View PDF Document

/\MERIC/\N e([JETYa= UN~h\SITY Q)J1RJSERS SPRING/SUMMER, 1976Nol. 9, No. 2 CONFERENCE XI HELD IN BOSTON The eleventh annual conference of hard working people contributed im the American Society of University measurably to the success of the Composers was held in Boston from Feb conference. ruary 26th to the 29th, 1976. The Among the many highlights of the meetings, concerts, and get-togethers four day conference was the opening were hosted by the New England Con concert by the New England Conservatory servatory and the Massachusetts Wind Ensemble, conducted by Frank L. Institute of Technology. Those of us Battisti, on Thursday evening in Jor fortunate enough to attend all or part dan Hall. The works on that program of this significant gathering were were Passacaglia Profundus by Jere impressed by the quantity and quality Hutcheson (Michigan State University); of the events and by the gracious Rhombohedra by Gordon Cyr (Towson hospitality extended to us by the host State College, Towson, Maryland); institutions and their representatives. Nova by David Stock (Pittsburgh, Penn Special accolades must be offered to sylvania); Pometacomet, 1676 by Robert Donald Harris of the New England Con Selig (New England Conservatory) and servatory who shouldered the greatest The Continental Harp and Band Report responsibility for the successful by Eric Stokes (University of Minnesota). planning of the conference. He was A reception in the foyer of Brown Hall ably assisted in his efforts by Nancy was provided after the concert. Van de Vate (University of Hawaii) who Formal proceedings began Friday was chairperson for papers. Others morning .'n Brown Hall. Greetings were whose contributions were so vital in extended by Donald Harris, Marshall the success of the conference were Bialosky, and Elizabeth Cook, Director Fredrick Imbimbo, Coordinator; Beatrice of the Mayor's Office of Cultural Haines, Secretary; Martin Farren (Mass Affairs for the City of Boston. These achusetts Institute of Technology); we re followed by a special tre at as Donald Martino (New England Conserva Otto Luening, in honor o f his 75th tory); Elliot Schwartz (Bowdoin College); birthday, spoke on "The University and Robert Stern {University of Massachu the Larger Community." setts, Amherst); Bruce J. Taub, Ex The first Paper session, with ecutive Committee, American Society John Rogers (University of New Hamp of University Composers; and Barry shire) as chairman, consisted of papers Vercoe (Massachusetts Institute of by Claire Pol in (Rutgers University) on Technology) . Also thanks are due "Musi cal Notation as Communication James Whitaker, Administrative Co Today" and William Benjamin (University ordinator for the New England Conser of Michigan, Ann Arbor)--"On Pitch vatory and other members of the staff Reclassification: Unmaking Some Myths of our host institution: Gene Haley, of Octave Equivalence." These were Director of Public Af£airs; Elizabeth followed by a lecture demonstration Burnett, Performance Librarian; Robe rt by Ron George (Univers ity of California, Rachdorf, Dire ctor o f Audio-Visual San Diego) on "Re search i n t o New Areas Facilities; Jonathan Wulp, Stage of Multiple-Percussion Performance and Manager; Patricia Kenny, Assistant Composition." Director of Public Affairs; and Carol The second paper session, "Ameri Woodworth, Assistant to the Adminis~ can Music, Past and Present," was trative Coordinator. All of these chaired by Gregory Levin (University of Calgary, Alberta) and included papers Beardslee, Michael Dertouzos (Massachu by Barbara English Maris (Peabody setts Institute of Technology), Walter Conservatory) on "American Compositions Rosenblith (Massachusetts Institute of for Piano and Tape-Recorded Sound" and Technology), Barry Vercoe, and Robert Marshall Bialosky (California State Freeman (Eastman School of Music), moder College, Dominguez Hills) discussing ator. The discussion was both lively and "Some Late Nineteenth-Century Members informative. Friday ended with a recep of ASUC: Paine, Parker, Chadwick and tion in the Bush Room. MacDowell." Saturday began with the third paper At four o'clock Friday afternoon a session. Gordon Cyr served as Chairperson concert titled "Contemporary Chamber Music and the presentations were by Newton Hoff Concert I" was presented in Jordan Hall man (Ball State University) discussing involving faculty, students, and alumni "Circular Diagrams for the Tone Sets;" of the New England Conservatory. It was Jonathan Kramer (Yale University) speaking obvious that the performers in this con about "Teaching Music to the Amateur through cert, as in ali of the other concerts, had Composition;" and Harold Oliver (Geneseo put in many devoted hours of preparation College, SUNY) on "Teaching