Kelly Hall-Tompkins writes:
It continues to be a busy and exciting summer with Music Kitchen's Forgotten Voices. Since our June newsletter, we actually have not one, but four concerts to share! More on that later- For now, let's catch up on our July premiere.
I
am just so excited about every single composer on this project for the
unique voice they bring. I am doubly excited about this month's
composer to be able to feature from my hometown one of my heroes who had
such a pivotal role during my high school days in shaping the musician I
am today. Together with chamber music teacher Lenny Schranze, Jon was
composer in residence at my beloved and illustrious Fine Arts Center
High School in Greenville, South Carolina; he expanded my view of the
world with a thousand years of AP Music History and made it come alive
in ways that still inspire me today. I am so glad I had a chance to
learn and perform Jon's music in high school because I have enjoyed
bringing it along with me at various points in my professional life and I
am just thrilled to feature him in the Music Kitchen Forgotten Voices project today.
Every month brings a wonderful new facet to this unique crystal- I can't wait for you to hear these pieces! As always, if you wish to support Music Kitchen and the Forgotten Voices project, please click here:
Warmest Regards,
Kelly
Music Kitchen Photos by Gregory Routt
Premiere #7: July
Composer Highlight: Jon Grier
Enjoying a coffee in Budapest
Chosen Text:
"Slipping out drop, drop. You move me like a puppet and her
master. If I belong to anything I’m glad it is this. You have a way of
taking my troubles. My poison and turning it into medicine. What kind
of man can be still when you play?
I want to marvel at something.
I want to let my body speak for me.
Being swept up like a child on the floor
I don’t need saving, but still want to be held. I want to be enraptured
by the worlds ruin. I want to get lost in the madness that is
adventure. I want to steal a piece of excitement for myself. Save it in
my jewelry box and pull it out in my years of despair." M.M.
Bio:
Jon
Jeffrey Grier holds a D.M.A. in Composition from the University of
South Carolina and since 1988 has been Instructor of Music Theory, Music
History, and Composer in Residence at the Greenville Fine Arts Center,
where he was voted Teacher of the Year for 1994-95, 2004-05, and
2012-2013. Jon composes frequently for student and faculty performers at
the FAC, usually when he should really be grading papers.
Jon was the 2009 winner of the Rapido! Composition Contest sponsored by
the Atlanta Chamber Players and in 2004-05 he received a fellowship from
the Surdna Foundation. He has received grants and commissions from the
South Carolina Arts Commission, the Greenville County Youth Orchestra,
the Michigan Music Teachers Association, the American Composers Forum,
and the Alliance for Quality Education; his works have been performed by
the Kandinsky Trio, the Ceruti Quartet, the Aurelia Trio, the Ritz
Chamber Players, Sounds New, Conversant, and the Greenville Symphony, to
name a few. Jon has also been a writer/keyboardist with various jazz
ensembles in Greenville since 1984. He lives in Greenville with wife
Marion and manic mongrels Roxanne and Gracie Jean.
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment