“David Crumb’s music is always dramatic, intense and eclectic,” said Charles Argersinger, professor of composition at WSU and creator of the festival. “Crumb’s compositions draw upon various musical materials, from the raw driving rhythms and dissonances of Stravinsky to the elegant romanticism of the music of Chopin. It will bathe you in a splash of orchestral colors and leave you in a spiritual peace of mind,” Argersinger said.
Compositions by Crumb will be performed by WSU faculty in a public concert in Kimbrough Concert Hall at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12. Student and faculty compositions will also be highlighted during the festival, which runs Feb. 10-12. The recital of faculty compositions will be presented at 8 p.m. Feb. 10 in Bryan Hall Auditorium. Student work will be presented at 11:10 a.m. Feb. 10 in Bryan Hall Auditorium.
The Festival of Contemporary Art Music was established 16 years ago to bring world-class contemporary music composers to campus to broaden the exposure of the music and to deepen the understanding and appreciation of the genre.
“The festival is enormously important to contemporary music in at least two directions,” said Erich Lear, former director of the
Crumb joined the music faculty at the
Crumb holds degrees in composition and cello from the
Crumb has participated in the Tanglewood Music Festival (fellowship in composition), the Gamper Festival at
Selected performances include “Variations for Cello and Chamber Ensemble,” first performed by Lynn Harrell and the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group on the Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella series (May 1993). In February 1999, the Orchestra 2001 performed and recorded “Variations” with Ulrich Boeckheler as soloist (released on the C.R.I. label), and in May 2000 the Cleveland Chamber Symphony performed this work with Regina Mushabak as soloist. In June 1991, “Clarino,” a work commissioned in honor of the Centennial of the Chicago Symphony, was premiered by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Michael Morgan conducting. Since then, “Clarino” has been performed by the Baltimore Symphony, Zinman conducting (May 1997). Other notable performers and presenters of Crumb’s works include the Parnassus Ensemble, the Pacific Contemporary Music Center Festival, the
For more about the Festival of Contemporary Art Music, visit http://libarts.wsu.edu/artmusic/.