News October, 2002 Newsletter (.pdf) Announcements: ICF Festival 2002 Member News New Area Code and Office Phone Number Student Composers' Listserv ICF Member Dues ICF/ICDA Commission Results Chorale Midwest Competition Results Opportunities Score Study Club Creative Music Concerts ICF CD available Newsletter | | | | | | Announcements 2002 Festival, November 8-9, Iowa State University On November 8-9, 2002 the Iowa Composers Forum Fall 2002 Festival and the C. Buell Lipa Contemporary Music Festival will join forces in the Department of Music at Iowa State University for a two-day festival of new-music concerts, master classes and workshops. The nationally and internationally renowned flute duo ZAWA!, featuring performers Jill Felber and Claudia Anderson, will be in residence throughout the festival to perform a full-length concert and conduct a master class on extended performing techniques for the flute. ICF Festival participants will also be able to attend special demonstrations presented by ISU faculty composers Anne Deane and Kris Bryden on issues of composing music in virtual reality environments (see more detail below). These demonstrations will take place at ISU's Virtual Reality Applications Center in Howe Hall. Schedule of Events (subject to slight changes) Friday, November 8 6:30-7:30 p.m.-- Open Registration Music Hall Lobby 7:30-9:30 p.m.-- ZAWA! Flute Duo (Guest Artist Concert) Martha Ellen Tye Recital Hall member works by Deane and Eckert (METRH) 9:30-10:30 p.m.-- Reception Music Hall Lobby Saturday, November 9 8:30-11:00 a.m. -- Open Registration Virtual Reality Applications Center Howe Hall 8:30-9:30 a.m. -- Continental Breakfast VRAC Lobby 10:00-12:00 p.m. -- Composing for Virtual Reality Environments Howe Hall -- C6 and C4 Discussion and Demonstrations led by ISU Music faculty members Kris Bryden and Anne Deane 11:00-2:00 p.m. -- Open Registration Music Hall Lobby 12:00-1:00 p.m.-- Optional Lunch with ZAWA! (box lunch-$10 per person) Rm 130, Music Hall or lunch on own 1:15-2:00 p.m. -- Concert of Student Composition Competition Winners METRH Reception follows in MH Lobby 2:15-3:15 p.m. -- ZAWA! Masterclass on Extended Flute Techniques Rm 130, Music Hall featuring members of Dr. Elizabeth SadilekÕs ISU Flute Studio 3:30-4:45 p.m. -- Member Concert I METRH works by Armstrong, Etzel, Chandler, Crew, Johannsen-Werner, Mattingly, Sangayllo. 4:45-5:30 p.m. -- ICF Membership Meeting Rm 130, Music Hall 5:30-7:30 p.m. -- Dinner on own for membership 5:30-7:00 p.m. -- ICF Board Meeting (light supper) Rm 130, Music Hall 7:30-9:30 p.m. -- Member Concert II METRH works by Chenette, Dougherty, Kendrick, Prater, Rathmell, Reznicow, Schwabe 9:30 p.m.-- Closing Reception Music Hall Lobby Virtual Reality Demonstration at ICF Festival 2002 The Virtual Reality Application Center (VRAC) is an interdisciplinary research center administered by the Institute for Physical Research and Technology at Iowa State University. The centerÕs research involves the integration of humans and computers with advanced types of interfaces to enable visual, haptic (sense of touch), and audio interac-tion between users and computer generated virtual environments. ISUÕs VRAC has two modules, one with four sides (C4) and the other with six sides (C6 --a completely enclosed cube, and one of only several in the world) where projected visual and auditory imaging can take place in a true three-dimensional space. Kris Bryden and Anne Deane (composers and music faculty members at ISU) have been acquiring expertise in both composing for and researching artistic possibilities for the use of sound in these modules. Anne has recently completed the music for a large work in which interactive sound, dance, and computer animation are combined in the C6. Live dancers and lay participants in ISU's C6 trigger visual and auditory events that take place in the work. ICF Festival participants will be able to personally experience a portion of Anne's composition in the C6. Kris has been working in the area of "sonification"--that is, developing ways data sets related to industrial processes or scientific research can be represented by music/sounds that can help a researcher to better analyze data or under-stand the mechanism of how a process works. Festival participants will have the opportunity to hear Kris explain her research and demonstrate its possibilities. Please address questions about the festival to: Jeffrey Prater Department of Music Iowa State University Ames, IA 50011 Phone: (515) 294-3346 Fax: (515) 294-6409 jlprater@iastate.edu Member News A concert entitled "A Celebration of Women's Music" featured the music of ICF member Stacey Berk on April 7 at Drake University. The concert was sponsored by the Drake University chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. Works performed were: Valley Songs I & II for tenor and piano, Myths for Solo Oboe, A Prayer of the Holy Name for SATB choir, Portraits of