The 44th Annual JMU Contemporary Music Festival

Sunday, October 19, 2025

Guest Composer - Viet Cuong

This year, we are offering a one-day festival, filled with music, discussion, research, and more. There will be three concerts, two receptions, and a poster session featuring JMU contemporary music scholarship. Faculty, students, and major ensembles will be performing the music of guest composer Viet Cuong and much more on the concerts, beginning at 2:00pm.

(subject to change)

2:00pm — Concert I (Forbes Concert Hall)

Viet Cuong: Electric Aroma, for flute, clarinet, percussion, and piano

Jennifer Jolley: Lilac Tears, for saxophone and piano

Viet Cuong: Apparition, for solo clarinet

Viet Cuong: Prized Possessions, for saxophone quartet

Eric Nelson: How Do I Love Thee?
Elaine Hagenberg: Measure Me Sky!
perfomed by The Madison Chorale, directed by Jo-Anne van der Vat-Chromy

Performers include: Beth Cahill, Šarūnas Jankauskas, Casey Cangelosi, Paulo Steinberg, Esther Nyberg, Anthony Cincotta, & Geneva Maldonado

Program Notes 

3:00pm — Poster Research Presentation and Reception (Forbes Grand Lobby)

4:00pm — Concert II (Forbes Recital Hall)

Casey Cangelosi: Blink, for 2 percussionists

Ania Vu: Unveiling, for string quartet

Jessie Montgomery: Rhapsody No. 2 for solo viola

Jason Haney: Preludes 4-6, for piano

Davie DeVasto: Among the Trees, for 2 flutes, clarinet, and piano

Andre Myers: Painting with Knives, for saxophone and piano

Armando Bayolo: Otoño, for saxophone and piano

Performers include: Aaron Trumbore, Casey Cangelosi, Diane Phoenix-Neal, Carl Donakowski, Wanchi Huang, Jason Haney, Bluestone Quartet, Esther Nyberg, & Anthony Cincotta

Program Notes

7:00pm — Concert III (Forbes Concert Hall)

Gabriela Lena Frank:  Three Latin American Dances ("The Mestizo Waltz) performed by the JMU Symphony Orchestra, directed by Kira Omelchenko

Reiko Nomura:  Orienta Tonalythm Suite performed by combined JMU Symphony Orchestra and Harrisonburg High School String Orchestra

David Kang:  Blazing Ichor performed by Harrisonburg High School String Orchestra, directed by Brian Incheck

-Intermission-

Viet Cuong: John and Jim, performed by the JMU Symphonic Band, directed by Chris DeVona

Viet Cuong: Moth
Viet Cuong: Renewal
performed by the JMU Wind Symphony, directed by Chris Cicconi

9:00 — Ending reception (Forbes Grand Lobby)