2008 Society of Composers, Inc. National Conference Atlanta, Georgia ~s,S Hosted by Georgia tate SCHOOL OF MUSIC llrlivers1ty CENTER FOR HELLENIC STUDIES VVednesday, February 20, 2008 - Saturday, February 23, 2008 Featuring Special Guest Composer GEORGE TSONTAKIS www.music.gsu.edu/SCINational2008 2008 Society of Composers, Inc. National Conference, Special Guest Composer George Tsantakis George Tsantakis has been the recipient of the two richest prizes awa,rded in all of classical music; the, international Grawemeyer Award, in 2005, for his Second Violin Concerto and the 2007 Ives Living, awarded every three years by fhe America,n Academy of Arts and Letters. He studied with Roger Sessions at Juilliard and in Rome, with Fra.nco Donatoni. Born in Astoria, NY into a strongly Cretan heritage., he has, in recent years, become an important figure in the music of Greece and his music is ]ncreasingly performed in Europe. He is: Distinguished Composer-in­ Residence. at the, B.ard Conservatory and Composer:.in-Residence with the Aspen Music Festival for de.cades, where he, was foundingdirector of the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, from 1991- 99.. He served for three years as Composer-in-Residence with the Oxford (England) Philomusica and with the Albany Symphony in New York and will be the featured Composer-In-residence with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, 2008-09 season. He lives in New York State's Catskill Mountains, in Shokan. PROGRAM NOTES Knickknacks, Seven Pieces for Violin & Viola Knickknacks, seven pieces for Violin and Viola, were composed in 2000, and were commissioned by violist Karen Dreyfus, to celebrate the 50th birthday of her hus~and, Glenn Dicterow, concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic. Piano Quartet No. 3 (2005) Barren - Dolce, Cantabile Legato - Liquid Breezy - Vigorous George Tsantakis' P'iano Quartet No. 3 was co-t~ornmissioned by OPUS ONE and the festival, Music from Angel Fire, with the support of the Bruce E. Howden American Composers Project. The work is dedicated to the festival's .director, Ida K'avafian. It is a work in three contrasting movements, though s.ome of the thematic mateTial returns. in different sections. The first, marked "Barren-Dolc:e, Cantabile" offers moments of subtle charm and lyricism~ perhaps influenced by the musfo of Debussy. It .opens with repeated chords in the piano atop sustaine'd harmonies in the strings. The middle section employs a two: note step-wise motive, working up into .a climax before returning, and closes, with a haunting s.ection marked "desolate." The second movement be·gins with single bell-like notes. (often harmonics in the string parts) passed around the instruments. and goes dire-c.tly into a livelier section marked "Liquid." This section contains two. moments. of unmeasured, chromatic scale "improvisations" by the piano; the movement seems to vaporize to its end after a brief reminder of the opening material. The third movement, entitl.ed "Breezy," has a decidedly "Balkan" or Eastern European folk music character (where the com1mser pays· homage to Ms. Kavadianis Armenian background). This folksy character is interrupted by dramatic rhythmic se.ctions,. throwing the move.ment into intense, driving, powerful characters before coming to a quiet close with the more introspective chords from the first movement. Mr. Tson4lkis' residencv made possible tnrough the Center for Hellenic Studies at Georgia State University Acknowledgements This Conference made possible through the generous contributions of The Center for Hellenic Studies at Georgia State University The Georgia State University School of Music W. Dwight Coleman, Director Georgia State University Community Music Division Sandy Smith, Coordinator The Society of Composers, Inc. Thomas Wells, President The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) GSU SCI Student Chapter Brent Milam President I Graduate Assistant, Composition Area Diego Cubero Vice-President Toby Chappell Secretary Carol Underwood Treasurer Brian Chamberlain Mike Edmands Doug Farrell Bill Graham John Holland Micah Martin Chad Powers Victoria Rey Walt Wilkerson 2008 National Conference Society of Composers, Inc. February 20 - 23, 2008 • Atlanta, GA Georgia State University School of Music Host Institution Co-Sponsored by the Center for Hellenic Studies at Georgia State University Featuring Special Guest Composer George Tsontakis Conference Committee Thomas Wells, SCI President Gerald Warfield, SCI General Business Manager Nickitas Demos, Conference Host The Society of Composers, Inc. is a professional society dedicated to the promotion of composition, performance, understanding and dissemination of new and contemporary music. Members include composers and performers both in