WSU Music Pays Tribute to Duke Ellington, Performs All American Composers Concert and Premieres WSU Student Compositions
DETROIT, MI (March 16, 2007) – The Wayne State University Music Department’s 2007 concert series kicks into high gear and ends the month the week of March 26, 2007 with performances by the University Orchestra, Jazz Big Band and a concert featuring new works by WSU student composers. WSU Music will begin the month of April with a free faculty recital by violinist Laura Roelofs at 3 p.m. on April 1. For venue information and a complete listing of WSU Department of Music events, visit www.music.wayne.edu or call (313) 577-1795.
The WSU Orchestra, under the direction of Kypros Markou, will be presenting their All American Composers concert at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 26 in the Community Arts Auditorium. The Orchestra will perform John Adams’ Eros for Piano and Orchestra, featuring Professor of Music Robert Conway as piano soloist, as well as Detroit-native and WSU Distinguished Professor James Hartway’s Star Dancer for Percussion and Orchestra. John Adams is one of America’s most admired and respected contemporary composers. He has written both operatic and symphonic works that have redefined contemporary classical music. For more information on John Adams visit www.earbox.com. The concert will also feature works by American composers Chadwick, Copland and Barber. Admission is $5 for students and seniors and $8 for general.
The week continues with a Tribute to Duke Ellington on Tuesday, March 27. At 7:30 p.m. the WSU Big Band, under the direction of Chris Collins, will perform music composed and influenced by Duke Ellington. The 17-piece big band will feature Detroit artists George Benson, Johnny Trudell, and vocalist Barbara Ware as guest soloists. Tickets are $5 for students and seniors and $8 for general and can be purchased at-the-door. The concert will take place in the Schaver Music Recital Hall, located at 480 W. Hancock in the Old Main Building.
The week ends with the 35th annual Wayne Composer’s Concert at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, March 28. The annual Composer’s Concert is a source of the newest music coming out of Detroit, a city that holds one of the greatest traditions of new music in the nation. The concert will feature varying musical styles, such as extreme avant-garde and conservative modernism and instrumentations range from traditional choral settings to didgeridoos. Outlining the undergraduate composers are WSU Music Seniors John DePasquale (Clinton Township) and Michael Karloff (Windsor, Ontario Canada), along with fellow undergraduate composers Nick Buzinski (Rochester Hills), Anthony Lai (Dearborn), and Kyle Canjar (Dryden). The concert will also feature new music of Chris Skebo (Sterling Heights), who has already completed the composition program, and graduate composer Paul Kinney (Westland), who will be premiering his Master’s piece. The free performance will be held in the Schaver Music Recital Hall.