l /\1\11ERIC/\N U]JETYo= UNt\LRSITY CCMRJSERJ 250 West 57th Street • Suite 626-7 • New York, New York 10019 WINTER-SPRING, 1979/Vol. 12, No. 1 This Issue Contains Information For: PERFORMANCE POSSIBILITIES BROADCASTING OF ASUC RADIO SERIES Thomas Read, Law~ence Moss, Ben Johns­ TWO SUMMER INSTITUTES ton, and Edwin London. Johnston's NEW RECORDING POSSIBILITIES Two Sonnets of Shakespeare provided some of the finest musical moments of CONFERENCE XIV HELD IN SAN DIEGO the whole meeting. In this piece, Philip Larson of the EVTE demonstrated The Fourteenth annual conference phenomenal range and expressivity. The of the American Society of University entire EVTE quartet (Larson, Deborah Composers met in San Diego for four Kavasch, Linda Vickerman, and Edwin full days' worth of concerts and talks Harkins) was able to perform to full this year, beginning on the last day advantage in Edwin London's Psalm of of February. · The conference director, These Days 2 (also from the opening Ber~ard Rands (University of Califor­ concert). nia at San Diego), and th~ associate Thursday morning began with directors for programming,· Beverly greetings from National Chairman Edwin Grigsby (California State University London, Conference Director Bernard at Northridge) and Robert Stewart Rands, and UCSD Academic Vice-Chan­ (California State University at Fuller­ cellor Paul Saltman. London's remarks ton) , planned sessions that filled the included the notion that ASUC may wish conference days to the brim. About to consider welcoming non-academics fifty new pieces were heard! into the membe rship, given the present The meeting ran quite smoothly, s tate of the academic job market, and thanks to the good efforts of the expressed the hope that we might put organizers and the local planning "art before analysis, music before committee (Thomas Nee, Pauline Oli­ talk, and accomplishment before cre­ v eros , Roger Reynolds, Edwin Harkins, dentials." Interestingly, the sub­ Gerry Gabel, and Steed Cowart). sequent confere nce event was a forum Though the committee found it neces­ and panel discussion on the subject sary to s chedule an entire day of of music theory. Arthur Komar (mod­ rain, at least it was warm rain; erator), Robert Rollin, Paul Hedwall, otherwise, the sunshine provided for and James D. Wagoner contributed short those of us fleeing Midwest and papers, and John Rahn, Jane Coppock Northeastern winters proved more than and Gerald Warfield joined them for adequate, as was the zoo, the local the panel. Ms. Coppock and Mr. Warfield r.eli, and the scenery in general. we re able to make some trenchant com­ The performances during the ments, and Barney Childs , Richard Say­ opening evening's concert set the lor, and Jeff Pressing--among others standard for the entire conference: --made heated contributions from the sometimes absolutely excellent, and floor. just about always very strong. The Thursday afternoon's events Unive rsity's r eside nt SONOR ensemble began with a special guest lecture bore the brunt of the work, with im­ from Charles Wuorinen, who spoke about portant cont ributions from the compositional and analytical impe ra­ Exte nded Vocal Techniques Ensemble tives, and about his recent interest (EVTE), student ensembles, and two in fractiles and l/f noise fluctuations groups from San Diego State University. in natural and physical growth pro­ The first concert included pieces by cesses. Two full concerts comple ted Derek Healey, David Cope, Larry Austi n, the day, including pieces by Stuart Smith, Edward Diemente, Greg Steinke, (moderator) . The subject of critics Ann Silsbee, Rudolph Bubalo, Eric and criticism drew more heated response Stokes, Richard Bunger, Neil McKay, from the audience. To end the morning's William Averitt, Ursula Mamlock, and discussions, Maurice Wright, Bernard John Russell . For this writer, the L. Faber (Director of the Center for the ~ Mamlock and McKay works were of special Study of Public Policy and the Arts), interest. Grant Beglarian (Dean of the School of The Friday morning sessions Performing Arts at USC), and Pauline opened with a panel discussion about Oliveros (Director of the Center for the various possibilities for coopera­ Music Experiment and a member of the tion among electronic music studios; NEA composer/librettist panel) joined the participants were Cleve Scott, Ron in a discussion about the changing pat- Pellegrino, Greg Steinke, Ron Perera, tern of funding for contemporary Beverly Grigsby, and David Keane. This composers; the ideas that government was followed by a presentation from will no longer be as reliable and that Gregory Levin, who spoke about his industry might prove a future source work at IRCAM in Paris, and a talk by of funding were set forth. Ms. Oliveros David Keane, "Some Practical Aesthetic gave a revealing explanation of how Problems of Electronic Music," which the NEA awards its annual grants to led naturally to a panel discussion individual composers. about the problems of teaching