2013-09-25 New Music Festival Student [recital prgram]

              UNCG New Music Festival
Mark Engebretson – Director
Alejandro Rutty – Associate Director
Anna Meadors, Eric Pazdziora – Assistants
10-Year Retrospective of
UNCG Student Composers
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
5:30 pm
Organ Hall, Music Building
Program
Always Something There to Rewind Me (8:00) Nicholas Rich (BM 2012)
Laurent Estropey, saxophone
Computer, computer
12am (6:02) Daniel Pappas (MM 2006)
Gina Pezzoli, cello
Thomas Pappas, oboe
with pre-recorded electronics and video
Two Songs of the Sea, Op. 28 (12:00) James Lego (BM 2011)
I. On the Beach at Night
II. Stokes Bay
Anna Sterrett, soprano
James Lego, piano
Klangfunk’nmelodie (6:00) Steve Landis (MM 2013)
Leo Saguiguit, alto saxophone
Neil Ostercamp, tenor saxophone
Rachel AuBuchon, piano
Three Scottish Gaelic Songs (6:30) Eric Pazdziora (MM 2014)
I. Gheibh sinn Ribinnean
II. Thàladh
III. Sùilean dubha
Ainsley Patterson, mezzo-soprano
Roman Placzek, cello
Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 25 (10:00) Carlos M. Fuentes (BM 2011)
I. Homage
Will Estes, violin
Roman Placzek, cello
Carlos M. Fuentes, piano
Solo Teatro Songs (15:00) Andrew Weathers (BM 2011)
I. Daylight’s Precious When You’re Young (For AG)
II. Olympic Peninsula Blues
III. I looked Up Into Infinity
Andrew Weathers, acoustic guitar, laptop
Landhorse (5:30) Anna Meadors (MM 2014)
Three Red Crowns (featuring the Minerva Saxophone Quartet)
Anna Meadors, baritone saxophone
John Paul Carillo, bass guitar
Tyler Young, soprano saxophone
Lee Burgess, alto saxophone
Dillon Chambers, tenor saxophone
Hunter Bockes, baritone saxophone
Thomas Weaver, drum set
The 2014 New Music Festival was made possible by the E.T. Cone Foundation
Program Notes
Always Something There to Rewind Me (8:00) Nicholas Rich (BM 2012)
Always Something There to Rewind Me is a guided improvisation implemented in
Max/MSP. The patch uses pitch and amplitude recognition as well as accrued phrase-length
detection to control basic looping and granulation functions. The source
material for the electronic component is a combination of samples of the solo
instrument (recorded as the piece is occurring), and a randomly-chosen 80s pop song,
loaded into the patch at the start of the piece. A final feature is the footswitch, which
allows the performer to hold a loop or momentarily reduce the overall volume of the
electronics. My intention with this piece was to design an interactive environment
that would promote a highly variable and yet expressive and clear performance
scenario.
Nicholas Rich (b.1984) is a composer of acoustic and electro-acoustic music which
investigates the intersections of music, memory, language, culture, and nature. Born
into a family of musicians who played Country-Western, Americana, and Rock, and
having played guitar since childhood, Rich's music frequently carries strong
associations with pop and folk music. He graduated from UNCG in 2012, and is
currently working toward an M.M. at the University of North Carolina School of the
Arts. His teachers include Mark Engebretson, Alejandro Rutty, and Lawrence Dillon.
After studying saxophone at the Conservatory of Lausanne, where he received a
“License de Concert” degree in 1994, Laurent Estoppey devoted himself entirely to
contemporary music. Numerous collaborations with composers have led him to
create at least one hundred works. Now Estoppey’s musical activity is divided
between written music and improvisation. He performs throughout Switzerland,
many European countries, as well as Canada, USA, Argentina, Guatemala and South
Africa.
