October 16 - 18, 2012
Forbes Center for the Performing Arts
Guest Artists:
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, composer
Haleh Abghari, soprano
About this year’s Contemporary Music Festival:
We are truly excited for the opportunity to bring one of the world’s greatest living composers, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, to James Madison University for a celebration of his works. Maxwell Davies is one of the most prolific and eclectic composers of today, with symphonies, concertos, musical theater works, songs, choral works, chamber and solo works spanning many decades—over six hundred works in all. Only a small fraction of these will be performed during this three-day festival, which also features works by other contemporary composers, including JMU faculty composers. The pieces we have chosen for the festival represent a wide swath of Maxwell Davies’ career, from the iconic, monumental Eight Songs for a Mad King from 1969, to vocal and choral works from as recently as 2009. The Eight Songs will be performed by the great Haleh Abghari in the role of the mad king, George III, and members of the JMU faculty under the direction of
guest conductor Carsten Schmidt.
Other works on the festival include the dance-inspired Krump, for wind ensemble, by
Scott McAllister, a new work for women’s chorus, pianos and percussion by JMU’s
John Hilliard, and an evocative work for two pianos and electronics by Ton Bruynčl. The festival also includes several opportunities to hear Maxwell Davies speak about his music, about composers in the modern world, and to interact with him at pre-concert talks and informal talks with music students, all of which are free and open to the public. Ticketing information for the three main concerts is below. We hope to see you at the festival!
Schedule of Events and Programs:
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
9:30 - 10:30 am and 11 am - noon – Recital Hall
Peter Maxwell Davies speaks about his music (free)
7:30 pm – Pre-concert talk with Peter Maxwell Davies and John Hilliard - Concert Hall
8:00 pm – Concert I - Concert Hall (ticketed)
Maxwell Davies: Fanfare for Lowry, for six trumpets
Hilliard: Holy Spirit, for soprano, horn and piano
Schuller: Romantic Sonata, for clarinet, horn and piano
Maxwell Davies: Blake Dreaming, for baritone and string quartet
Intermission
Arthur Bliss: Lord, Make Me an Instrument
Maxwell Davies: Gray’s Pier
Maxwell Davies: The Lord's Praye
Maxwell Davies: Ave Rex Angelorum
Maxwell Davies: Carol: Ave, Plena Gracia
Hilliard: New choral work
Performers include: Chris Carrillo, Christine Ennis-Carrillo, Dorothy Maddison,
Ian Zook, Lori Piitz, Janice Minor, Paulo Steinberg, Kevin McMillan, Steffany Shock,
Sarah Park, Amadi Azikiwe, Ryan Hoffman, The Treble Chamber Choir under the direction of W. Bryce Hayes, The Madison Singers under the direction of
Joanne van der Vat-Chromy
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
1:30 pm – Visiting Scholar Lecture by Peter Maxwell Davies: “The Changing Role of the Composer in Society," Anthony-Seeger Auditorium
5:00 pm – Student Composers Recital featuring the winners of the JMU Young Composers Competition, Recital Hall
7:30 pm - Pre-concert talk with Peter Maxwell Davies and Jason Haney, Concert Hall
8:00 pm – Concert II: Contemporary Winds, Brass and Dance - Concert Hall
Maxwell Davies: Fanfare - Salute to Dennis Brain, for horn choir
Maxwell Davies: Dark Angels, for mezzo-soprano and guitar
Haney: Sonata, for violin and piano
Intermission
McAllister: Krump, for wind ensemble
Performers include: JMU Horn Choir under the direction of Ian Zook, Carrie Stevens,
Keith Stevens, Wanchi Huang, Jason Haney; JMU Wind Symphony unde
the direction of Steven Bolstad
Thursday, October 18, 2012
5:00 pm - Peter Maxwell Davies Composition Master Class - Recital Hall
7:30 pm – Pre-concert talk with Peter Maxwell Davies - Concert Hall
8:00 pm – Concert III: Max, Michelangelo and Madness - Concert Hall
Maxwell Davies: Tondo di Michelangelo, for baritone and piano
Bruynčl: Rain, for two pianos and electronics
Intermission
Maxwell Davies: Eight Songs for a Mad King, for voice, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, percussion, piano and harpsichord
Performers include: Haleh Abghari, Beth Chandler, Andy Connell, Wanchi Huang,
Carl Donakowski, Michael Overman, Lori Piitz, Carsten Schmidt, Kevin McMillan,
Jason Haney, Gabriel Dobner, Lori Piitz, Paulo Steinberg, Eric Ruple
Concerts I, II and III are ticketed. All other events are free and open to the public.
For ticket information, visit http://www.jmu.edu/jmuarts, call the Forbes Center Box Office at 540.568.7000, or visit the Box Office between 10:00 am and 5:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
This festival is made possible in part by the College of Arts and Letters Visiting Scholars Program and the JMU Office of International Programs.
CLICK HERE to download the Young Composers Competition application, due 9/21/12.
