Council News Release

Councilmember Nick Licata

City Council Launches Website Featuring Seattle Composers
New City website will play contemporary music scored by local artists

SEATTLE – City Councilmember Nick Licata announced today the launch of “Seattle Composer”, a new City website that presents local music compositions typically not available through mainstream media and distribution channels. The website, located on www.seattle.gov/council/Licata/composer, offers visitors the ability to click “listen” links to hear music written by Seattle artists. Users can also read artist biographies, purchase artists’ music, and post comments on the site. Current featured composers include Tom Baker, Sarah Bassingthwaighte, and Christopher DeLaurenti.

Councilmember Nick Licata, Chair of the City Council’s Culture, Civil Rights, Health and Personnel Committee, said, “Seattle has a wealth of musical talent that deserves greater exposure in order to reach a broader audience. ‘Seattle Composer’ intends to serve those artists while at the same time benefiting Seattle residents by giving them more opportunities to sample the work of local artists they might otherwise not hear.”

Composer Christopher DeLaurenti’s electro-acoustic music captures the ordinary and extraordinary sounds of everyday life with field recordings. Sarah Bassingthwaighte says her vision as a composer and performer is to encourage activity and energy in the service of contemporary music in Seattle, in order to give herself and other musicians opportunities to pursue their art. Tom Baker’s recent work explores personal human themes, such as loss and grief, in both current and historical settings.

Seattle music organizations and music experts nominated compositions for Seattle Composer from a number of artists. Compositions will periodically rotate. Works that have been rotated off will remain available for listening in an archive section on the website. Seattle Composer complements the City’s OnHold music program, which plays local music to phone callers on hold while offering sales and downloads of the music online.

Local composers are encouraged to submit their music for posting on Seattle Composer. Musicians, music experts, organizations or institutions that wish to nominate a composer are welcome to send an email to or call Frank Video at frank.video@seattle.gov or (206) 684-8849.

Council meetings are cablecast live on Seattle Channel 21 and Webcast live on the City Councils website at www.seattle.gov/council. Copies of legislation, archives of previous meetings, and news releases are available on www.seattle.gov/council. Questions about Council news releases can be directed to Kimberly Reason, Council Communications, at 206-684-8159, or by e-mail at kimberly.reason@seattle.gov.

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City Council