Friday, March 2, 2012

California Lutheran University Choir Spring Tour Includes Music of Adolphus C. Hailstork


[Adolphus C. Hailstork]

“California Lutheran University
News & Information

Performances begin and end in Thousand Oaks
March 2, 2012 
“(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - March 2, 2012) The California Lutheran University Choir will open and close its 2012 Spring Concert Tour with performances in Thousand Oaks. The choir will perform at 4 p.m. Sunday, March 18, at Ascension Lutheran Church and at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 10, in CLU's Samuelson Chapel. From March 31 through April 5, the choir will present six concerts throughout California and Arizona.

“The varied program will include music by 17th-century German composer Johann Pachelbel and contemporary American composers Howard Helvey, Adolphus Hailstork, Morten Lauridsen and Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lang. CLU senior Ryan Townsend Strand, a music major from Minnetonka, Minn., will conduct the premiere performances of his composition, 'A Sunrise.' The program will conclude with hymns, carols, spirituals and gospel songs.”

“Wyant Morton, chair of the music department, will conduct the 54-voice choir. Morton is entering his 20th year as the choir's conductor, a position held by only two others in the choir's 50-year history.” “All of the concerts are free. Donations will be accepted.” “For more information, call the Music Department at 805-493-3306 or visit http://www.callutheran.edu/choirtour.”

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Washington Informer: 'New Generation of Young African-American Opera Singers to Celebrate Black Composers'


[Victor Simonson]

Written by WI Web Staff Report
Thursday, 01 March 2012

"Special Music Program to Feature Arts Songs and Spirituals"
“An extraordinary musical concert, 'A Celebration of Black Composers in Art Songs and Spirituals,' featuring five outstanding up and coming young opera superstars and an equally accomplished pianist on a concert Steinway who will celebrate the works of black composers of historic spirituals and rarely heard art songs. Operatic vocalists will include Samantha McElhaney (soprano), Alia Waheed (soprano), Bridgette Cooper (mezzo-soprano), Issachah Savage (Tenor), Kevin Thompson (Bass) and accomplished pianist, Victor Simonson.

“The event will be held at 4 p.m., March 11 at First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C., 1328 16th Street, NW.” “For more information, please visit www.firstbaptistdc.org”

at 11:34 AM 0 comments

TheTriangle.org: 'I want the Philadelphia music community to know about this work of black composers' 



[Dr. Myron Moss conducts Drexel University Concert Band at Kimmel Center 
February 29, 2012. (Photo: The Triangle, Courtesy Doug 
Chesnulovitch] 



by Julia Casciato on March 2, 2012
“The Drexel University Concert Band had its first-ever performance at the Kimmel Center Feb. 29, playing a wide selection of music by African-American composers representing a time span of almost a century. Director Mike Moss selected various pieces by Valerie Coleman, Roger Dickerson, Oliver Nelson, Clarence Cameron White and others for the band to perform.

“'I want the Philadelphia music community to know about this work of black composers,' Moss said. 'I thought it wasn’t enough to do it well [at Drexel]. Bringing it to Kimmel means saying to the community that we’re the vehicle for representing the music and the music that’s important.' Two of the pieces performed were newly commissioned works by award-winning composer Valerie Coleman. As part of a Drexel initiative led by Moss, Coleman has created songs for 25 university bands.

“'Umoja' is an exercise piece that Coleman originally wrote for her woodwind quartet, Imani Winds, and expanded to be played by a 60-person concert band. 'Roma' is a much more evolved piece that starts slowly, turning into a groove that varies and shifts. The piece is over 10 minutes long, the longest of the night.

“The concert also showcased works from noncontemporary artists. 'There seems to be this wide range of activity of a wide range of really successful pieces that people know nothing about,' Moss said. Drexel’s University Chorus and members of the Drexel University Gospel Choir joined the band for Adolphus Hailstork’s 'Look to this Day.' Perry Brisbon, a program instructor for Drexel’s performing arts department, sang baritone to Margaret Bond’s 'Dream Variation.'”

