizes will be awarded. "We deliberately sought successful composers from different backgrounds to be on our panel of judges," said Jim Boitnott, VP of Sales and Marketing for NOTION Music. "This helps ensure submissions, representing a wide variety of genres and forms, all receive unbiased treatment. NOTION Music has successfully assembled a panel of judges with different musical emphasis, from concert hall to theatrical films to academia." John Corigliano is one of the most widely recognized American composers today. His prolific work has earned several prestigious honors, including Grammy, Grawemeyer, and Pulitzer awards. He gained wider popularity with his scores for theatrical films Altered States (1980), Revolution (1985), and Francois Girard's The Red Violin (1997), which earned him the Academy Award for that year's best Original Music Score. Carter Burwell is an in-demand Hollywood composer with over 65 film titles to his credit, as varied as Hamlet, Conspiracy Theory, Fargo, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? He has also written music for dance, stage, television spots, and other creative venues. Mr. Burwell's most recent film work appears in the Coen Brothers' No Country for Old Men and Martin McDonagh's In Bruges. Lawrence Dillon has a broad portfolio of composed works, from solo pieces to full-length opera, which has earned him numerous international awards. He was the youngest to complete a doctorate at The Juilliard School (where he afterwards joined the faculty). Currently, Dr. Dillon is the Composer in Residence at the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he has filled various posts, including Dean of the School of Music. Contestants can submit an original composition in NOTION file format to the Realize Music Challenge through May 31, 2008. Each composer competes for prizes against musical peers in one of three contestant categories: Young, Emerging, or Professional composers. For more information, visit: www.notionmusic.com/contest.

NOTION Taps Music Marketing For Canadian Distribution

2007-12-16T00:00:00-05:00

NOTION Music, Inc., a leading provider of music software solutions, announces an exclusive arrangement with Music Marketing for providing distribution of it's product lines in Canada. Based in Toronto, Music Marketing is specialized in music technology products and partners with some of the top names in music hardware and software. A top notch sales and technical team boasts decades of experience in providing solutions and support for the fast-paced world of computer music. Both NOTION Music and Music Marketing will be attending The NAMM Show, the music products industry's largest trade show in Anaheim, California, January 17-20. Please visit NOTION Music in booth 6912 or Music Marketing in booth 6828.

Rock Around the Christmas Tree with PROGRESSION this Holiday

2007-11-17T00:00:00-05:00

NOTION Music's Newest Software is a Hit with Guitarists PROGRESSION, guitar application software by NOTION Music, enables musicians to create, learn and distribute music in a completely new way and is the perfect holiday gift for guitarists of all skill levels. Available online and in select music stores, PROGRESSION is revolutionizing the way guitar players create music. The software, designed for guitar pros and amateurs alike, is a powerful, yet easy-to-use application for creating, learning, practicing and distributing music. Tablature or standard notation can be quickly and easily entered through a computer, or played into the program with a MIDI guitar or MIDI keyboard. Songs can be enhanced by built-in guitar and bass amp simulators, Virtual Studio Technology (VST) effects hosting and PROGRESSION's extensive sound library - to create a complete band-backing track. Users are able to share the music they produce by creating guitar tabs, lead sheets and standard sheet music, or simply exporting an audio file. PROGRESSION's industry-leading playback technology creates a clear, quality sound making it a stage- or garage-worthy accompaniment. PROGRESSION's built-in sound library features thousands of real electric and acoustic guitar samples from world-renown guitarist Neil Zaza, as well as electric bass and drums samples from Grammy® Award winners Victor Wooten and Roy "Futureman" Wooten. Other sound library instruments include piano, clavinet and Fender Rhodes® keyboard. Find more information about PROGRESSION, hear sound and song samples, and find a local or online dealer at http://products.notionmusic.com/progression/.

