Professor James Hartway of Southfield, director of music composition and theory at Wayne State University, will dedicate a new musical composition for the centennial celebration of Old Main, primary home of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts.

The premiere performance of "Star Dancer," scored for a large orchestra, will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 20, in St. Andrew's Hall. WSU Music Professor Kypros Markou of Grosse Pointe Farms will conduct the university's Symphony Orchestra.

"'Star Dancer" is based on an harmonic progression of polychords and melodic fragments," Hartway says. "The extensive use of percussion 19 instruments and six players alto flute, bass clarinet, contra bassoon, harp and piano give the piece an ever-changing variety of color combinations. The syncopated rhythmic patterns and asymmetrical meters that permeate the piece form the basis of the imaginary star dance."

The piece runs 10 minutes 30 seconds.

The selection is one of four 1996-97 premiere performances by Hartway. "Sonata da Camera Accademica" for brass quintet premiered in November at Christ Church Cranbrook.

A work for the Archdiocese of Detroit, "Hodie Christus Est" (Today Christ is Born) for soprano soloist, harp, strings, organ and chorus premiered Dec. 22 in Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. It also was performed for Cardinal Adam Maida's Christmas midnight Mass in the cathedral.

"Message from Garcia" for harp and cello premiered Feb. 15 at Carnegie Center for the Arts in Three Rivers, Mich.

Hartway, president-elect of the Academy of Scholars, was awarded a two-year Gershenson Distinguished Faculty Scholarship in 1996. He has received ASCAP Standard Panel Awards for his music annually since 1978.

For more information about the April 20 performance call (313) 577-1795.