Composers Forum here for first time

Guest performers from throughout Mississippi and the Southeast will offer a series of seven concerts during the Southeastern Composers Forum here Feb. 25-27.

The organization, dedicated to the performance of new music, is meeting in Mississippi for the first time. Highlights of the three-day event include six public concerts on campus and a concluding concert at St. Joseph's Catholic Church on University Drive in Starkville. All are free and open to the public.

"The forum will give students and our local audiences a chance to hear recently composed works for voice, instruments and electronics as performed by a number of fine area musicians," said composer Doug McConnell, professor of music education and a co-host of the event with composer and assistant professor Mark Applebaum.

"The composers themselves will be in attendance, allowing audiences to meet the people whose music they have just heard," he added.

Among events on the 25th, both in McComas Hall:

• A 4 p.m. concert featuring works for piano, voice, trombone, electronic tape, and chamber ensembles.
• An 8 p.m. concert presenting works for wind ensemble, flute, trumpet, and clarinet, as well as electronics. Among events in McComas Hall on the 26th:
• A 10 a.m. concert featuring works for the piano, voice, euphonium, saxophone, and electronic tape.
• A 2 p.m. concert with works for percussion ensemble, voice and chamber choir.
• A 4 p.m. program presenting works for voice, flute, piano, saxophone with percussion, and electronic wind instrument.
• An 8 p.m. program featuring works by nine composers. Among those featured are retired Mississippi State faculty member and composer Frank Stewart. Portions of his recently completed clarinet concerto will be performed by Gail Levinsky and Leanne Fazio, both MSU faculty members.

Also on the program will be performance of Applebaum's S-tog, an improvisation using sound sculpture instruments; and selected scenes from McConnell's opera, "Lily."

A final concert Saturday morning at 10 a.m. will feature works for organ, choir, trumpet, flute, and saxophone quartet. The performance at St. Joseph's Catholic Church will include two short compositions by Richard Montalto of Mississippi University for Women.

Among a variety of performers during the three-day event are MSU faculty members Joel Harrison, Linda Karen Smith, Dylan Savage, Mark Applebaum, Gail Levinsky, Leanne Fazio, Jackie Edwards-Henry, Lana Johns, Robert Damm, and Doug McConnell.

Student ensembles performing include the Wind Ensemble, directed by Elva Kay Lance; the Madrigal Singers, directed by Jerry Williams; the Percussion Ensemble, directed by Robert Damm; and the CWF Saxophone Quartet, directed by Gail Levinsky.

For more information about any of the events, contact the Department of Music Education at 325-3070.