music composition

The School of Music will present BYU’s first ever movie in concert with “King Kong” (1933). The BYU Philharmonic — under the direction of Kory Katseanes — will perform Max Steiner’s landmark score as the film plays on the big screen in the de Jong Concert Hall Nov. 2. The concert also marks the first time the score has been performed live since its reconstruction from Steiner’s original sketches by film composer John Morgan. Music theory professor Brent Yorgason worked behind the scenes with BYU students, faculty and staff as well as industry professionals to transcribe and polish the reconstructed score, coordinate media elements and create click tracks to keep the live music in sync with the images on the screen. Yorgason discusses the importance of Steiner’s legacy — and BYU’s unique connection to it — in a Q&A on the School of Music website.

BYU music student Christian Orme submitted an original composition to the 2019 Brock Competition for Student Composers and won second runner-up For BYU School of Music student Christian Orme, what began as a challenge from a friend to write an a cappella piece for BYU Singers has turned into an incredible opportunity to explore his identity as a musician and composer. After three days of composing in late April 2019, Orme finished “Hymn to the Night” at about 3:30 a.m. The composition was inspired by the text of the famous poem written by the nineteenth-century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. “The melody and subsequent harmonies that serve as the foundational underpinnings of the composition came rather quickly,” said Orme. “I wanted to evoke the beauty of Longellow's words which personify the godly, peaceful and restorative presence that the night brings. As with all the music I compose and arrange, I seek to draw others closer to the divine by merging the various components of composition that I find most compelling and soul-expanding.” After the initial draft of the composition was done, Orme turned to BYU professor Andrew Crane for guidance and feedback because of Crane’s expertise in composing for choral groups. Read the full story at music.byu.edu.

The BYU Barlow Endowment for Music Composition has announced the winner of the Barlow Prize as well as grant recipients for the endowment’s General and LDS Commissioning Programs. Out of 356 submissions from 36 countries, Canadian citizen Tawnie Olson was awarded the $12,000 Barlow Prize to compose a major new work for an unaccompanied SATB Choir. The work will be premiered by the BYU Singers, Seraphic Fire and The Crossing in 2020. Taiwan native Shih-Wei Lo was granted the distinction on Honorable Mention. The judges also granted $80,000 to 13 composers from over 200 applicants to the General and LDS Commissioning Programs. Ethan Wickman, the executive director of the Barlow Endowment, expressed his gratitude for all the composers and ensembles that applied to the competition. “Because of limited resources and keen competition among hundreds of applicants, the Endowment regrets they were unable to fund all worthy projects,” said Wickman. The endowment encourages individuals and ensembles to continue to apply for commissions. Details for the 2019 Barlow competitions will be available on their website and Facebook page in the coming months.

Jason Robert Brown and Kelli O’Hara spent time working with students while at BYU

Roomful of Teeth shared their vocal abilities on and off the stage and left a lasting impact on students at BYU

Keep an eye out for Jordan Kamalu. Or rather an ear. Kamalu, a BYU commercial music studies major who is graduating this month, has been surrounded by music from a very young age. Throughout his university experience, composing music has given him unique opportunities and even earned him a Student Emmy nomination. Before going to college, Kamalu had already received two awards for composing music. Winning the National PTA Reflections contest his senior year in high school gave Kamalu a vision of how he could make a living by doing what he loved. That’s the dream isn’t it? “Music was something that I excelled at and enjoyed doing,” said Kamalu. “I really didn’t see any other way of making money that would be as enjoyable.” From that moment forward, composing became Kamalu’s focus. - See more at https://news.byu.edu/news/byu-grad-finds-early-success-music-composition