Laurent Estoppey works with many orchestras, has founded several chamber
ensembles and his discography includes fifteen recordings. He teaches saxophone,
contemporary music and improvisation to students of all ages and levels, from
beginners to graduates. He lives in Greensboro, NC and works mainly between the
US and Switzerland.
www.laurentestoppey.com
12am (6:02) Daniel Pappas (MM, 2006)
12am is the second track on composer Daniel C Pappas’ debut album ‘Driving at
Night’. After having written several of the pieces for the album for solo instruments,
he wanted to combine the oboe and cello for at least one of them (and later even
more). As one can hear in most of the pieces, the electronics have a more “random”
quality about their attacks (in 12am, very church bell like) while the instrumentalists
perform long mostly stepwise lines of music. Anyone familiar with the guidelines for
writing good chorale style melodies will notice how adhering to these principles has
really shaped the ‘Driving at Night’ series and 12am. Although the visuals that
accompany the music represent some of what the composer would like listeners to
imagine, on a more personal note, ‘Driving at Night’ and12am for Pappas symbolizes
a journey into a future unknown, or a return home after a long day. The music is a
soundtrack to all the quiet thoughts that accompany the solitary driver, with all of his
or her hopes and fears. Learn more about the music at danielcpappas.com.
Composer Daniel C Pappas is widely performed throughout the United States and
Europe and collaborates regularly with distinguished performers and ensembles. He
writes music ranging from Orchestral to Chamber, Solo and Electro-Acoustic. Pappas
just released his debut album of original music which is available through his website
danielcpappas.com.
He currently teaches music at Guilford Tech Community College and Alamance
Community College as an adjunct instructor. Pappas is also active as a contracted
television composer for most all major networks. His music regularly appears on
shows such as Good Morning America, World News with Diane Sawyer and 20/20.
Dr. Pappas holds degrees from Grace College and the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro, where he studied composition with Mark Engebretson. Daniel is proud
to have just recently completed his doctorate degree in composition at the University
of South Carolina.
Cellist Gina Pezzoli is active as an orchestral and chamber musician, performing
frequently as a member of the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra, Novus Ensemble,
Carolina Ballet, and the Opera Company of North Carolina. She has also performed
with the North Carolina Symphony, Winston-Salem Symphony, Symphony Orchestra
Augusta (GA), and the Charleston Symphony (SC), along with the Ash-Lawn Opera
Festival. As a chamber musician she has performed throughout the East Coast and
Canada with groups such as Elegant Ensembles, Corda Entertainment, the
Homestead Chamber Players, and the Quatour à Cordes de La Tournai, a string
quartet that tours throughout Quebec in the summertime. Dr. Pezzoli teaches at High
Point University and Guilford Tech Community College. She also maintains a
successful private studio. Gina completed the DMA in Cello Performance at UNCG.
She also holds the MM in Cello Performance from UNCG and the BA in French and
Music from the University of Virginia.
Thomas Pappas (oboe) is active as soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player, and
teacher. He has performed throughout the United States, Germany, France, Spain,
Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Wales. Past solo appearances include
performances of oboe concertos in Greensboro, NC and with the Aalen Symphony
Orchestra in Germany, where he grew up and first learned how to play the oboe. An
avid chamber musician, Pappas is a founding member of Relevents Wind Quintet. He
has served as the principal oboist of the NOVUS Chamber Orchestra, the Fibonacci
Chamber Orchestra, and has performed principal and section oboe with the
Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Roanoke (VA), Salisbury and Western Piedmont
symphony orchestras, and the Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle. He was a featured
soloist on the annual computer music concert xMUSE at the University of South
Carolina. Pappas is currently on the faculty at High Point University. Pappas holds
the Bachelor of Arts degree from Grace College, IN, the Master of Music and the
Doctorate of Musical Arts degrees from the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro.
Two Songs of the Sea, Op. 28 (12:00) James Lego (BM 2011)
Two Songs of the Sea is a pair of settings that was conceived at the after party for Opera
Roanoke’s Masques of Orpheus program in November 2012. The soprano Anna
Sterrett and I were both remarking on how much we enjoyed sea shanties, and when I
said that I would be delighted to compose something for her she sent me two
traditional texts for which I might turn into shanty-inspired songs. One of them
became “Stokes Bay,” the second song in the pair. The first song eventually became a
setting of Walt Whitman’s “On the Beach at Night” from ¬Leaves of Grass. “On the
Beach at Night” is the most adventurous metrically and harmonically, wreathed in
turn with threatening menace and wise reassurance as the poem describes a girl’s fear
of dark clouds and a father’s promise of their fleetingness. “Stokes Bay” is certainly
the more shanty-esque of the two, detailing a young woman’s love of a sailor who
leaves and returns to the shore only in death.