NOTION Music Launches Second Annual Composition Contest

2007-11-16T00:00:00-05:00

Realize Music Challenge seeks next Mozart from global pool of contestants NOTION Music, Inc., creators of NOTION™ music composition and performance software, has kicked off the second annual Realize Music Challenge. Again this year, composers from around the world will submit online an orchestra piece completed in NOTION software for a chance to win a recording session with the world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. The deadline for entries is May 31, 2008. "We're going to discover another many great works of art this year," said Lori Jarrett, CEO of NOTION Music. "Our software provides the environment musicians can utilize to develop into great composers. It's the ability to hear their works performed - it's that immediate, realistic feedback that our technology provides. Musicians are able to work in a musical score without worrying about technology, and that makes for great music." One Grand Prize winner, accompanied by a guest, will be flown to London to record the winning composition with the London Symphony Orchestra, the same orchestra featured in NOTION's built-in sound library. This recording session will take place at Abbey Road Studios, home to some of the most acclaimed recordings in music history. The Grand Prize winner will also receive hotel accommodations while in London and $2,500. Last year's Grand Prize winner, 23-year old Inal Bilsel, had his composition, titled "Nilay's Dream," recorded at Abbey Road Studios in March of 2007. "I enjoyed using NOTION and found it very straightforward to learn and input notation," said Bilsel. "I will definitely continue to use it, and I recommend it to every composer looking for easy-to-use software as well as quality-sounding demos." The Grand Prize winner will be chosen from one of the following categories: Young, Emerging or Professional Composer. A panel of distinguished composers and conductors will also select three finalists, each receiving $1,000, and nine runners-up, who will receive their choice of NOTION software. Submitted original compositions must be 5-10 minutes in length and created in NOTION software. To learn more about the NOTION Realize Music Challenge entry information and rules, visit www.notionmusic.com/contest.

North Carolina Heads Back to School with a Better Music Curriculum NOTION Music Donates Professional Music Composition Software to Local Teachers

2007-09-29T00:00:00-05:00

Continuing their mission to support music education, NOTION Music has donated 80 copies of NOTION, its professional music composition and performance software, to North Carolina schools and colleges. The contribution, valued at approximately $50,000, has been distributed to the local schools over the last few months and will continue through September. Most schools have requested the software to help support the music department which, in most cases, is working within constraints of a low budget. The North Carolina schools benefiting from NOTION's donation include: Bennett College, Greensboro Cary Christian School, Cary Eastern Guilford High School, Gibsonville Holly Springs High School, Holly Springs Moss Street Elementary School, Reidsville Page Street Elementary School, Troy South Granville High School, Creedmoor Winston-Salem State University, Winston-Salem NOTION software combines the best players, the finest instruments and the latest recording technology. It was developed by recording the instrumental sounds of the London Symphony Orchestra at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. NOTION Music makes software that is used by professional and aspiring musicians around the world allowing anyone, anywhere to write, record and play music as if working with a full ensemble of musicians. NOTION has previously donated over 300 copies of software to schools across the country this year, in hopes of improving music education.

Berklee College of Music Selects NOTION for its Conducting Program Students Will Have Full-Time Access to Virtual Orchestra

2007-09-27T00:00:00-05:00

NOTION Music, Inc. announces that professors at Berklee College of Music in Boston will use NOTION Conducting, an integrated environment consisting of software, computer workstations, and curricular materials, to teach more than 800 students enrolled in the school's 2007-2008 conducting program. With NOTION Conducting, Berklee will offer one of the most technologically advanced conducting programs in the country. The software enables students to learn and practice the art of conducting with a virtual orchestra that is available to them anytime, anywhere. "The hallmark of a Berklee education is that our students learn by doing, which is exactly the experience that NOTION [Conducting] provides," said David Mash, Vice President of Technology, Berklee College of Music. "NOTION allows the students to go beyond learning the basics of conducting to developing their own interpretations of a score in an environment that provides direct and immediate feedback, much like working with a live orchestra." The software was designed by NOTION Music founder, Dr Jack Jarrett, a former chair and 12-year veteran of the Berklee composition department. While at Berklee, Dr. Jarrett began working on early versions of NOTION Conducting, incorporating feedback and expertise from Berklee professors and students. "Part of NOTION Music's mission is to encourage music education, and we are honored to have the opportunity to help Berklee students realize the art and excitement of conducting," said Jarrett. "We look forward to working with other colleges and universities in a similar capacity." Berklee College of Music was founded on the revolutionary principle that the best way to prepare students for careers in music was through the study and practice of contemporary music. For more than 60 years, the college has evolved constantly to reflect the state of the art of music and the music business. With over a dozen performance and nonperformance majors, a diverse and talented student body representing over 70 countries and a music industry "who's who" of alumni, Berklee is the world's premier music learning lab.