the Odyssey for ten winds, Doodling Through History for ten winds, and the premiere of Tzango! for saxophone quartet. Stacey also composed the music for A Moon and a Mountain Away, for narrator and double reed quartet, which was commissioned by Wizards! Double Reed Consort and premiered in Iowa City in January, 2002. The 5th Anniversary of the George Daily Community Auditorium in Oskaloosa, Iowa was celebrated July 26, 27 & 28, 2002, with the Premiere Musical Theatre production of "George," music and book by Iola Powell Cadwallader, who, until apprised differently, considers herself the oldest member of ICF! Obviously, George Daily, the world's greatest eccentric, left a bundle of money to a community that needed the state-of-the-art facility it got through his Trust, plus matching funds from community people and corporations. Director Randy Wright said of this show, "You can have everything you want this time, production-wise." "Pennies from heaven?" I asked. He replied,"Yes, Silver Dollars from heaven!" Jonathan Chenette's "Elegy and Affirmation", for cello and piano, premiered at the Blanden Memorial Art Museum in Fort Dodge on September 22. Part of the Iowa Arts Council's American Spirit project initiative to reflect on the aftermath of September 11, the piece grew out of an interview with the mother of a September 11 victim, who spoke at the premiere. Chenette's "Look how the pale queen" for mezzo-soprano, Renaissance flute, lute, and bass viol has been released on a Riverrun CD, recorded by the London-based early music ensemble Virelai. Kathleen Ryan Clute's piano piece "Spare Change" took first place in the 2001 Music Teachers Association of California Composers Today composition contest. And this year her piano piece "Something Water, Something Light" took 2nd place in the same competition. She is working on a new album, to be titled "The Pomegranate Trail" and hopes to be ready to record it in April. She is president of the Contra Costa branch of the MTAC. She and her husband bought a house last fall, and so will be staying in California for a while. Bonnie Johansen-Werner will be one of eight composers attending the Melodious Accord Composers Workshop in November. The Composers Workshop offers the opportunity for three days of work with Alice Parker and a small group of composer colleagues at Ms. Parker's studio in Hawley, Massachusetts. Composers present examples of their works that serve as a basis for discussions of score reading, analysis, technical problems, and other questions. Ms. Johansen-Werner is the Composer-in-Residence for the Dubuque District of The United Methodist Church and the McCosh Assistant Professor of Music at Upper Iowa University. Robert C. Jones's "Symphonic Sketch" was commissioned last year by the Santa Fe Youth Symphony and received its premiere and several other performances last spring. Also, his "Four Short Pieces for Orchestra: Pictures From Our Home" will receive its premiere performance by the Santa Fe Community Orchestra in February, 2003. Ivan Nagy recently completed a five-movement piano composition which is collectively titled "Letters from the Old World". The first movement, subtitled "Dark Waltz", is a fast-paced waltz in a minor key, depicting the old days. The second, "Simple Tunes", is just that: two simple melodies, one for the mature folk, the other for children. The third, "Fate Motif", recalls the difficulties that were in store at a time. The fourth, "Patriotic Sentiment", after a brief introduction, is a patriotic march-like movement. And the fifth, "Liberation", depicts struggle, liberation, thanksgiving, and patriotism. The entire composition lasts over 20 minutes and may be "seen and heard" at Ivan's web site (www.ancient.org/ivan/) and at www.scorchmusic.com (where a search for NAGY will locate this and other of his compositions. Note that it may be necessary to download the free program SCORCH2 (associated with the SIBELIUS Music Notation Software) in order to see and hear the compositions. Ivan would appreciate all written comments/criticisms [through the web site] after listening to the entire composition. Jerry Owen, Alma A. Turechek Professor of Music at Coe College, has been commissioned by Red Cedar Chamber Music of Marion, Iowa, to compose a trio for flute, guitar and viola. The four movement work is based on Czech folk songs originally compiled in a collection by Alma Turechek, coincidentally the person for whom Coe College has named the endowed the professorship held by Dr. Owen. The work will be premiered at the National Czech and Slovak Museum in Cedar Rapids October 19th, 8:00 p.m. featuring Jan Boland, flute, John Dowdall, guitar, and Suzanne Wagor, viola. The commission was made possible in part by a project grant from the Iowa Arts Council. Jerry Owen, in conjunction with Coe College, will release a new CD recording of the music commission by the College in 2001 for its Sesquicentennial celebration. The 