James Lego earned a Bachelor’s of Music, magna cum laude, in composition from the
University of North Carolina in Greensboro in May 2011. Since graduating Mr. Lego
has performed in several capacities as a musician in his home state of Virginia and
elsewhere. Several of his compositions have been performed, most recently a setting
for women’s voices of Caliban’s soliloquy Be Not Afeard from Shakespeare’s The
Tempest performed by the ladies of Opera Roanoke’s Young Apprentice Program,
and Two Songs of the Sea composed for and premiered by soprano Anna Sterrett. As
a performer, Mr. Lego has sung with Opera Roanoke in Der Fliegende Hollander and
Pirates of Penzance during their 2012-2013 season, participated in the International
Conducting Institute’s 2012 workshop in Round Rock, and served as an accompanist
in various capacities including the 2012 All-City High School Chorus.
Soprano Anna Sterrett is quickly distinguishing herself as a consummate singing
actress. She is characterized by her uniquely warm timbre, fearless coloratura, and
charismatic stage presence. These gifts combine to make her particularly suited for
Bellini, Donizetti, Mozart, and Richard Strauss. Ms. Sterrett is equally at home on the
concert stage where she has performed the works of Bach, Handel, Haydn, Gonoud,
and Ravel to critical acclaim. She has also garnered respect as an interpreter of new
music having premiered the role of Corrie in Ernst Bacon’s A Tree on the Plains.
Recent appearances of Ms. Sterrett include Olympia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Gretel
in Hansel and Gretel, and Papagena in Die Zauberflöte¸ a role in which she will
reprise with Opera Roanoke in October 2013.
Klangfunk'nmelodie (6:00) Steve Landis (MM, 2013)
KlangFunk’nmelodie is a nasty-schizo-groove constantly bombarding the listener with
melodic fragments, noise, and stylistic interruptions. The work was composed for
saxophonist Neil Ostercamp and his ensemble, Trio Chymera.
Steven Landis earned an MM in composition (2013) from the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro and earned an MM in double bass performance (2002) and a
BM in composition (1999) both from the University of Florida. Steven studied
composition with Mark Engebretson, Alejandro Rutty, James Paul Sain, and Paul
Richards and studied bass with Kevin Casseday.
As a composer Steven works with many mediums including solo instrumental, mixed
chamber groups, large ensembles, digital and mixed media, as well as film and
theater. Recordings of his work can be found on, Substream Films, Postcards a
double-disc release by the Gainesville Chamber Orchestra, and CURRENT recorded
by trumpeter Adam Hayes and pianist Kris Carlisle. Works are available through
Veritas Musica Publishing.
Steven teaches double bass and composition at the Music Academy of North Carolina
in Greensboro and holds the position of Principal Double Bass with the Albany
Symphony Orchestra (Ga.).
For more information please contact Steven directly at www.slandismusic.com
Trio Chymera was formed in 2007 at the University of Missouri. Joined by a common
bond of friendship, food, and an eclectic taste for music of varying styles, the group
explores music for the combination of two saxophones and piano through original
compositions, arrangements, and commissions of new works. The ensemble has
given performances throughout Missouri and the United States at the Odyssey
Chamber Music Series of Columbia; Baylor University in Waco, Texas; North
American Saxophone Alliance (NASA) Conferences at the University of South
Carolina (2008), University of Missouri (2009), and University of Georgia (2010); and
the 2011 U.S. Navy Band 34th International Saxophone Symposium in Fairfax,
Virginia.
Leo Saguiguit has performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout the United
States and abroad, including Cuba, France, Scotland, Greece, Sweden, China, Taiwan,
Thailand, and the Philippines. He maintains an active performance schedule as a
member of the Athens (Greece) Saxophone Quartet, Chicago Saxophone Quartet,
Missouri Saxophone Quartet, Trio Chymera, and the Odyssey Chamber Music Series
of Columbia. He has performed regularly as saxophonist with the Chicago Lyric
Opera Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Grant Park Music
Festival Orchestra, and Missouri Symphony. He has recorded six CDs with the
professional wind ensemble Philharmonia à Vent and other CDs with the Athens
Quartet, Chicago Quartet, Impuls Quartet, and Chromos Quartet. He earned music
degrees from Emory University and Northwestern University, where he studied with
Fred Hemke, Paul Bro, and Jonathan Helton. He is currently associate professor of
saxophone at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Neil Ostercamp is a dedicated performer and educator. He has performed
throughout the country, appearing at New York’s Weill Recital Hall, and was a two-time
national finalist in the MTNA Chamber Music Competition. He is a founding
member of Missouri Saxophone Quartet, Trio Chymera, Contreras Saxophone
Quartet, and Free Collective. Ostercamp regularly serves as a clinician and judge in
area public schools and maintains an active private saxophone studio. He earned a
Bachelor of Science in Music Education and Master of Music in Saxophone
Performance at the University of Missouri. Former teachers include Leo Saguiguit,
Dan Thomas, and Susan Fancher. Ostercamp is currently pursuing a Doctor of
Musical Arts degree in saxophone performance at the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro under Steve Stusek and Chad Eby. He currently lives in St. Louis, MO
and serves as an adjunct instructor of music at Jefferson College.