Music Teachers, Students Go Back to School with Virtual Orchestra NOTION Conducting Revolutionizes the Learning Experience

2007-09-25T00:00:00-05:00

Starting this fall, NOTION Music will change the way many schools across the country teach conducting. By using NOTION Conducting, an integrated environment consisting of software, computer workstations, and curricular materials, music instructors are able to overcome what has traditionally been an inherent problem - teaching orchestral conducting without an orchestra. NOTION Conducting enables students to learn and practice the art of conducting with a virtual orchestra that responds as if a student were conducting a live ensemble of musicians. "We wanted NOTION Conducting to simulate the experience of working with a live orchestra, but in a learning environment," said Dr. Jack Jarrett, founder and vice president of research and development, NOTION Music Inc. "This allows students to receive direct and immediate feedback, while studying, practicing and developing their own interpretations of a score." NOTION's patented technology represents a revolution in the way this profession, that is hundreds of years old, is taught. Until now, most students around the world have learned conducting via piano, pre-recorded example, solitary score study or at best, a small ensemble of instruments played by classmates. With NOTION Conducting, teachers are able to focus solely on a student's movements, while the student is able to conduct a full "orchestra." Other students in the classroom respond to the conductor in the same way real orchestral players would, so the conducting student hears the actual results of his or her gestures, including sloppy starts and skipped beats. For the first time, conducting students can also take the orchestra with them on their laptops to practice anytime, anywhere. One school benefiting from the software is the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, which has incorporated NOTION Conducting into its 2007/2008 conducting curriculum. "With NOTION [Conducting], our students are able to go beyond learning the basics of conducting to developing their own interpretations of a score, learning how to solve problems in real time, and building their confidence in conducting a full orchestra," said David Mash, Vice President of Technology, Berklee College of Music. "Part of our mission is to encourage music education," added Jarrett. "We expect this product to help students realize the art and excitement of conducting."

International Music Competition Sends 23-Year-Old Composer to Record with London Symphony Orchestra

2007-03-21T00:00:00-05:00

NOTION Music Names Inal Bilsel as Grand Prize Winner, Realize Music Challenge GREENSBORO, N.C. (March 21, 2007) - NOTION Music is pleased to announce that Inal Bilsel of London is the grand prize winner of the company's first Realize Music Challenge, a competition that drew entries from composers across the globe. As the grand prize winner, Bilsel will record his composition in a three-hour recording session with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios. In addition, Bilsel will receive a copy of NOTION software and a cash prize of $2,500. "Musicians from all over the world used NOTION software to take our Realize Music Challenge," said Lori Jarrett, chief executive officer, NOTION Music. "We were very happy with the diverse nature of the entries. Part of our mission is to showcase the immense talent of these composers." Bilsel's winning composition, titled "Nilay's Dream" is an orchestral overture revealing his influences in atonal and jazz music. Having completed a master's degree in composition from the University of London's Royal Holloway, Bilsel has a number of works to his credit. Some of which have been performed in concert by such noted performers as violinist Vladimir Kostov. "I enjoyed using NOTION. It was very easy to learn and input notation," said Bilsel, Realize Music Challenge grand prize winner. "I will definitely continue to use it, and I will recommend it to every composer who is looking for easy-to-use software as well as a program that creates quality sounding demos." Among hundreds of entries, finalists in three other categories were selected in recognition for their entries. Ian Cugley, also from England, was chosen for the Accomplished Composer award which was designed to recognize composers 25 years of age and older. Cugley resides in Ramsgate, Kent. Nathaniel Daw from Leongatha, Victoria in Australia, was named the winner of the Emerging Composer category of entrants from 18 to 24 years of age; and Lucas Porter from Port Williams, Nova Scotia in Canada, was named Young Composer amongst entrants under the age of 18 years. All three finalists will be given a copy of NOTION software and a $1,000 cash prize. To view Realize Music Challenge winner photos and hear winning compositions, visit http://www.notionmusic.com/win/. The expert panel of judges who chose the winners among hundreds of entries included: Charles Strouse, known for his Broadway legacy, "Bye Bye Birdie;" Joby Talbot, best known for music in films such as "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and "The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse;" and Hummie Mann, two-time Emmy-award winning composer, recognized for his original score in Mel Brook's "Robin Hood: Men in Tights." Composers created and submitted entries between June and November of 2006, and the judging concluded in February. NOTION Music plans to release details about the 2007 Realize Music Challenge in September.

