Composer excited to premiere his work at UT Festival of New Music
Written by Vicki L. Kroll | | news@toledofreepress.comFor composer Christopher Tucker, it’s all about the melody.
“Melody is what listeners attach themselves to when they experience a piece of music,” he said. “If the piece gives you a sense of longing after you’ve left a performance or a movie, it’s the melody that you’re going to continue to whistle as you leave.”
Christopher Tucker
Tucker hopes there’s a lot of whistling and humming after the premiere of “A Feather in the Morning Air” during the 32nd annual Festival of New Music on April 2, at 8 p.m. in the University of Toledo’s Doermann Theater on Main Campus.
“The piece was originally composed for 10 winds, inspired by the music of Percy Grainger and elements in nature,” he said. “My intention in the piece was to take my own style of composing, my own melodies and also Percy Grainger’s not so much his original melodies, but one melody in particular he loved to use was ‘Danny Boy,’ what he called an Irish tune from County Derry. That melody also takes some of his style, his techniques, and I fused it into my own.
“It will be an honor and a thrill to hear it played by the UT Symphony Orchestra with all the instruments.”
UT’s Concert Chorale, Orchestra, and Symphonic Band and Wind ensembles will perform Tucker’s “Ceremonial Fanfare,” “Twilight in the Wilderness” and “Americans Lost” during the concert.
Tucker, who lives in Rockwall, Texas, is the director of artistic administration and a founder of the Lone Star Wind Orchestra. He has received commissions from more than 30 schools and arts organizations. His music has been performed across the country and in Japan, Germany and England.
In 2006, he released “Twilight in the Wilderness,” a disc featuring compositions for wind ensemble. A follow-up, “Spirit Legend,” came out in 2008.
“Not only were these commercial CDs, but they were a means of getting my music out so interested colleagues and band directors that look to perform those kinds of works could hear them,” Tucker said.
While at UT, the 32-year-old composer will give a talk April 2, at 1 p.m. in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall on Main Campus.
The Festival of New Music will begin March 31, with a concert featuring percussion and electronic media compositions from the UT Electronic Music Studio and the premiere of an original song for voice and piano by UT student Sarah Modene featuring UT freshman Sam Mason, tenor.
The event will start at 8 p.m. in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall.
Chamber music will be featured at 8 p.m. April 1 in the Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall.
For more information on these free, public events, contact the UT Music Department at (419) 530-2448 or visit the Web site www.utoledo.edu/as/music.