“Moss began research on classical music by African-American composers in 1990, and he found it is an area with which many people are not familiar. 'My next step after discovering there was a lot of good music [by African-American composers] is to want the musical community to know that,' he said.”

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Errollyn Wallen: 'Cautionary Tales' for Opera North tours from March 2nd - March 28th.


Composer Errollyn Wallen writes of the tour dates of her opera CAUTIONARY TALES:

Dear Friends (especially those in the North),

My opera CAUTIONARY TALES for Opera North tours from March 2nd - March 28th. A great cast and a lot of fun. Hope you can get to see it!


BBC
Radio 3 – In Tune Opera North
Cautionary Tales! director Pia Furtado and singer Mark le Brocq were interviewed live on In Tune yesterday afternoon. Click on the link to listen again.

Warm wishes,
Errollyn

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Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival Announces 'The Emerging Composers Program'


[Valerie Coleman, Flutist and Founder, Imani Winds]

Flutist Valerie Coleman is Founder of Imani Winds. She writes of a new initiative:

Dear Colleagues,

I'm sending you all information about the new initiative below as part of Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival in hopes that you will spread the word. It is for emerging composers who would like to work with Imani Winds, receive feedback on their works, participate in readings, learn more about orchestration, and receive promotional assistance/exposure.

If you know of any emerging composers out there who would could benefit from this opportunity, please pass this info onto them. The program is tuition based, but scholarships are available. We'd love to have a large and musically diverse range of applicants, so any assistance you could provide in spreading the word would be appreciated.

Thanks and best wishes,
Valerie


IMANI WINDS CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
announces
The Emerging Composers Program

For composers 16 and over, ECP is a mentorship and development program that provides a unique opportunity to write chamber music in a collaborative environment. For the 2012 season, up to 5 composers will be selected to work with Imani Winds, the ensemble’s in-house composers Jeff Scott and Valerie Coleman, and critically acclaimed composer Mohammed Fairouz. 

ECP PROGRAM curriculum includes:
  • Collaboration with select IWCMF ensembles for rehearsals and readings of works-in-progress
  • A reading session with Imani Winds
  • Exposure and promotion of works
  • Mentorship with focus on developing new works for winds
  • Performance of work within the Composer Showcase Concert
  • Interactive workshops specifically designed for composers
ECP Combo: Composers who are also advanced instrumentalists are invited to apply for dual admission into our performance programs and ECP, as a special opportunity to work within both disciplines. Applicants selected will be placed either in a Fellowship or GCM ensemble, experience its full curriculum AND fully participate in ECP’s activities.

Application deadlines and fees:
Before April 6 (for scholarship consideration) $50
May 4, 2012 (late deadline) $60


Valerie Coleman
Flutist & Founder

Imani Winds


at 7:51 PM 0 comments

BlackGrooves.org on 'Scott Joplin Treemonisha': 'if you give this recording a chance you will find yourself enchanted'


[Scott Joplin Treemonisha; The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra and Singers; Rick Benjamin, conductor; New World Records 80720 (2011)]


Black Grooves
Archives of African American Music and Culture
Title: Treemonisha

Artist: Paragon Ragtime Orchestra with various performers
Label: New World Records
Formats: 2-CD set, MP3
Release date: December 5, 2011

“The Paragon Ragtime Orchestra is doing truly esteemable work in its anachronistic goal to re-create the sounds of 'America’s Original Music,' that of early 19th century film, theater and dancehalls. While a resurgence of interest in ragtime music is nothing particularly new, the PRO does something very rare amongst its contemporaries by giving special focus to the music of African American composers. While this may seem like an obvious option since ragtime was a genre created by African Americans, both historical sheet music and contemporary interest are rare, outside of the works of 'big name' composers such as Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton. The PRO’s most recent release, however, is a beautifully crafted full recording of Scott Joplin’s never-fully realized opera Treemonisha.”