elec­ There were three full concerts on tronic music. Participants were Jona­ Saturday. The first was given by the than Kramer (moderator), W. Kenton members of the Harry Partch Performance Bales, Herbert Bielawa, David Cohen, Ensemble from San Diego State, and Peter Tod Lewis, Thomas Wells, David included Daphne in the Dunes, Barstow, Keane, and Greg Levin. The issue of and Castor & Pollux played on Partch's how much musical training ought to original instruments. The sound of the precede electronic studio work was ensemble live (as opposed to recorded) explored, and--predictably--not was a revelation for those who had not resolved. That afternoon a demonstra­ heard it previously. The ensemble is tion of vocal possibilities by EVTE directed by Danlie Mitchell. Also in- r---­ culminated with a performance of cluded on the micro-tonal concert were Madrigal by Richard Brooks. Edwin pieces by Paul William Simons and Cris Harkins, who plays trumpet as well as Forster. he sings, also talked about new possi­ The second concert returned to bilities on that instrument. works by ASUC members; pieces by Bruce Friday's afternoon concert in­ Falconer, C. Curtis-Smith, Elizabeth cluded pieces by Hane Brockman, Charles Vercoe, Allen Brings, Daria Semegen, Hoag, Beverly Grigsby, William Karlins, and Phillip Rhodes were played. In Michael Horvit, and Joel Naumann. the evening, Alexina Louie, Robert H. Music by Aurelio de la Vega, originally Lewis, Mike Schelle (the winner of the scheduled for this program, was heard ASUC student composition contest) , later in the conference. The concert Larry Austin, and Thomas Read had pieces that evening featured works by Jackson performed. Despite some technical Hill, Ruth Shaw Wylie, David Ward­ difficulties, it was a good concert; Steinman, Harold Oliver, Robert Stewart, Brian Fennelly's Empirical Rag was and Morgan Powell. clever, and well played by the Brass The Saturday morning sessions Quintet from San Diego State. Another dealt with the composer's relationship of the conference highlights was the to society on economic and critical performance of a piece by Ed Harkins levels. James Roy, the Vice-President written for himself and Philip Larson; for Concert Music at BMI, gave a slyly it was very, very funny. humorous talk about his view of the The conference ended on Sunday. royalty business and BMI's contribution In the morning, Victor Saucedo, Thomas to American composers. Donald Dierks, Clark, Elliott Borishansky, Thomas the music critic for the San Diego Cain, E. Michael Harrington, and ~ Union, and Ara Guzelimian, a critic for Heidi Von Gunden all read short papers. the Los Angeles Times and program Leo Kraft, Clifford Taylor, and Barney director for KUSC radio, were guests on Childs joined in a panel discussion a panel which included Elliott Schwartz, about teaching composition to the non­ Jonathan Kramer, and William Matthews composer. In the afternoon, the Center for Music Experiment on the UCSD campus ASUC PERFORMERS ' COLUMN hosted a concert of electronic pieces by Barton McLean, Thomas Wells, Emmanuel As a regular feature the News­ Ghent, and Charles Dodge. The Center letter publishes lists of member per­ was open throughout the conference; a formers who would like to receive notable facility in many ways, it is the scores from ASUC composers. If you home of the most impressive and inno­ are a full or associate member and vative percussion set-ups this writer would like to obtain scores send us has seen. your name and address (along with men­ Special 14th conference kudos to tion of your instrument and/or those David Cohen, from Arizona State Uni­ instruments available in your ensemble) versity; he has yet to miss an ASUC to: Editor, ASUC Newsletter, 250 West National! 57th Street, Suite 626-7, New York, New York 10019. William Matthews Bates College The New Music Performance Lab of North Texas State University is a developing ensemble devoted to per­ SOCIETY FOR MUSIC THEORY REPORT formance of contemporary chamber music. ASUC members are invited to Richmond Browne, secretary for the send scores of any instrumental, vocal or electronic combination to Society for Music Theory (SMT) and for­ the Lab's director, Thomas Clark, mer editor of the ASUC Newsletter, sends us the following report on SMT activities. School of Music, North Texas State University, Denton, Texas 76203, for ASUC members can take pride consideration of possible performance. in the success of the first national meeting of the Society for Music The University of Colorado's Theory, held in conjunction with New Music Ensemble is looking for new the AMS in Minneapolis, October pieces for the spring and fall semes­ 20-22. The SMT papers and panels ters. Any instrumentation (including included many theorists and topics voice) that involves up to ten per­ reflecting the long-time interest of formers is acceptable. Composers ASUC leadersh ip in the development wishing to submit scores for consid­ of a national forum for music theory.