UW-Green Bay faculty to present ‘Evening of Miniatures’ recital
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay music program will present a faculty recital, Saturday, Oct. 16, featuring performances by several members of the music faculty and two special guests. Some of the pieces in the recital were written specifically for the event.
The free recital, “An Evening of Miniatures: Little Big Music in 100 Notes or Less,” will be at 7:30 p.m. in Fort Howard Hall of the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts. The event is open to the public.
Miniature compositions have to be streamlined and compact because of the note limitations put on the composers.
Earlier this year, members of the UW-Green Bay music faculty invited composers to submit pieces made up of 100 or fewer notes.
“This is a challenge,” said UW-Green Bay Prof. Michelle McQuade-Dewhirst. “This rule requires composers to be very thoughtful and economical about their musical choices.”
McQuade-Dewhirst says UW-Green Bay received dozens of submissions from across the country, many written specifically for the recital.
“The pieces we selected for performance display a diverse array of interpretations of this compositional challenge,” McQuade-Dewhirst said.
The recital will begin with “Tiny Cheesehead Fanfare” by David Drexler performed by the Phoenix Brass.
Several pieces by Nolan Stolz will follow, including “The Prayer” performed by special guest artists Michael Hall, viola, and Michael Dewhirst, cello.
“As a composer myself, I am drawn to the challenges of writing miniatures because I am forced to focus my thinking,” said McQuade-Dewhirst, who will play horn on “Postcard Piece No. 1.” “Every detail matters, and every note has the potential to make a significant impact on the shape and scope of the piece.”
Prof. Eric Hansen, clarinet, will perform “How Cool They Are” and “Labyrinth” by David Smooke before being joined by UW-Green Bay Prof. Adam Gaines, electronics, for “Voice of the Prophet” by Shawn Tolley.
Prof. David Severtson, piano, will perform “dew” by Josh Hummel. He will then be joined by Gaines on trumpet to perform “Miniature for Trumpet and Piano” by Christopher Bailey.
Severtson will also play a piece with Hall, “Miniature Trio for Viola, Piano and the Space Between the Notes” by Kevin McCarter.
After two pieces featuring Hall, “Short Term Schizophrenia” by Nicholas Omiccioli and “Temple Bell Still Ringing in My Heart” by Kee Yong Chong, the recital will move to the vocal portion of the program.
Prof. Sarah Meredith Livingston, mezzo-soprano, and Severtson will perform “Guru” by Chester Biscardi, text by Alan Ginsburg. They will be joined by Dewhirst, cello, for “The Fly” and “Ode to Babies” by William Ludtke, text by Ogden Nash.
Prof. Courtney Sherman, soprano, and Dewhirst will perform “I/You” by Jean Milew, text by Jalal al-Din Rumi and “Malabarismos” by Angelica Negron.
Prof. Randy Meder, baritone, will perform “The Lesson” by Eleanor Aversa.
“Lamina,” composed by McQuade-Dewhirst, will be performed by Prof. John Salerno, alto saxophone, and Prof. Cheryl Grosso, marimba.
The recital will close with two ensemble pieces, “Goodmorning” by David Morneau and “European Travel Sketches” by Adrian Childs.
The faculty recital is the fifth of the 2010-11 season.
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