Multi-Grammy and Tony Award-nominated composer and producer Frank Wildhorn will present “Frank Wildhorn and Friends” at Brigham Young University Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets start at $20 ($10 off with a student ID, $3 off for senior citizens and BYU alumni) and can be purchased at the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-2981, or at byuarts.com/tickets. “Frank Wildhorn and Friends” will take the audience on a concert journey through Wildhorn’s celebrated catalog of music paying homage to his greatest songs in a personal and thrilling way. The group features Wildhorn, piano, a three-piece band and the vocal talents of Broadway’s Jackie Burns (“Wicked”), Darren Ritchie (“Wonderland” and “Little Shop of Horrors”) and Adrienne Warren (“Bring It On” and “Dreamgirls”). In 1999, Wildhorn became the first American composer in 22 years to have three shows running simultaneously on Broadway, including “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” “Jekyll & Hyde” and “The Civil War.” His other Broadway work includes “Wonderland” and “Bonnie & Clyde.” Outside of Broadway, other artists to record and perform his work include Whitney Houston, Natalie Cole, Kenny Rogers, Sammy Davis Jr. and Hootie & the Blowfish. Wildhorn wrote Whitney Houston’s No. 1 international hit “Where Do Broken Hearts Go?” and “Gold,” for the opening ceremony of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games. This concert is a part of BYU’s new performing arts series, “BRAVO!” — a new season that features a dynamic roster of celebrated guest artists. For more information, visit www.frankwildhorn.com, contact Jeff Martin, (801) 422-6340 or visit byuarts.com. Source: BYU News

One of America’s most performed composers David Lang will visit BYU’s campus this week to present an Oscarson Lecture. During his visit he will meet with composition students and attend a performance of his Pulitzer Prize-winning piece “The Little Match Girl Passion.” The School of Music invites students and faculty in the College of Fine Arts and Communications to attend the following events: Group for New Music presents David Lang's The Little Match Girl Passion, and works by Knox, Xenakis, and Colquhoun Wednesday, March 13, 2013 7:30 p.m. Madsen Recital Hall Oscarson Lecture - Pulitzer Prize-winning Composer David Lang Thursday, March 14, 2013 11:00 a.m. Madsen Recital Hall David Lang lecture to Composition Seminar Thursday, March 14, 2013 3:00 p.m. E400 HFAC Mr. Lang's visit is supported by the Barlow Endowment Education Grant and the Oscarson Lecture Series. All admission is free. Photo: http://davidlangmusic.com/

by Angela Fischer Brigham Young University’s School of Music presents several free concerts Tuesday through Saturday, Dec. 2-6, in the Harris Fine Arts Center. - The University Orchestra and University Strings will come together for a concert Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Conducted by Lev Ivanov and Stephen Fairbanks, the University Orchestra will perform pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, “Sugar Plum Fairy Dance” and “Waltz of the Flowers.” They will also present “Pomp and Circumstance, no. 4” by Edward Elgar and “Radetsky March” by Johann Stauss. University Strings, conducted by Ivanov and James Arbizu, will perform the Symphony for Strings no. 12 by Felix Mendelssohn and two pieces from “Henry V” by William Walton. - The Songwriters’ Showcase will be presented Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Conducted by Ron Simpson, the showcase will feature the music of BYU media music majors selected to perform after completing a songwriting program. - The BYU Flute Choirs will perform Thursday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. The choir of non-flute majors, conducted by Meleece Orm, will present the Overture to “The Magic Flute” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, “Shenandoah” arranged by Mary Jean Simpson and “Tag!” by David L. Wells. Conducted by Marianne Cutchins, the majors flute choir will perform the overture to “The Barber of Seville” by Gioacchino Rossini, “Blue Train” by Ryohei Hirose, “Cassation” by JindŠ™ich Feld and “Sails, Winds and Echoes” by Crawford Gates.” The program will culminate in a combined flute choir holiday piece, “Christmas Fantasy” by Ricky Lombardo. - A Harp Solo and Ensemble music showcase will be presented Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Directed by Anamae Anderson, the harpists will perform Variations on a Theme of Paganini by Mikhail Mchedelov, Invention No. 8 by Johann Sebastian Bach and the Concerto in C Major for Flute and Harp by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The program will also feature Christmas classics “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “The Christmas Song” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” For more information, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348. Source: BYU News