SU’s ‘Year of the American Composer’ to continue with contemporary music performance April 6

SU’s ‘Year of the American Composer’ to continue with contemporary music performance April 6March 24, 2005Jaime Winne Alvarez jlwinne@syr.edu

To celebrate “Year of the American Composer,” the Rose, Jules R. and Stanford S. Setnor School of Music in Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts will present Third String, the University’s contemporary music ensemble, April 6 at 8 p.m. The group is comprised of undergraduate and graduate music majors.

The performance, the second of the ensemble’s yearly concerts, is in the Rose and Jules R. Setnor Auditorium, located in Crouse College. It is free and open to the public. Parking is available in Irving Garage.

The program will include “Angels’ Wings” by senior music composition major Nikolas Allen; “Diary of the Lines,” a world premiere by graduate composition major Xu Zhou; “Three Pieces for Brass Quintet and Piano” by composer Donald Erb; and four group improvisations-“Rheingoy,” “Die Valkimere Die,” “God or Demerol” and “…und Roy”-by the Setnor School’s improvisation group Wagner’s Wandering Klezmer Wonders. Allen’s piece is scored for 10 instruments (including brass, winds, strings and percussion) and Xu Zhou’s work is scored for two sopranos, percussion and guitar. The improvisations will include a mix of acoustic instruments and sound sources.

Third String’s concert is produced under the guidance of Daniel S. Godfrey, composer-in-residence at the Setnor School, with ensembles conducted by Allen and Professor Bradley Ethington. Composer Nicolas Scherzinger, music professor, will direct the improvisation performances.