Feb. 28–March 2: Make plans for Festival of Contemporary Art Music

Stephenson leaning over piano with music scores.
Composer Jim Stephenson be this year's special guest composer.

By Sandra Albers, School of Music

The WSU School of Music will present its 2019 Festival of Contemporary Art Music Feb. 28–March 2 on the WSU Pullman campus. The event will feature special guest composer Jim Stephenson and WSU oboe professor Keri McCarthy.

Thursday evening’s opening gala, Concert 1, features the premiere of four new works for saxophone and string quartet by WSU professor Greg Yasinitsky, and James Stephenson’s phenomenal Devil’s Tale, his sequel to Igor Stravinsky’s l’Histoire du Soldat.

Concerts 2–5 feature performances by WSU faculty and students, playing works by WSU faculty and student composers, visiting composers from around the United States.

The final event, Concert 6, features world premiere performances of WSU professor Ryan Hare’s “Three Sketches” for solo piano and Kansas‑based composer Ingrid Stölzel’s “Leonardo Saw the Spring” for flute and piano. The festival will close with performances of guest composer James Stephenson’s “Sonata for Oboe,” performed by featured performer Keri McCarthy, and “Symphony No. 1” performed by the WSU Symphonic Wind Ensemble led by Dr. Danh Pham.

All festival events are open to the public and without charge. For more info visit the Festival of Contemporary Art Music website.

Thursday, Feb. 28

  • 8 p.m. – Concert 1 featuring James Stephenson’s “The Devil’s Tale”, Bryan Hall.

Friday, March 1

  • 3 p.m. – Concert 2, Kimbrough Concert Hall.
  • 8 p.m. – Concert 3, Bryan Hall Theatre.

Saturday, March 2

  • 10 a.m. – Concert 4, Kimbrough Concert Hall.
  • 3 p.m. – Concert 5, Kimbrough Concert Hall.
  • 8 p.m. –  Concert 6 featuring James Stephenson’s “Sonata for Oboe”, Bryan Hall Theatre.

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