Dr. Rob Deemer.

The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Poets (ASCAP) has awarded the Deems Taylor/Virgil Thompson Media/Internet Award to Rob Deemer, director and founder of the Composer Diversity Project.

Dr. Deemer, a faculty member in the State University of New York at Fredonia’s School of Music since 2007, and head of its Music Composition area, received the honor to recognize the impact of his Composer Diversity Project database since its launch earlier this year.

The Composer Diversity database, with over 3,800 women composers and composers of color, launched on June 1. It is searchable through a number of variables, including composers’ gender identity, racial/ethnic/cultural heritage, location, and whether they are living or deceased. Music can also be located by searching genres, instrumentation and the technical level required of performers.

Since its launch, the Composer Diversity database has had over 10,000 unique visitors and has been lauded by professional performers, conductors, administrators, and educators for its purpose, breadth and ease of use.

Efforts are currently underway to strengthen the database’s “back-end” storage component, adding more composers into the database, and building a more substantial online portal site that will house the online resource as well as many other initiatives.

The Composer Diversity Project’s mission is to advocate for composers from historically underrepresented groups by promoting repertoire diversity and inclusion in the areas of concert music programming, music education, research and publishing, and community engagement through interactive digital tools, data curation, and public advocacy. Its vision is to be a dynamic, flexible resource for the concert music community that advances an environment in which historically underrepresented groups are fully represented and supported.

Dr. Deemer is also the composer-in-residence with the Buffalo Chamber Players and Harmonia Chamber Singers.

Established in 1967 to honor the memory of composer, critic and commentator Deems Taylor, who died in 1966 after a distinguished career that included six years as president of ASCAP, the ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor/Virgil Thomson Awards are made possible by the generous support of the Virgil Thomson Foundation. Mr. Thomson was one of the leading American composers and critics of the 20th century, and a former member of the ASCAP Board of Directors.

Founded in 1975, the ASCAP Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education and talent development programs. Included in these are songwriting workshops, grants, scholarships, awards, recognition and community outreach programs for songwriters, composers and lyricists. The ASCAP Foundation is supported by contributions from ASCAP members and from music lovers throughout the United States. For more information, see online at www.ascapfoundation.org

The purpose of the Virgil Thomson Foundation is to further and promote the performance, preservation, dissemination and public appreciation of serious music in general and the music and writings of Virgil Thomson in particular. For more information, see online at http://www.virgilthomson.org