Tune in to WUSF’s Modern Notebook on May 1 at 8pm EST for a broadcast of my duo, Noticing, as performed by clarinetist Sammy Lesnick and violinist Hanna Hurwitz. The recording is from my Albany Records portrait CD.
Central Florida Lecture
Yesterday concluded my mini college tour with a virtual visit to the University of Central Florida, where I presented two of my works to undergraduate composers under the guidance of my friend, composer Alex Burztos. Just like my visits to Eastman and Buffalo, I was impressed with these young musical minds. It’s interesting to observe that when presenting the same compositions to many different people, they often formulate different reactions and questions in response to the work. This suggests that regardless of what a composer intends, there are infinite ways of “hearing” a work. And beautifully so.
Buffalo Masterclass and Lecture
The last few days have been a whirlwind but a positive one. It was an absolute pleasure to present my work at Eastman. What talented and inquisitive young people these students were. I was also able to spend time with my former teachers, David Liptak and Ricardo Zohn-Muldoon, as well as Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez, whom I last met in Hong Kong.
Yesterday my Upstate tour continued with a masterclass and lecture for the graduate students in composition at SUNY Buffalo. I was very impressed with the work I saw from all six students. They represented a variety of styles and all seemed to understand that composition is an individual act with no clear right or wrong way of operating. Both their work and the quality of the discussion confirmed what I already knew from my experience of twice attending June in Buffalo, which is that this is one of the excellent programs for graduate study, thanks in large part to composer David Felder.
Eastman Lecture
Over the next week I’ll be doing a small college tour with two in-person and one virtual visit. The first stop is Rochester, my current locale, where I am presenting my work to the students in the Composition Symposium this Thursday. Eastman holds a special place in my heart, and my attendance at the school is one of a tiny handful of experiences that changed my life. What an honor to meet and speak with these talented young people.
I’ll be presenting three works included in my Albany Records portrait CD: They Say, for guitar; Inner Truth, for piano; and Sandburg Songs, for soprano and ensemble. Looking back—and in part because of the location—I realize that all three of these works have a connection with Eastman performers. Small world!
Before Rochester, I had the chance to visit Corning, NY and the Corning Museum of Glass, including various glassmaking demonstrations. This is one of the most enjoyable museum experiences I’ve had in a while. Highly recommended!