NOTION® Now Shipping Sessions: Rhythm Section and Expanded Mallets 1 Sound Kits

2007-01-18T00:00:00-05:00

NAMM - Anaheim, CA - NOTION Music, makers of NOTION music composition and performance software, is now shipping Sessions: Rhythm Section, their first sound kit featuring pop, rock, R&B and jazz sounds as well as Expanded Mallets 1 Sound Expansion Kit. The company also announces Solo Strings 1, the newest addition to a rapidly expanding sound kit library for NOTION products. Now shipping, "Sessions: Rhythm Section" supplements NOTION's traditional orchestral library with the sounds of a contemporary rhythm section, featuring bass and drum set samples performed by Victor and Roy Wooten at Dark Horse Studios in Nashville and electric guitar samples performed by Vernon Reid at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. The drum set includes various techniques for 6-piece drum set and a broad variety of techniques and dynamics are included for electric bass and electric guitar. Upright bass, Fender Rhodes™ electric piano, and Hohner Clavinet™ are also included. "Expanded Mallets 1" adds marimba, vibraphone, crotales and chimes to the NOTION sound library. Techniques included are strikes and rolls from a 5-octave marimba, strikes on chimes and strikes on crotales. Vibraphone has strikes and rolls with motor off, slow motor speed, fast motor speed and pedal up. Solo Strings 1, due out in the spring of 2007, will add solo violin, viola, cello, and bass to the stock London Symphony Orchestra sounds in NOTION. Each recorded performance will include legato, staccato, pizzicato, accent, half-step trill, and whole-step trill articulations as well as multiple samples to interpret dynamics, slurs, and other articulations used within NOTION. The violin played on Solo Strings 1 is a 1698 Antonius Stradivarius on loan from the Royal Academy of Music and played by Carmine Lauri, co-leader of the London Symphony Orchestra. The viola is a late 16th century Antonio Brenzi played by Edward Vanderspar, principal viola player of the London Symphony Orchestra. The cello is by Matteo Gofriller, made in Venice circa 1710, played by Moray Welsh, principal cellist of the London Symphony Orchestra. The double bass is an 1840s Thomas Kennedy 'flat back' from Oxford Street in London, played by Colin Paris, co-principal double bassist of the London Symphony Orchestra. NOTION is designed for students, composers and musicians on all levels as a tool for composition, learning, practice, and live performance. It combines a full-featured music notation system with interpretive algorithms linked to a proprietary playback engine that offers samples of thousands of individual notes and articulations played by the London Symphony Orchestra and recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