Music Theory in order to present the highest quality Within a Liberal Arts Program . " These were performances. The sincere attention to followed by a lecture demonstration by Ron excellence was appreciated by all in ald Pellegrino (Novato, California) entitled attendance! This first concert included "Thought Processes in the Electronic Arts of Music When Soft Voices Die by John Har Sound and Light." bison (Massachusetts Institute of Tech The afternoon began with the Second nology); Links by Stuart Smith (University Chamber Music Concert, in Jordan Hall of Maryland, Baltimore); Starting Over by including excerpts from Mass: For Abraham' Marshall Bialosky; Line Drawings by Leo Lincoln by Warner Hutchison (New Mexico Kraft (Queens College, CUNY); Flight of State University, Las Cruces); Pianississ The Flute by James Hoffman (New England imo by Donald Martino (New England Conser Conservatory); Episodes by Greg Steinke vatory); and Quartet by Steven Stucky (Evergreen State College, Olympia, Wash (Cornell University), the winning composi~ ington); Sound Play by Elaine Barkin tion in the ASUC Student Composition (University of California, Los Angeles); Contest, 1976. Vox In Rama by Henry Weinberg (Queens The ASUC General Business Meeting was College, CUNY) and Missa Brevis by held following the concert. Priscilla and Vladimir Ussachevsky (Columbia University). Barton .McLean reported on the ASUC radio After a break for dinner, activities series, which, by all accounts, is becoming were transferred to the campus of the quite successful. They pointed out that in Massachusetts Institute of Technology honor of the Boston Conference, the local where the Ianugural Concert of the MIT Public Radio Station, WGBH, was featuring Experimental Music Studio was presented the complete series. In addition, with the in Kresge Auditorium. This beautiful help of Wesley Horner, Mace Rosenstein, and structure seemed to be the ideal visual Radio Manager John Beck, WGBH was taping and aural setting for such an auspicious "Meet the Composer" with invited panelists event and we were not disappointed. The Marshall Bialosky, Barney Childs (Redlands program included Music For Synthesizer University), Donald Harris, Edwin London And Six Instruments by Edwin Dugger (Uni (University of Illinois), Donald Martino versity of California, Berkeley); mild and Nancy Van de Vate. This program will' und leise by Paul Lansky (Princeton be aired at a future date. University); Mirrors III by Edward Diemente Executive Committee Chairman Bruce (University of Hartford, H~rtt School of Taub welcomed Randolph Coleman and Edward Music); Synapse For Viola And Computer by Mattila to the National Council and Pris Barry Vercoe (Massachusetts Institute of cilla McLean (new director of the Radio Technology); Alternate Routes by Ronald Perera (Smith College); Two Short Computer Series) and Richard Brooks to the Executive Committee. He then reported on membership Pieces by Godfrey Winham (Princeton (now i ncreased tq almost 500) and finances. University) perfo rmed in memory of the A discussion of a possible increase in dr~ composer by Bethany Beardslee. The concert was followed by a panel to enable ASUC t o pursue more programs, a"' well a s to insu re the continuation of the discussion on the topic "The Emerging Role high standards apparent in present pro of Technology in the Arts. " Participants grams, e nsued (see Editorial Comment) . i n the pane l were Milton Babbitt , Bethany No decision was reached, but to this ob to the Theory Conference to share with the server it was clear that, while no one ASUC members the remaining events. The looked forward to paying higher dues, all first of these joint activities was a paper who commented seemed to agree that a dues by Benjamin Boretz (Bard College) entitled ,r--i.ncrease was not unreasonable and might, "What Lingers On , (When the Song Is Ended)." .ndeed, be necessary. One further point The third and last Contemporary involved the fact that ASUC has rather few Chamber Music Concert followed. This student members. Perhaps all members included Echo Music II by Elliott Schwartz; should encourage those students who appear Slide Music for Four Trombones by Robert to be interested in a career in college Ceely (New England Conservatory); phrases teaching to join the Society. from "whirl ..• ds (I)" by Robert Cogan (New Saturday afternoon c ame to a close England Conservatory); Samsara by Harold with a Concer t by Lois Svard Burge and Oliver; Prelude and Elegy by Brian Fen David Burge. Included on the program were nelly (New York University) and Quintet Etudes by David Chaitkin (New York Uni by Bruce Taub. The concert was followed versity); Orpheum (Night Music I ) by by brief closing remarks and adjournment. Andrew Frank

Load more