14-movement, 40-minute work entitled "One By One" is for orchestra, mixed chorus, soprano and bass soloists, and organ. The texts are written by authors associated with Coe College. The CD will available in two versions: the first is a single CD and is the music performance with the texts being read before each number by their respective authors; the second is a two-CD set and is the complete 100-minute celebration, including honors presentations and testimonials. Availability: soon, from the Coe College Public Relations Office. Tracey Rush has received 4 commissions for this school year: On October 4th, her "Blessed is the Man" will be premiered by the Schola Cantorum of the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL. The work was commissioned by Dr. Pat Brannon, choir director, in honor of the inauguration of the new college president. Later in October, the band and choir of Western Dubuque will premiere the alma mater the commissioned in memory of their former band director who was killed in an automobile accident two years ago. The music department of Middleton High School (near Madison, WI) has commissioned a work for band, orchestra and choir to celebrate the opening of the school's new auditorium; that work will be premiered February 11. Finally, Tracey has been invited to be the guest composer/clinician for Des Moines' District Fifth Grade Orchestra Festival on April 15, 2003. Jerre Tanner has been awarded the commission of the State of North Carolina in the second round of the American Composers Forum Continental Harmony commissioning projects. The work is a 15-minute theme and variations for concert band composed for the Gaston County Symphonic Band. "Variations on an American Naval Theme" is written in honor of North Carolina favorite son Admiral Charles Wilkes, a colorful and controversial 19th century Naval officer. Among Wilkes's accomplishments which are portrayed in the music is his leadership position in the American Exploring Expedition of 1838 -- 42 (artifacts from which form the basis of the collection of the Smithsonian Institution), and the Trent Affair in the American Civil War. Sponsors for the commissioning project are the Gaston County Museum of Art and History and the Schiele Museum of Natural History. Both museums will mount exhibitions on Wilkes which will run concurrently with the premiere of the music in February 2003. New ICF Office Information The ICF office is now at the University of Northern Iowa. Attn: Jonathan Schwabe and Alan Schmitz, co-chairs University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA 50614 Phone: 319-273-5891 Fax: 319-273-7320 Student Composers' Listserv There is a new email list-serv designed for student composers who wish to network with each other and with members of the ICF. To join the ICF student composers listserv, send email to majordomo@iowacomposers.org with "subscribe students" in body of message. This is a free service, regardless of ICF membership status, so let your students (of any age) know about this. Questions? Direct them to Jon Saggau (JonMarimba@aol.com), our Majordomo. ICF Member Dues ALL ICF members are asked to renew their dues by July 1. Member dues are $40 for the year; student dues are $20. July 31 is the deadline after which unpaid persons are dropped from the members' mailing list. Please send your check for the proper amount (made payable to the Iowa Composers Forum) to: Jerry Owen, Membership Chair, 2558 Indian Hill Rd SE, Cedar Rapids 52403-1528. Armstrong Wins ICDA/ICF Commission The winner of the Iowa Composers Forum/Iowa Choral Directors Association 2002 Choral Commissioning Award is John Armstrong, a High School Choral Director from Baldwinsville, New York. Mr. Armstrong holds memberships in both the Iowa Composers Forum and the Iowa Choral Directors Association. He spends a portion of his summers in Iowa as a clinician with the Iowa Choral Directors Association meetings at Drake University. An experienced composer, Mr. Armstrong has many compositions to his credit and was recently the first-prize winner of the Ithaca College Choral Composition Contest. For the ICF/ICDA Choral Commission, Mr. Armstrong will set Edgar Allan Poe's "A Dream Within A Dream." This work will be completed by Summer, 2002 and will be premiered during July at the ICDA meeting held in Mason City, Iowa. Congratulations to John Armstrong. Chorale Midwest Competition Results Ralph Kendrick reports: The first Choralfest! Competition, hosted by Chorale Midwest of Cedar Rapids, received 14 submissions from a pool of 10 ICF composers. The judging committee was very pleased with both the quality and stylistic diversity of the submissions. The decision was difficult, but David Maki's piece "December" was selected as the winning composition. David will receive a travel stipend to attend the festival, a $350 award, a CD copy of the performance of his piece, and two performances of "December" at a