1998 Annual Report

Dominick Argento’s I Hate and I Love was presented May 2nd, 1998 by the Dale Warland Singers on the University of Minnesota campus.

Donald Crockett’s Extant was premiered by the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble on the 22nd of September, 1997 with bassoonist John Steinmetz.

David Dzubay’s Sun Moon Stars Rain, the Barlow 1995 Competition winner, was premiered by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra on the 12th and 13th of June, 1997.

Maija Einfelde’s 1997 Competition winning work Psalm 15 was performed by the Vancouver Chamber Choir on Nov. 13th, 1998 and was recorded by the Netherlands Radio Choir in September.

Lee Hyla’s Lives of the Saints was premiered by Boston Musica Viva on May 29th, 1998.

Arthur Levering’s Still Raining. Still Dreaming was premiered on November 15th, 1996 by Musica Viva in Cambridge, MA and received its Italian premiere on May 30th, 1997.

Dan Locklair’s Concerto Grosso was performed by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in Finland on April 21st, 1998.

Marden Pond’s Ge’bungee was performed by the Ririe/Woodbury Dance Company in Salt Lake City on October 29th and 30th, 1998.

Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez’s El Mozote was performed by the Core Ensemble in October, 1998.

Steven Stucky, former member of the Barlow Board of Advisors, composed his Concerto Mediterraneo for Guitar and Orchestra for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Manuel Barrueco, which was premiered September 17th, 18th, and 19th, 1998.  National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” has produced a feature story on this world premiere.

W e directed almost half of the grant monies toward scholarships for seven graduate students (the most we have ever had in the program).  Five of these seven received their degrees during the year. Two of those five produced exceptionally fine masters thesis compositions, and both are now in excellent doctoral programs.  (Incidentally, this year we accepted no new masters students–we have two in the program currently.)

About $2,500 funded the visits of guest artists. The primary artist was Thomas Moore, a fine new-music pianist who spoke to several classes about contemporary piano composition and performed a stunning version of Morton Feldman’s 90-minute long “Triadic Memories” at a Group for New Music concert.  Other guests included alumni students who gathered and performed a reunion concert of their recent works. This recital occasioned a visit from the University of Utah faculty composers, with whom we re-established good working relationships.

Approximately $1000 was allocated for one of our very best undergraduate students, Melanie Gunsay, to travel to two composition symposia (both in Florida) for performances and critiques of her recent work. Nearly $600 more was spent on a variety of trips by faculty composer Stephen Jones to hear his work performed. (Stephen’s visibility and networking have contributed to his receiving a commission for a new work from the Chicago Symphony.)

The rest of the budget money was applied to wages paid to student performers (for reading of new student compositions); copying costs (to distribute scores by faculty); and our latest CD project, Murray Boren’s “Partial View.”

Again, our profuse thanks to Milton Barlow and the administrators of the Endowment for making this grant available to us. The texture of the department

remains forever enhanced because of it, and its accomplishments gain in strength each year. Thank you so very much, from all of us.

Chair

K. Newell Dayley

Vice Chair

Thomas Durham

Executive Director

Merrill Bradshaw

Family Representative

Alice Barlow Jones

Financial Officer

Scott M. Boyter

Administrator

Lynda Palma