Youngcomposersmayholdthekeytoclassicalmusic’sfuture.SeventeenyoungcomposersinInConcertSierra’sComposersProjectwithMarkVancewillshowcasetheirfirstsemesteroriginalcompositionsinPoetryinSong,March20inGrassValley.
PoetryinSongfeaturescreativenewworksforvoiceandoneinstrumentusingapoemofthecomposer’schoicethattheyhavesettomusic.ICSEducationDirector,composerandinstructorVancehasthestudentsselectapoemoftheirchoice,analyzethetextandidentifyanaturalmusicalrhythmthatissettomusic.
“(It’s)muchmorechallengingthanitsounds,”saidVance.
InJanuarythestudentshadtheopportunitytomeetviaZoomwithKoryReid,vocalistintheworld-renownedmalevoicechoir,Chanticleer.“Theyarebrilliantstudents,truly,sosmartandfullofpassionforwritingmusic,”saidReid.“Theyimpressedmewithsomeprofoundquestions.”
Allpieceswerecomposedbylocalyouth,ages14-18.ThepoetrychosenincludesworksbyEdgarAllenPoe,RobertFrost,E.E.Cummings,C.K.Williams,EdgarAlbertGuestandothers.
Thefinishedworkswillbeperformedbyaccomplishedsingers(BethGillogy,RebekahFreeman,RobbieMerchant,JanetRossman,AlisonSkinner,TobyThomas-Rose,JamieTomas-Rose,StanThomas-RoseandErinThomas-Rose)andprofessionalmusicians(JamesMay,guitar;ElizabethMcAllister,clarinet;SagePo,harp;KenHardinandLynnSchugren,piano;includingcomposerstudentEganRogersonbass).
AdelightfulsurpriseformanywillbehearingAlisonSkinner,whoisthemusicdirectorandconductorofInConcertSierra’sSierraMasterChorale.
TheComposersProjectisanine-monthprogramthatexploresallaspectsofcomposition,includingmusictheory,notation,findinginspiration,musichistory,writingforinstrumentfamiliesandpublicspeaking.Thestudentsmeetandworkwithguestmusicians,artistsandcomposers.
ReidcommentedonMarkVance’stutelage,“…anamazingprogram.You(Mark)aresuchawonderfullighttothesestudents.Whatanamazingopportunityforthem.”
TheconcertwillbeatPeaceLutheranChurch,828WestMainSt.inGrassValley,at3p.m.Sunday,March20.InConcertSierra’sCOVID-19audiencerestrictionsincludeavaccinated-onlyattendancepolicywithmasksrequiredindoors.
InConcertSierra,isaNevadaCountynonprofitorganizationthatpresentsclassicalmusicstarsfromtoday’sinternationalstage,aswellasemergingyoungartists,andlocalandregionalprofessionalmusicians.ItsBachtotheFuturerobustmusiceducationofferingsprovideimmersiveexperiencesforallages.Foundedin1946,ICSiscelebrating75yearsasanintegralpartofNevadaCounty’sartscommunity.
Formoreinformationvisitinconcertsierra.orgorcall(530)273-3990.
