New Music Festival celebrates Grawemeyer Award 30th anniversary

by Niki King, communications and marketing 

The University of Louisville School of Music presents the 2015 New Music Festival celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Grawemeyer Award Nov. 10-15 with guest composer and Grawemeyer Award winner Kaija Saariaho. Saariaho is a Finnish composer internationally known and recognized for her work involving electronics.

Kaija Saariaho

Featured guests also include renowned French composer and visual artist Jean-Baptiste Barrière, American flutist Camilla Hoitenga and Danish cellist Jakob Kullberg.

“It’s a great honor for us to be able to work with international composers and performers of the finest caliber during this year’s edition of the New Music Festival. The quality of talent represents well the impact that the Grawemeyer Award has had on the development of research in the humanities,” said Krzysztof Wolek, assistant professor of music composition and festival director.

The Grawemeyer Awards program at the University of Louisville pays tribute to the power of creative ideas in music composition, education, religion, psychology and ideas improving world order.

During the New Music Festival, the Louisville Orchestra will present a concert featuring works composed by Grawemeyer-winning composers including “Notes on Light” by Saariaho.

In addition to nightly concerts, featured guests will hold master classes and lectures throughout the week.

Unless otherwise noted, concerts start at 8 p.m. and are in Comstock Concert Hall at the School of Music. Admission is free and open to the public.

·       Nov. 10: Faculty Chamber Music including selection from Saariaho’s “Six Japanese Gardens”

·       Nov. 11: The University New Music Ensemble and Wind Ensemble will feature “Duft” by Saariaho

·       Nov. 12: Louisville Orchestra will present a program including music by Saariaho, Krzysztof Penderecki, JohnAdams, WitoldLutoslawski and Esa-PekkaSalonen

·       Nov. 13: The University Symphony Orchestra will present a portion of “Cinq Reflects” by Saariaho as well as performances of “Elegy, Soliloquy and Epilogue,” for flute and string orchestra by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, which was commissioned by a consortium of universities including UofL’s School of Music. The piece will be performed by UofL faculty member Kathy Karr.

·       Nov. 14: Camilla Hoitenga will present an evening of audio visual performances of music by Saariaho and Barrière

·       Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m.: Cardinal Singers and the University Collegiate Chorale will showcase a selection of contemporary choir music

As a special event, the Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium also will present “Nox Borealis,” an audio-visual installation by Barrière and Saariaho on:

·       Nov. 12 at 1, 1:20, 1:40 and 2 p.m.

·       Nov. 13 at 2, 2:20, 2:40 and 3 p.m.

·       Nov. 15 at 3, 3:20, 3:40 and 4 p.m.

For more information, contact Wolek at 502-852-7879 or krzysztof.wolek@louisville.edu.