(www.neilostercamp.com)
Rachel AuBuchon devotes much of her time to collaborating with instrumentalists,
vocalists, and choral groups, finding an unusual balance between lieder and
saxophone literature. She currently performs with faculty and students at the
University of Missouri. Recent performance venues have included two performances
at New York’s Weill Recital Hall, the 2012 World Saxophone Congress in St.
Andrews, Scotland, and the NATS regional conference in collaboration with tenor
Dominic Armstrong (2005) and baritone Kory Bickel (2007). Ms. AuBuchon has
participated in the International Composers Festival in Columbia, Missouri (2012,
2013) and the CoOPERAtive program in Princeton, New Jersey (2013). Ms.
AuBuchon graduated with a BM in piano performance from Truman State University,
where she studied under David McKamie, and an MM in accompanying at the
University of Missouri, where she studied under Dr. Janice Wenger and Dr. Natalia
Bolshakova. She served on the faculty of Stephens College from 2006-2011.
Three Scottish Gaelic Songs (6:30) Eric Pazdziora (MM, 2014)
Three Scottish Gaelic Songs is composed for mezzo-soprano and cello, setting Scottish
folk texts to new melodies. “Gheibh sinn Ribinnean” is a children’s song about dancing
with ribbons, “Thàladh” is a lullaby for a lost child, and “Sùilean dubha” looks forward
to a visit from a dark-eyed lover. My setting blend traditional modes with contrasting
polyrhythms for an original take on the modern folk tradition.
Eric Paździora (b. 1981) is pursuing a Master of Music degree in composition at UNC-Greensboro,
and holds a B.Mus. from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, where he
studied with Edwin T. Childs. He is a student of Alejandro Rutty and Mark
Engebretson, studied in Paris with David Conte, and has participated in master
classes with Liviu Marinescu, Sebastián Zubieta, Martin Gendelman, and Samuel
Adler. His music has been published by GIA and Alliance, and recorded by several
choirs and ensembles. For more information, visit www.ericpazdziora.com.
Ainsley Patterson placed 1st this year in her division at the National Association of
Teacher’s of Singing Competition in North Carolina. She was a Spirit in Massenet's
Cendrillon, and an Ensemble member in Greensboro Light Opera and Song Young
Artist Program's productions of Pirates of Penzance and H.M.S. Pinafore. Operatic
scene credits include the title role in Carmen and Rosina in The Barber of Seville at
Liberty University. Ainsley is a voice student of Dr. Nancy Walker, and teaches piano
from the home she shares in Greensboro with her husband Jonathan and their cat Jim
Hawkins.
Czech cellist and composer Roman Placzek, member of the Rex-Roman Duo with
double-bass player Cody Rex, is an active soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral
player as well as a cello and chamber music educator. Mr. Placzek has performed
with many distinguished performing artists, ensembles, and orchestras across Europe
and the East Coast of the United States. He is a founding member of Golden
Mountain Chamber Ensemble, and a founder and former Artistic and Executive
Director of Golden Mountain Summer International Chamber Music Festival in Czech
Republic. Roman received his musical education from Janacek State Conservatory
Ostrava in Czech Republic, Mozarteum Salzburg in Austria, The Boston
Conservatory, and UMass Amherst. Currently, he is completing his Doctorate of
Musical Arts in Cello Performance degree under the guidance of cellist Alexander
Ezerman at UNCG. Mr. Placzek's artistic affiliations include Yo-Yo Ma, Carlos Prieto,
Rugierro Ricci, Nathaniel Rosen, Jurgen Wolf, James Buswell, Charles Treger, Corin
Redgrave, Roberta Black, and Konstantin Lifschitz among others.