NOTION® Reaches Version 1.6

2007-01-18T00:00:00-05:00

Includes new scoring features, improved file handling, lyrics, and expanded percussion features NAMM - Anaheim, CA - NOTION Music announces version 1.6 of NOTION, their flagship music composition and performance software. This ambitious update adds new scoring features, improves file handling, adds support for lyrics, and expands NOTION's capabilities beyond classical music genres. Among the new scoring features in NOTION 1.6 are support for lyrics, chord symbol entry and playback, special note entry (x, triangle, and slash), and forced "page-turns" as well as improvements to tempo markings, beaming, ties, tuplets, and overall rendering of score appearance. The handling of repeats has been improved as well as NOTION's ability to read and interpret articulations and imported data. To coincide with the release of "Sessions: Rhythm Section", the company's first sound expansion kit featuring pop and rocks sounds and recordings, NOTION now includes the ability to notate for drum set. This includes multiple instruments on one staff, alternate note heads, "stir" feature for realistic sounding jazz brush techniques on snare drum, ghost note notation and performance, and cross-stick and rim-shot notation and performance for snare drum. NOTION 1.6 features a number of additions and improvements for file handling including Music XML import and export, MIDI file import, step MIDI input, and improved .WAV mixdown. NOTION is designed for students, composers, and musicians on all levels as a tool for composition, learning, practice, and live performance. It combines a full-featured music notation system with interpretive algorithms linked to a proprietary playback engine that offers samples of thousands of individual notes and articulations played by the London Symphony Orchestra and recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

Greensboro-based NOTION Music Opens London Office

2007-01-11T00:00:00-05:00

Music Software Company Hires Kris Karra to Meet Growing Customer Needs Greensboro-based NOTION Music, makers of music creation and performance software, announce the opening of a London office in response to its growing global customer base. With NOTION® software, musicians can enter, edit and manipulate notation and instantly play back their compositions on a computer. NOTION software was used last year on Meat Loaf's concert tour, allowing the 16-piece orchestra backing him to sound like a 60-piece orchestra. Additionally in 2006, the company introduced new consumer software, PROTÉGÉ, allowing musicians of all skill levels to write, rehearse and perform as if they were working with a full ensemble of musicians. As managing director of NOTION Music UK, Kris Karra has been appointed to oversee operations in a city where the company already has strong roots. To develop NOTION software, company founders worked with the London Symphony Orchestra at the famous Abbey Road Studios to record more than 100,000 instrumental sounds. "It's been quite exciting to see ourselves moving from what was once just a dream into a company with customers all over the world," said Lori Jarrett, CEO, NOTION Music. "We are extremely pleased to have Kris in London to help us strengthen our ties with our UK customers and London's musical community." Since 1998, NOTION Music (formerly VirtuosoWorks) has been dedicated to creating and perfecting music composition software, incorporating its passion, vast musical knowledge, the best programming, and of course, the finest musicians and recording technology in the world. The company has grown to more than 40 employees, and has received numerous awards recognizing its innovative vision in the software industry.

NOTION Music to Give Holiday Gift to the Tune of $260,000

2006-12-01T00:00:00-05:00

Schools and Colleges Can Now Apply to Receive Free Music Composition Software GREENSBORO, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NOTION Music, Inc., a music composition software company, is giving the gift of music this holiday season. The company will award approximately 650 copies of its music composition software to high schools and colleges across the country this month as part of its ongoing mission to support music education. The donation, an approximate $260,000 value, will be distributed between award-winning music departments and those in need of assistance. Students, parents, teachers and administrators are encouraged to nominate their schools by sending an email to notionmusic@fleishman.com. The nomination should include the music director's contact information, the number of students in the music department and a paragraph explaining why the school should receive the software. The submission deadline is December 18. NOTION software was built by working with the London Symphony Orchestra to record thousands of the highest quality samples at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. It combines the best players, the finest instruments and the latest recording technology. "NOTION Music strives to help musicians of all levels reach their greatest potential," said Lori Jarrett, Chief Executive Officer, NOTION Music. "The goal of our holiday giving program is to assist young musicians who are already demonstrating musical abilities as well as those who might not otherwise have access to a resource like NOTION software that makes it easy to write, rehearse and perform music." The philanthropic effort began last week when NOTION Music helped Eastern Guilford High School in Gibsonville, North Carolina, a local school destroyed by fire. The entire music department including instruments and sheet music was lost. The NOTION software is being used as a teaching tool while the school builds back the music department. "The music department and the students are very appreciative of NOTION's generous donation," said Justin Banner, Eastern Guilford High School's music director. "With NOTION's software we can once again play our music, which is helping us overcome the tragedy our school experienced."