and outside of academia interested in addressing concerns for national and regional support of compositional activities. The organizational body of the Society is comprised of a National Council, co­ chairs who represent regional activities, and the Executive Committee. SCI Officers National Council (2007-2008) President Thomas Wells Ohio State University Region 1 Scott Brickman University of Maine at Fort Kent Beth Wiemann University of Maine Region 2 Anneliese Weibel SUNY-Stony Brook Daniel Weymouth SUNY-Stony Brook Region 3 Harvey Stokes Hampton University Bruno Amato Peabody Conservatory Region 4 Mark Engebretson University of North Carolina at Greensboro Paul Osterfeld Middle Tennessee State University Region 5 Mark Phillips Ohio University Frank Felice Butler University Region 6 Eric Honour ' University of Central Missouri Ken Metz The University of the Incarnate Word Region 7 Bruce Reiprich Northern Arizona State University Glenn Hackbarth Arizona State University Region 8 Charles Argersinger Washington State University Patrick Williams University of Montana National Conference Host Nickitas Demos Georgia State University Student Conference Host Jennifer Barker University of Delaware President Emeritus Greg Steinke Executive Committee (2007-2008) Chairman James Paul Sain University of Florida Chair Emeritus William Ryan Grand Valley State University Editor, Newsletter Sam Hamm Rocky Mou ntain College Editor, SCION John G. Bilotta Editor, Journal of Music Scores Bruce J. Taub Producer, CD Series Richard Brooks Nassau Community College Producer, SCI Performers' Series Phillip Schroeder Henderson State University Manager, Audio Streaming Project Thomas Wells Ohio State University Coordinator, Submissions Lee Hartman University of Delaware Representative, Member and Media Relations Ronald Keith Parks Winthrop University Representative, Independent Composer Anne Kilstofte Phoenix, Arizona Representative, Student Chapters Nickitas Demos Georgia State University Representative, Student Composers Alex Sigman Stanford University Coordinator, Kari Juusela Berklee College SCl/ASCAP Student Competition and Grants Web master Mike McFerron Lewis University Web Content Manager Matthew McCabe . University of Florida SCI National Office (2007-2008) General Manager Gerald Warfield I' .... c I ~ Society of Composers, Inc. National Councir (ZOOlf-09) Thomas Wells, Presmit The Ohio State Uriversity On behalf of the Society of Composers, Incorporated, welcome to our Greg Steinke, President Emeritus 2008 National Conference! Beth Wiemam, University of Maine (1) Scott Brici<m!rl, University of Maine (1) AnnBiese W-, SUNY Stony Brook (2) We are delighted to be located in the center of the city of Atlanta with Dane Weymouth, SUNY Stooy Brook (2) Bruno Amato, Peabody Cooservatory (3) its cultural heritage and vibrant metropolitan feel. Havey Stokes, Hampton Uriversity (3) Mark EngWretson (4) Uriversity of North Cardina, Greensboro Our host, Nick Demos, has done an extraordinarily impressive job of Paul Osterfeld, Midtle TN State Univ. (4) organizing the countless logistical details that go into the production Frank Felice, Butter University (4) Mark Philps, Ohio University (4) of such an event, as well as taking on the roles of impresario and Eric Horour, University of Central Misswri (6) conductor for the numerous performances he and his wonderful Ken Metz, Univ,..sity of the lncama1e Word (6) Bruce Raiprich , Northern Arizona State Uriversity (7) ensembles at Georgia State will be presenting. Glem Hackba1h, Arizooa State Uriversity (7) Debora Kavasch, Univ. of California at S1r1 Diego (8) Pal!ici< Witwns, University of Montana (8) To recap a thought from my New Year's Message this year: that SCI is more than the professional opportunities we create--1 think many of Executive Committee you will agree that some of the best times you've experienced in this James Sain, Chairmai Uriversily of Florida organization have been spent at conferences--chatting, reminiscing, V'Jiliarn Ryai, Chiirmai Emeritus and exchanging stories with colleagues over dinner or drinks. Suffolk Canmunity ~ Sam Hanm, Ecitor, Newsletter Rod<y Mountain Cdlege My sincerest wishes for a most pleasant stay in Atlanta and an Bruce J. Taub, Ecitor, Journal of Music Scores enjoyable conference. Jam Biolta, Ecitor, SCION Kari Juusela, SCl/ASCAP Canmissioring Canpetitioo BerideeC~ Richard Brooks, Produceer. CD Series ~slttle Rec:oids Sincerely Loo Hartmai, SUbmissials Coortinator Uriveraity of Delawere Nikitas Demos, Student Chapter Representative Georgia State Univeraity Alex Signai, Student Represootative Sta"lford Urivernity Tom Wells Mike McFem:n, Webmaster Lev.is Univ... sity Matthew McCabe, Woo Cootent Maiager Thomas Wells UriverSty of Florida President' SCI Anne Filstofte, Independent