Gheibh sinn ribinnean
(We will get ribbons)
Gheibh sinn ribinnean mòra mòra
Gheibh sinn ribinnean mòra dearga.
Gheibh sinn ribinnean mòra mòra
Nuair thig Eòghainn far a’ mhargaidh.
Dannsa leis a’ ghùn ùr ùr
Dannsa leis a’ ghùn ùr am bliadhna.
Dannsa leis a’ ghùn ùr ùr
Orra chùlaibh ‘s orra bheu-laibh.
Air a dhùnadh orra chùlaibh
Air a dhùnadh orra bheulaibh.
Air a dhùnadh orra chùlaibh
Dannsa leis a’ ghùn ùr a nighean.
We’re all going to get some bright red ribbons,
We’re all going to get some bright red ribbons,
We’re all going to get some bright red ribbons,
When Ewan comes back from town.
We’ll dance in our new dresses this year,
We’ll dance in our new dresses this year,
We’ll dance in our new dresses this year,
With ribbons tied all around.
Tie them on the front, and tie them on the back,
Tie them in a bow, and tie them round a sack.
Tie ribbons all over our dresses this year,
And we all dance round!
Ribinnean mòra mòra mòra,
Ribinnean mòra mòrad earga.
Ribinnean mòra mòra mòra,
Nuair thig Eòghainn far a’ mhargaidh.
Thaladh (Lullaby)
Nam bu leam fhìn thu
thàlaidhean thu
Nam bu leam fhìn thu
thàlaidhean thu
Nam bu leam fhìn dhèanainn
do bhrìodal
Is nam bu leam fhìn thu
thàlaidhean thu.
Thàlaidhinn thu
‘s gun tàlaidhinn thu
Thàlaidhinn thu
‘s gun tàlaidhinn thu
Dèan cadal mo leanabh
‘s mo ghaol agad cheana
A chagair mo chridhe
gun tàlaidhinn thu.
Sùilean dubha (Dark eyes)
Sùilean dubha dubha dubh
Sùilean dubh aig m’ eudail
Sùilean dubha dubha dubh
Cuin a thig thu chèilidh?
Cha tèid mise mach a-nochd
Cha tèid mise chèilidh
Cha tèid mise mach a-nochd
‘s dùil agam ri m’ eudail.
Cnocan beag a-miugh an sin
Cèol is binne teudan
Cnocan beag a-miugh an sin
Cò bhios ann ach m’ eudail.
We’re all going to get some bright red ribbons,
We’re all going to get some bright red ribbons,
We’re all going to get some bright red ribbons,
When Ewan comes back from town.
If you were my baby,
I’d cradle you near
I’d kiss you and snuggle you
safely, my dear,
If you were my baby,
you’d not lie alone,
I’d hold you so gently
if you were my own.
If you’ll be my little one,
I’ll keep you tight,
And cradle you safely
away from the night,
If you’ll be my little one,
I’ll soothe your cries,
I already love you,
and I’ll close your eyes.
My true love’s eyes are bright and dark,
Bright and dark, bright and dark,
My true love’s eyes are bright and dark,
But will he come calling this evening?
I won’t be going out tonight,
I won’t go out, I won’t go out,
I won’t be going out tonight,
Because he might come calling.
Who’s singing on the cold hill’s side?
Singing low and singing high?
Who’s singing at my window side?
Who but my sweetheart, come calling?
(Translations by John Patrick Pazdziora, 2013)
Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 25 (10:00) Carlos Fuentes (BM 2011)
The Piano Trio in C minor (Op. 25) represents a step in my development as a composer
towards merging together various styles into a single mold. Elements from classical,
romantic, contemporary, musical theatre, and popular music are referenced
throughout. Each of the Trio's five movements highlights a particular instrument, or a
particular relationship between the three. With the first movement, entitled
"Homage," the three instruments are treated equally, with slightly more weight given
to the piano. It is a tribute of absolute music to the great Trios by the masters of the
form (Brahms, Mendelssohn) as well as to the great C minor works by my favorites
among the Romantic masters (Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, etc).
