CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHTS NEW YORK ENSEMBLE, MUSIC CRITIC

From: Media Relations

January 30, 2007

HARRISONBURG — The New Millennium Ensemble, a New York-based musical group that has premiered more than 50 new works, will perform and teach during James Madison University's 27th annual Contemporary Music Festival, Feb. 8-11.

The members of New Millennium, flutist Tara Helen O'Connor, cellist Gregory Hesselink, clarinetist Marianne Gythfeldt, violinist Sunghae Anna Lim, percussionist John Ferrari and pianist Margaret Kampmeier, will present contemporary works at an informal performance and discussion at Barnes and Noble in Harrisonburg Crossing Friday, Feb. 9, and at a campus concert Saturday, Feb. 10.

The ensemble, the winner of the 1995 Walter W. Naumburg Chamber Music Award, will also work with student composers, hold master classes and participate in an open rehearsal while at JMU.

During its 15-year history, the ensemble has appeared in concert in Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, on WNYC's "Around New York" and at numerous music festivals, including the Radio Leon Festival in Monterrey, Mexico, Festival of New American Music in Sacramento, Calif., and Sonic Boom Festival in New York. The ensemble is the recipient of a CMA/ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming.

Another festival guest, Tim Page, "Washington Post" chief music critic and a Pulitzer Prize winner, will make two presentations — a formal lecture and a pre-concert talk, both on Friday, Feb. 9.

Admission for most festival concerts is $6 for the public and $3 for students, payable at the door. In addition, passes for all concerts are available for $20 for the public and $10 for students. Tickets can also be purchased at the JMU School of Music main office, Room 123, Music Building. Admission to other festival events is free.

A complete festival schedule follows.

Wednesday, Feb. 7 —
JMU Honors Program Brown-Bag Lunch Talk, 12:20-1:10 p.m., Room 404, Taylor Hall: JMU music Associate Professor Carl Donakowski presents "The Influence of Hungarian Folk Music on Zoltan Kodaly's Sonata for Solo Cello, op. 8"

Thursday, Feb. 8 —
Panel Discussion, 9:30 a.m., Wilson Hall Auditorium: JMU music faculty discuss "Contemporary Music and the Creative Process"

Guest Speaker, 11 a.m., Wilson Hall Auditorium: Stephen Kennamer, former "Richmond Times-Dispatch" music critic, presents a talk on Igor Stravinsky

Concert, 8 p.m., Wilson Hall Auditorium: Features the JMU Chorale, Madison Singers, Brass Band, Flute Choir and Trumpet Ensemble

Friday, Feb. 9 —
"Insight" Public Radio Program, 3 p.m., WMRA, 90.7FM: Features JMU music Associate Professor Jason Haney, chairman of the Contemporary Music Festival Committee, and two members of the New Millennium Ensemble; the call-in number for audience participation is 888-WMRA-TALK

Visiting Scholars Program Lecture, 4 p.m., Room 142, Music Building: Tim Page presents "Contemporary Music and Contemporary Culture: A Critic's Perspective"

Performance, 5:30 p.m., Barnes and Noble, Harrisonburg Crossing: Members of the New Millennium Ensemble perform and engage in an informal discussion

Pre-Concert Conversation, 7:30 p.m., Wilson Hall Auditorium: Features Tim Page

Concert, 8 p.m., Wilson Hall Auditorium: Chamber music featuring JMU faculty performers

Saturday, Feb. 10 —
Open Rehearsal, noon-3 p.m., Wilson Hall Auditorium: The New Millennium Ensemble

Student Composers' Concert, 3 p.m., Anthony-Seeger Auditorium: Features winners of the JMU Young Composers Competition

Concert, 8 p.m., Wilson Hall Auditorium: New Millennium Ensemble

Sunday, Feb. 11 —
Concert, 3 p.m., Wilson Hall Auditorium: Chamber music featuring JMU faculty performers.

For more information, contact Dr. Jason Haney, chairman of the Contemporary Music Festival and an associate professor of music at JMU, at 540-568-6664 or haneyjx@jmu.edu.

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