future Chorale Midwest concert. From the pool of submissions, Jeffrey Prater's "Windborne", Carl Staplin's "The Fruit of the Spirit", and Tracey Rush's "Cradle Song" were selected for performance on Chorale Midwest's 2002-2003 Concert season. Michael Reese, Chorale Midwest's musical director, was very impressed with the compositions, and those that were not selected for immediate performance will be considered when appropriate for a concert theme. The 2002 Choralfest! was held on April 26th and 27th at Coe College and involved four High School Choirs, the Coe College chorus, and four Community Choirs from the state of Iowa. Paul Salamunovich, an internationally renowned choral master, was the clinician for the festival. Opportunities Truman State University/MACRO Composition Competition, Deadline Oct. 21 The Upsilon Phi Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the Epsilon Pi Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, and the Macro Analysis Creative Research Organization (MACRO) announce the Year 2003 Truman State University/MACRO Composition Competition. Composers may submit unpublished, unawarded works for SATB chorus composed within the past three years. Prize: $1000 from MACRO; $500 commission from Truman State's music fraternities, travel expenses to attend 2003 MACRO workshop and speak about the piece. Deadline: Oct. 1. Submit: anonymous score and recording (MIDI OK); entry form; resume or biographical sketch; explanation of how principles of macro analysis apply to your work; SASE. For further information, contact: Dr. Warren Gooch, Competition Chair, Truman State University/MACRO Composition Chair, Division of Fine Arts, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO 63501, tel. (660) 785-4429, e-mail wgooch@truman.edu, web http://www.macromusic.org/. New Score Study Club Formed Through relations forged at a Cedar Rapids Beethoven Club concert, Cedar Rapids ICF members Jon Southwood, Matthew Burrier, and Ralph Kendrick have created a Score Study Club. The Club meets, or tries to meet, over a lunch hour once a week to review scores and recordings from the twentieth century and from this century. At each session, the club focuses on one piece and normally one of the members will do some analysis ahead of the meeting. A snapshot of a few of the composers the group has studied include Bartok, Milhaud, Sessions, Boulez, Ligeti, Feldman, Webern, Shostakovich, Stravinsky, Schnittke, and Takemitsu. Perhaps most interesting, club members are invited to bring in their own works for review. Since the group's philosophy is 'the newer the better', ICF composers may be contacted in the near future for scores and tapes that the club can review. If you're interested in finding out more about the club, or in attending one of the meetings, please contact Matthew Burrier at mburrier@earthlink.net. Creative Music Concerts Creative Music Concerts are held quarterly at Lovely Lane Church in Cedar Rapids. The concerts include musicians from Cedar Rapids and Iowa City (including ICF members Jon Southwood and Matthew Burrier) and are mostly comprised of free improvisations by soloists, duos, or trios. The music is wonderfully unpredictable, sometimes awful, sometimes brilliant.... but such is an interesting reflection of both the human experience and of the moment. As a composer, I think one of the most beneficial things about attending these types of concerts is how it 'frees me up' when I want to create 'random textures'. The next concert will be held in April. If interested in finding out more information about the concerts, contact Matt Burrier at mburrier@earthlink.net and LONG LIVE THE AVANT-GARDE! ICF CD now available The first ICF compact disk was completed just in time to be distributed at the Iowa Music Educators Association Convention at ISU in November, 2000. Many thanks to John Morrison for all his work on this project. Over 120 CDs were distributed to IMEA members and more have been sent to Iowa college music departments and libraries as well as radio stations. Any ICF member wishing to purchase a CD for his/her personal use should send $6 (this includes postage/handling) to the ICF office. The CD selections include:Gemini for Flute, cello and piano by Jeremy Beck Ice-9 by Jonathan Saggau (percussion) My Love Lives Down That Long Dirt Road by John Morrison (song cycle) The Bright Harmonic String by Jonathan Chenette (song cycle for treble choir and harp) Spirit of Freedom by Tracey Rush (orchestra) Five Short Pieces from Isaiah by Maurice Monhardt (organ) The Kona Coffee Cantata by Jerre Tanner Allegro for Wind Quintet by Alan Schmitz ...into all crevices of my world by Craig Weston Newsletter Mail submissions to: Jonathan Schwabe, ICF Co-Chair School of Music University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA 50614 Phone: 319-273-5891 Fax: 319-273-7320 Email: schwabe@uni.edu | | | | | | Created 8/8/97 by Jonathan Chenette - Updated 9/30/02