About
TEMPO (The Epicenter Music Performance Organization), dedicated to the pursuit, performance, and perseverance of contemporary music, was formed in 2008 at California State University, Northridge by Daniel Kessner and Julia Heinen. This ground-breaking ensemble seeks to promote and celebrate the rich diversity of our world through the performance of contemporary musical stories.
In 2026-2027 TEMPO celebrates its 18th season of bringing contemporary music to the world. In addition to programming established contemporary works, it also hosts an annual “Call for Scores,” selecting several works to feature each season.
Our 18th season will feature the 100th birthday celebration of CSUN Professor Emeritus of Composition, Frank Campo. We hope you’ll come and join us to celebrate him and his music.
In Spring 2019, TEMPO was honored to receive 1st prize at the Doug Davis Performance Grant for their performance of Fred Lerdahl’s “Time After Time.” In addition, Doug Davis has sponsored a commission for a new work by composer David Werfelmann was premiered in February 2023.
The ensemble of flute, clarinet, violin, viola, cello, piano, and percussion consists of faculty, alumni, and friends, all of whom share a passion for performing works from the 20th and 21st centuries.
Performances 2026-2027
September 27, 2026 @7:30pm
California State University, Northridge
Shigemi Matsumoto Recital Hall
- Libby Larson – Tarantella for Our Time
- Richard Derby — Pick a Low Note
- Dayton Hare — ebb, flow
- Kolten Heeren — Scherzo
- Oswald Huỳnh — Memory revises me
- Anthony Iannaccone — White Water
- Jessica Lee — What Flickered Between the Reveries?
- Luca Pasquini — Contour Intervals
January 24, 2027 @7:30pm
California State University, Northridge
Shigemi Matsumoto Recital Hall
- Yalil Guerra — “La Rumba”
- David Huang Mailman — bridge of magpies, last for but a night
- Edmund Song — FlareStruck
Celebrating Frank Campo at 100!
- Frank Campo — Violin Sonata
- Frank Campo — Trio for clarinet, cello, and piano
- Frank Campo — String Quartet
Score Submission
TEMPO Ensemble
Score submissions for our 2026-27 season (our 18th) are now closed.
We want to congratulate our winners for this season:
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- Richard Derby — Pick a Low Note
- Yalil Guerra — “La Rumba”
- Dayton Hare — ebb, flow
- Kolten Heeren — Scherzo
- Oswald Huỳnh — Memory revises me
- Anthony Iannaccone — White Water
- Jessica Lee — What Flickered Between the Reveries?
- David Huang Mailman — bridge of magpies, last for but a night
- Luca Pasquini — Contour Intervals
- Edmund Song — FlareStruck
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Contact
TEMPO New Music Ensemble
California State University, Northridge
Department of Music
Attention: Julia Heinen
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8314
(818) 677-3168