NOTION™ Expands Percussion Support

2006-11-09T00:00:00-05:00

New Percussion Features and Sound Kits Debut at PASIC 2006 Austin, Texas (November 9, 2006) - NOTION Music, makers of NOTION™ music composition and performance software, announce new percussion features and two new sound kits: "Sessions: Rhythm Section" and "Expanded Mallets I" at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) in Austin, Texas, November 8-11, 2006. Additions to NOTION's powerful scoring tools include the ability to notate for drum set (multiple instruments on one staff), alternate note heads (x, triangle, and slash), "stir" feature for realistic sounding jazz brush techniques on snare drum, ghost note notation and performance, and cross-stick and rim-shot notation and performance for snare drum. "Sessions: Rhythm Section" supplements NOTION's traditional orchestral library with the sounds of a contemporary rhythm section, featuring bass and drum set samples performed by Victor and Roy Wooten at Dark Horse Studios in Nashville and electric guitar samples performed by Vernon Reid at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. The drum set includes various techniques for 6-piece drum set and cymbals, all of which can be written as individual instruments as well as in a drum set staff. A broad variety of techniques and dynamics are included for electric bass and electric guitar, including slap techniques on bass and muted sounds on both. Upright bass, Fender Rhodes™ electric piano, and Hohner Clavinet™ are also included. "Expanded Mallets I" adds marimba, vibraphone, crotales and chimes to the NOTION sound library. Techniques included are strikes and rolls from a 5-octave marimba, strikes on chimes and strikes on crotales. Vibraphone has strikes and rolls with motor off, slow motor speed, fast motor speed and pedal up. Also available is "Expanded Percussion I" featuring castanets, cowbells, cuckoo, drumsticks, maracas, power toms, ratchet, roto-toms, shakers, sleigh bells, temple blocks and woodblock. NOTION is designed for students, composers and musicians on all levels as a tool for composition, learning, practice, and live performance. It combines a full-featured music notation system with interpretive algorithms linked to a proprietary playback engine that offers samples of thousands of individual notes and articulations played by the London Symphony Orchestra and recorded at Abbey Road Studios.

Rock or Bach: Create Your Own Masterpiece with PROTÉGÉ

2006-11-08T00:00:00-05:00

New Music Software Improves Skills and Increases Confidence by Making it Easy to Compose, Rehearse, Perform Just in time for the holiday season, NOTION Music, Inc., the creators of music composition and performance software, introduce PROTÉGÉ, a new program that is easy enough for beginners and yet robust enough for seasoned musicians. PROTÉGÉ allows musicians of all skill levels to write, rehearse and perform their compositions as if they were working with a full ensemble of musicians. By including more than 100,000 sounds recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, and offering add-ons that include rock and rhythm section sounds, PROTÉGÉ gives users the freedom to explore their imaginations while composing music. Available for $99 through the NOTION website, www.notionmusic.com, PROTÉGÉ has been designed to: • improve sense of pitch and tonality • allow musicians to edit, save and practice songs based on their own interpretations • accompany primary instruments or small ensembles • create playback directly from notation • compose, explore and manipulate in-depth scores • upgrade to more complex programs to match skill-level as needed. "PROTÉGÉ was created to bolster creativity by allowing musicians to focus on the music, not the technology," said Lori Jarrett, founder and CEO of NOTION Music, Inc. "It is perfect for student musicians, hobbyist musicians or more advanced musicians who want to be accompanied by a full ensemble anytime, anywhere." From orchestral to jazz to rock, NOTION is dedicated to delivering the sounds of the world's finest musicians. NOTION software is currently being used on Meat Loaf's concert tour, allowing the 16-piece orchestra backing him to sound like a 60-piece orchestra. "The sounds are great and the way the program works is so user-friendly, and so band-friendly, that we couldn't ask for more. It's fantastic software," said Kasim Sulton, music director and bass player for Meat Loaf. Additionally, NOTION Music's inaugural Realize Music challenge is open through November 30. An expert panel of judges will select winners from compositions created using NOTION software. The winner will be sent to London to record with the London Symphony Orchestra. Since 1998, NOTION Music (formerly VirtuosoWorks) has been dedicated to creating and perfecting music composition software incorporating its passion, vast musical knowledge, the best programming, and of course, the finest musicians and recording technology in the world. The company has grown to more than 40 employees, and has received numerous awards recognizing its innovative vision in the software industry.

