The UT Department of Music will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the College of Arts and Sciences and the birth of Art Tatum at the opening event of the Spring Festival of New Music Tuesday, April 6, at 8 p.m. in Doermann Theater.
The performance will feature:
• The premiere of “Illuminations,” commissioned by the UT College of Arts and Sciences, and composed by Dr. David Jex, UT professor of music. The piece will be performed by the UT Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Jason Stumbo, UT assistant professor of music.
• “Celebration for Art Tatum,” for chorus, piano and brass, music by Jex, text by Langston Hughes. Taking the stage will be the UT Concert Chorale, Dr. Stephen Hodge, UT professor of music, conducting, and featuring UT Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Tim Whalen as solo pianist.
• The premiere of “Glass Menagerie” by Dr. Brant Karrick, former UT band director, who is at Northern Kentucky University. . It will be played by the UT Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Stumbo.
On Thursday, April 8, Dr. Paul Schoenfield, professor of composition at the University of Michigan, will visit the University.
Students will have the chance to interview Schoenfield, a composer with an international reputation who began his teaching career at UT in the 1970s, at 1 p.m. in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall.
A concert of music by Schoenfield will take place at 8 p.m. in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall. The featured works of the evening will be “Cafe Music,” performed by guest artist Merwin Siu, violin, and UT faculty artists Amy Chang, cello, and Dr. Michael Boyd, piano, and “Trio for Violin, Clarinet and Piano,” with the composer as pianist.
Other Spring Festival of New Music events will be the UT Student Chamber Concert, featuring the UT New Music Ensemble, Wednesday, April 7, and the New Electronic Music Concert, featuring the students of UT Lecturer David Mariasy, Friday, April 9. Both concerts will take place at 8 p.m. in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall.
For more information on the free, public events, visit the UT Department of Music at www.utoledo.edu/as/music or call 419.530.2448.