“What the PRO offers, however, is a restoration as opposed to a reconstruction. Rick Benjamin —the conductor, composer and arranger of this recording—has gained a great depth of knowledge on 19th and early 20th century African American musical theater. He was disappointed that all the new, finished versions of Treemonisha revised the music, dance and design with an eye towards 'evaluating' the style to Grand Opera and not creating, with historical accuracy, the opera that Joplin composed.”

“As a scholar who focuses on African American musical theater in the 1890s, I have found this recording to be a very precious thing, presenting music that is both historically accurate and a pleasure to listen to. I have played excerpts from the PROs recording of Treemonisha during presentations on theater music from this era and converted the staunchest modernists and experimentalists and believe me, if you give this recording a chance you will find yourself enchanted by the music and curious enough to read through all 106 pages of notes!”
Reviewed by Dorothy Berry

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Patrick D. McCoy, Examiner.com: 'A tenure marked by musical excellence has ended.'


[Dr. Marco K. Merrick]

A tenure marked by musical excellence has ended. After 16 years as director of The Inspirational Choir of Douglas Memorial Community Church in Baltimore, MD, Dr. Marco K. Merrick was abruptly released from a post that he held with distinction.  Read more here:

Examiner.com Article

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Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra Observes 'Music In Our Schools Month' in March


[Maestro Raymond Harvey, Conductor, Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra]

Music In Our Schools Month
March 2012

In March, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra (KSO) joins the National Association for Music Education in observing Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM).

Since 1973, MIOSM has celebrated school music programs throughout the U.S. and raised awareness of the importance of music education for all children. Further, it reminds citizens that school is where all children should have access to music.

For over 80 years, the KSO has been integrating performance, education, and community development into virtually every event and activity. Today the Youth Concerts, Artist in Residence, Marvelous Music!, Kalamazoo Kids In Tune, and KSO-WMU Artist/Scholar programs stand as testaments to this innovative model.

For a complete list of events & more info KalamazooSymphony.com/miosm

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Call for Scores - 2012 PARMA Student Composer Competition


Summary
PARMA Recordings is pleased to announce the inaugural PARMA Student Composer Competition, the first in a series of annual competitions for student composers. Ten winners will be selected by an award-winning panel of three independent judges, and the winners' pieces will be published in the digitally-distributed 2012 PARMA Anthology Of Music: Student Edition. One Grand Prize Winner will be selected to have their piece professionally recorded and produced for release by PARMA. All recording, performer, production, and publicity costs will be completely subsidized, and the master will be released on a collection from PARMA to be distributed through industry leader Naxos.
There is no fee required for entry into the competition.

Guidelines
  • Composer must be enrolled in a composition program or studying privately with a professional composer
  • Composer must be under the age of 30
  • Piece must be written for up to five acoustic instruments
  • Piece must be ten minutes or less in duration
Competition Timeline
March 1, 2012 - Submission period opens
March 31, 2012 - Submission period closes
April 1-30, 2012 - Judging period
May 1, 2012 - Winners announced

To Enter
Fill out the submission form to submit your information and a PDF of your score, along with an MP3 or MIDI recording. Submission limit is one work per composer.

at 11:42 AM 0 comments

'Performance Today' Features Lara Downes March 2 in '13 WAYS of Looking at the Goldberg'


[13 WAYS of Looking at the Goldberg: Bach Reimagined; Lara Downes, Pianist; Tritone Records (2011)]

Pianist Lara Downes, http://www.LaraDownes.com, writes:


“Hi everyone,

I want to let you know that I'll be featured on the Friday, March 2 edition of Public Radio's Performance Today, in a special segment on 13 WAYS of Looking at the Goldberg.

“American Public Media's Performance Today is broadcast on 250 public radio stations across the country. To find out where and when the show is broadcast in your area, please check performancetoday.org. 



Performance Today is also carried on Sirius XM's Symphony Hall Channel (channel 80), Monday through Friday from 1 pm to 2 pm ET. The show is available for streaming online for seven days following the broadcast. I hope you have a chance to tune in!

Best,
Lara

Lara Downes
Pianist/Artist in Residence
Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, UC Davis

twitter:@laradownes


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