NOTION Plays Content for Sony Cinescore

2006-11-06T00:00:00-05:00

Pass the Ring Cinescore Theme content package contains arrangements created and played from NOTION Greensboro, NC (November 6, 2006) - NOTION Music, makers of NOTION™ music composition and performance software, have contributed content to Pass the Ring, one of several Theme libraries for Sony Cinescore soundtrack creation software. Theme libraries are self-contained music content packages that have been engineered exclusively for use within Cinescore software. Each Theme contains multiple variation presets that can be fine-tuned by adjusting settings like mood, intensity, tempo, and more. The result is an unlimited number of unique, royalty-free compositions that fit perfectly to the length of a video clip. Pass the Ring includes musical expositions of love, emotion, and celebration, which in large part called for orchestral musical selections. NOTION Music was called on to deliver arrangements as well as final audio files of such classics as Mendelssohn's Wedding March, Wagner's Here Comes the Bride, and Pachelbel's Canon. "This project was a great creative opportunity for our team of score creators as well as a chance to push the envelope of our NOTION technology," said David Oertel, Music Content Manager at NOTION Music. "The team was challenged to come up with many variations on standard wedding themes. While the Caribbean version of Here Comes the Bride or the country version of Canon didn't make the final version, it really showcased the caliber of our content creators as well as the sound quality and flexibility of our NOTION software." Oertel's team was able to deliver finished content utilizing only NOTION software and in-house sound libraries, which contain thousands of samples of the renowned London Symphony Orchestra recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studio. Once the arrangements had been finalized, the virtual orchestra was then mixed inside the software and "performed" with NOTION's NTEMPO™ real-time playback feature. This feature allowed the team to "conduct" the software to capture an expressive performance with real-time tempo changes and holds. These performances were then captured as .WAV files for final delivery to Sony.

NOTION Expands Composition Contest

2006-10-26T00:00:00-05:00

More prizes and entry categories in the NOTION Realize Music Challenge Greensboro, NC (October 26, 2006) NOTION Music, makers of NOTION™ music composition and performance software, have expanded the NOTION Realize Music Challenge with three entry categories and more prizes to be awarded. The Grand Prize remains a recording session with the world-renowned London Symphony Orchestra at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. Dubbed the NOTION Realize Music Challenge, the competition runs through November 30, 2006, during which period entrants can compose up to a 10-minute work using NOTION software or a free demo version available at www.notionmusic.com. The competition includes three entry categories: Young Composers under 18 years of age, Emerging Composers 18-25 years of age, and Accomplished Composers over 25 years of age. One Grand Prize winner chosen from all entry categories will win a trip to London to record their winning composition in a three-hour recording session with the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, a copy of NOTION software and $2,500 in cash. One Young Composer entry, one Emerging Composer entry, and one Accomplished Composer entry will win a copy of NOTION software, $1,000 in cash and have their work featured on www.notionmusic.com. Five runner-up entries in each category will win a copy of NOTION software. "While anyone who enters this competition has equal opportunity to win a recording session with the London Symphony Orchestra, we have included three age categories to encourage composers of all levels to enter," said Lori Jarrett, CEO of NOTION Music. "This is a great opportunity for any composer to create music with the latest technology while having more chances to win great prizes and recognition for their work!" Compositions will be judged by an expert panel of judges from various walks of musical life, such as film composition, orchestral composition, music education, and popular music. For NOTION Realize Music Challenge entry information and complete rules, visit: www.notionmusic.com/win.