Carlos McMillan Fuentes is a composer, singer-songwriter, and pianist. He has
created hundreds of pieces including two symphonies, two concerti (for piano and
alto saxophone), three short film scores, a score to accompany a play, many chamber
works, pieces for chorus, art songs, and innumerable solo piano pieces. Fuentes is also
a prolific lyricist and songwriter. He has written many innovative works in varying
styles for his own tenor voice, bridging his classical training with his love for pop,
jazz, R&B/soul, and musical theatre to create a truly American style uniquely all his
own. His classical training has given him a profound admiration for the masters --
Bach, Chopin, Scriabin, and Brahms are among his favorites. He also cites Michael
Jackson, Patrick Wolf, Lady Gaga, and Janelle Monáe as modern-day masters in their
respective fields, and counts them among his favorite performers. A recent graduate
of the UNCG School of Music, Theater, and Dance, he was awarded his BM degree in
Music Composition in May, 2011.
Solo Teatro Songs (15:00) Andrew Weathers (BM 2011)
Solo Teatro is what I called my first apartment in Oakland. It was right around the
corner from school and there was a decent burrito place called Gerrardo's Taqueria
nearby. That apartment is where I feel like I really learned to play guitar. I've always
been self-deprecating and somewhat self-conscious about my lack of technical ability
on the instrument. I studied percussion in college, which I've since all but abandoned.
I've been able to work with some incredible guitarists, but they guided me
conceptually, not technically. I still play the same off-brand Chinese guitar that my
parents bought for me when I was 14 - I've tried to upgrade but it never quite seems
to take. The tunes all come from different places - the death of Andy Griffith, standing
in the fog of the Marin Headlands - but the collection is just about playing guitar.
There are a lot of things that I want to do, but in the end that's it. Just play, keep
playing, never work.
Andrew Weathers (b. 1988) is a composer and improviser based in Oakland, CA
where he attended Mills College. Weathers works in the intersection between drone,
free improvisation, American folk, and punk traditions. He regularly performs solo
and with his group Andrew Weathers Ensemble, as well as the groups Tethers,
Parties, and Kurva Choir. Weathers also operates Full Spectrum Records, a DIY
record label focused on releasing work by young and otherwise unreleased
composers. He also works with Other Minds, Overlap, Droga Yoga, and Dronebar.
Landhorse (5:30) Anna Meadors (MM, 2014)
Landhorse was written for Three Red Crowns and premiered at Baltimore’s 2012
NOVO Festival. The idea for the piece started from an improvisation on the baritone
saxophone that I felt could be expanded for the group. The 6/8 drum pattern has a
“galloping” feel that inspired the name of the piece—though after seeing tiny
seahorses at the aquarium, I wondered if seahorses should be called horses and
horses, landhorses. The piece was included in Baltimore’s City Paper 2013 Big Music
Issue’s playlist and will be featured as the opening track on Three Red Crown’s
second album, If 3 Was 8.
Anna Meadors (b. 1989) graduated from the Peabody Conservatory in 2011 with a
Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance, and is currently pursuing a Master of
Music in Composition at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She started
composing after years of studying contemporary saxophone and jazz improvisation,
and continues to incorporate both into her writing and performing.
Three Red Crowns was founded by composers John Paul Carillo and Anna Meadors
in 2010, after their sax-bass-drums trio, Joy On Fire, expanded to include a string
quartet. The ensemble, which now performs with both string and saxophone quartets,
along with pieces including vocals, additional percussion and marimba, plans
continued performances in the Northeast as well as expanding to the Southeast
region. They have performed their original compositions drawing from minimalism,
classical, jazz and rock music in Baltimore’s Artscape Festival, NOVO Festival and the
Creative Alliance, as well as venues in Princeton, New York City and Boston.
John Paul Carillo (b. 1972) started writing adventurous narrative music as a member
of NYC-based electronica-rock duo devL, releasing three albums, one of which
featured his twenty minute piece “Invention of Monsters” for guitar, bass-guitar and
electronics. He graduated from the Johns Hopkins University with an MFA in Fiction,
and one of his screenplays is currently being produced.
The Minerva Saxophone Quartet has competed and performed in national and
international ensemble and saxophone programs. The ensemble is dedicated to
bringing both traditional saxophone repertoire as well as new music to audiences,
and they have premiered and recorded many UNCG student composers’ works.
Along with being named MTNA's North Carolina representative in the Woodwind
Chamber division, the quartet has also performed at the Carolina Saxophone
Symposium and the US Navy Band’s National Saxophone Symposium.