The Society of Composers Inc. Region III Conference will offer the public 10 concerts of new music by internationally recognized composers on Marshall University’s Huntington campus Thursday, Feb. 25 through Saturday, Feb. 27.
The conference features music that builds upon orchestral and chamber music traditions and will offer a host of guest performers, according to Dr. Mark Zanter, music theory and composition coordinator at Marshall.
“This event is a major occurrence in the world of New Music,” Dr. Richard Kravchak, director of the School of Music and Theatre at Marshall, said. “It is one of only two SCI conferences to he held anywhere in the world in 2016.”
Kravchak said the university was competitively chosen to host this year’s SCI Region III Conference.
“A significant factor was the number of faculty who are experts in performing new music, and the willingness of our conducting faculty, especially Brian O. Walden and Adam Dalton, to program new works with their groups,” Kravchak said. “This is a major time commitment on their part, for which I am very thankful.”
Nightly concerts at 7:30 p.m. feature Marshall’s Percussion Ensemble conducted by Steven Hall; Trombone Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Michael Stroeher; the Wind Symphony, conducted by Walden and Dalton, and Marshall’s orchestra, conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Reed Smith. Friday, Feb. 26, Dr. Michael Stroeher, trombone, will perform Rosenhaus’ Nine Feet of Brass with the Wind Symphony. Saturday, Feb. 27, features Dr. Julio Alves, guitar, and Kristen Alves, violin, performing Richards’ Concerto for Violin, Guitar, and Bear Mountain.
Performance venues include Smith Recital Hall and Jomie Jazz Center Forum on Marshall’s Huntington campus and Marshall’s Visual Arts Center at 927 3rd Ave., as well as First Presbyterian Church at 1015 5th Ave.
For a conference schedule and further information, visit www.marshall.edu/music/music/sci or call 304-638-3481. Marshall University’s music program, the College of Arts and Media, and MUsic Alive! provided support for this festival.
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Photo: Brian O. Walden will conduct the Marshall Wind Symphony in a performance at the Society of Composers Inc. conference Feb. 25-27.