NOTION™ software to be used in upcoming Meat Loaf concerts celebrating the launch of "Bat Out Of Hell III"

2006-10-15T00:00:00-05:00

Innovative music composition and performance software to augment Meat Loaf's orchestra at Royal Albert Hall, London - October 16th The Palace Theater, New York - November 2nd Elgin Theater, Toronto - November 4th NOTION™ software will be used to augment the orchestra at upcoming Meat Loaf concerts in London, New York, and Toronto. These concerts tie into the launch of Meat Loaf's new album, Bat Out of Hell III, the long awaited third installment in the most successful rock album series of all time. With NOTION's vast selection of musical tools including thousands of sounds recorded by the London Symphony Orchestra at Abbey Road Studios, Meat Loaf will be backed by a 16 piece orchestra which will sound like a 60 piece orchestra. "Combining NOTION with live players in performance is one of the things we do really well" said Lori Jarrett, the CEO of VirtuosoWorks, the company that makes NOTION. "We're very happy to assist in Meat Loaf's large venue concerts. That's exactly what we're about." NOTION will be used at the Royal Albert Hall concert in London on October 16th, The Palace Theater concert in New York City on November 2nd, and The Elgin Theater concert in Toronto on November 4th. Meat Loaf's Royal Albert Hall show will be his only UK performance in 2006. The "Bat Out of Hell" trilogy is completed with Meat Loaf's three-act show: Act I featuring songs from the original 1977 album "Bat Out of Hell" (including "Paradise by the Dashboard Light," "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad"), Act II with songs from the Grammy-winning "Bat Out of Hell 2 - Back into Hell" (including "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)") and Act III, featuring brand-new songs from the forthcoming "Bat Out of Hell III - The Monster is Loose."

Zaza gets a NOTION™ to Compose

2006-08-22T00:00:00-05:00

Award winning guitarist melds creativity and technology Greensboro, NC (August 22, 2006) - Award winning guitarist and composer Neil Zaza has just released a new instrumental album, "When Gravity Fails" and utilizes NOTION software as the orchestral backdrop to capture stunning performances with fellow musicians Jordan Rudess, Peter Frampton, Steve Smith, Michael Anthony, Roger Manning Jr., Bob Rock and many others. Zaza employed a number of music software products on the new album including Steinberg's Cubase SX, Arturia Minimoog V, Ableton Live, Propellarheads Reason and Digideisgn's Pro Tools. But when it came to composing and capturing the essence of the string arrangements, VirtuosoWorks' NOTION software proved up to the task. "When I first saw the demo of NOTION I was blown away," exclaims Zaza. "Not only is it a great and intuitive notation program, but the sound library is second to none. The amount of control, dynamics, and musicality that you can impart on the score is breathtaking. Combine that with the London Symphony Orchestra sound library and it was a no-brainer." Zaza and company used NOTION on "Something Anything", "Danza Della Notte", and "My Only Son" and had originally had real string players cut tracks. The NOTION tracks ultimately became the main sound source while the live players were mixed in. "This was my very first project where I did all of the arranging and orchestration. I realized early in this project that I couldn't ask someone to paint a picture for me as it was always different than I had in my mind...I had to do it myself to get the results I desired. With the help of NOTION, this is the beginning of a great aspect of my music. I couldn't believe how it elevated the music to a whole other level. There was a certain majesty and authenticity that I couldn't have gotten otherwise." Zaza plans to incorporate NOTION into his arsenal of technology for composing future projects such as a planned orchestral-based work and as a performance tool in his annual "One Silent Night" Christmas concert. Neil Zaza's new album "When Gravity Fails" is available now. You can find out more about this release and purchase it at http://www.neilzaza.com. About Neil Zaza With fiery technical brilliance and breathtaking musical interpretation, Neil Zaza has defined himself as the instrumental guitarist with an unparalleled ability to combine solid, catchy songwriting with a keen melodic sense and technical fury. From his virtuoso rock solos, to laying a funk groove, to demonstrating his classical prowess by performing Bach and Mozart compositions, Zaza's extreme versatility has been showcased worldwide in concerts, clinics, festivals, as well as on his own solo instrumental albums. Zaza has shared the bill with Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Dweezil Zappa, Steve & Mike Porcaro (Toto), Yngwie Malmsteen, Vinnie Moore, and Andy Summers. He has performed on albums by Dweezil Zappa, Eric Carmen, Michael Stanley and also supplied guitar tracks for a Stewart Copeland-produced movie soundtrack.