WSU Announces Featured Composer for 2006 Festival of Contemporary Art Music

PULLMAN, Wash. – Ellsworth Milburn, professor emeritus of composition and theory at Shepard School of Music, Rice University, has been selected the featured composer for the 2006 Festival of Contemporary Art Music at Washington State University, scheduled for February.

Established 17 years ago by faculty member Charles Argersinger, the Festival of Contemporary Art Music is a celebration of contemporary classical music showcasing original, new compositions by students, faculty and a visiting composer.

As a composer, Milburn has received four grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and commissions or performances from the Houston Symphony, the Concord and Lark string quartets and the Da Camera Society. Milburn’s music has been described by critics a number of ways, including as craggy, colorful, romantic, aggressive, searing, funny, sweetly poignant and overwhelming.

“The selection of Ellsworth Milburn as the 2006 featured composer was widely supported by the music faculty,” said Argersinger, professor of composition at the WSU School of Music and Theatre Arts and creator of the festival. “I believe his compositions will receive broad favor with art music fans in eastern Washington. Milburn’s string quartets have been described as among the finest in contemporary literature.”

The 2006 Festival of Contemporary Art Music is part of the College of Liberal Arts Season, which incorporates high visibility, world-class events centered on diversity, social justice, peace and security, the arts and media. The spring College of Liberal Arts Season also includes the Edward R. Murrow Symposium in April.

“The festival is an essential part of our Season,” said Dean Erich Lear. “It features the creative element of the College of Liberal Arts, the university and the community. With creativity and the performing and visual arts, in particular, this college and this university remain at the cutting edge and help to define where that edge will be in the future.”

The Festival of Contemporary Art Music will begin with student compositions at 11:10 a.m. Feb. 9 in Kimbrough Concert Hall. The faculty composer concert will be held at 8 p.m. Feb. 9 in Bryan Hall Auditorium. A concert featuring the works of Milburn will be held at 8 p.m. Feb. 11 in Bryan Hall Auditorium. All performances are free and open to the public.