Mid-America Composers Festival

Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa
October 1-3, 1999
Jonathan Chenette, host

Festival Coordinator Jon Chenette reports that there were 257 submissions by 114 composers for the Mid-America Composers Festival, co-sponsored by the ICF and the Society of Composers, Incorporated, to be held at Grinnell College Oct. 1-3. Members of a committee (Ralph Russell, Craig Weston, Don Chamberlain, Alan Schmitz, and Jon Chenette) looked at, listened to, and ranked each submission. Ranking criteria included musical quality, clarity of notation, and performability. Scores ranked at three or above on a five-point scale were passed on to potential performers, who made the final choices in consultation with Chenette. Make your plans now to attend this exciting Festival!

Keynote speaker for the Festival is Dr. John Kratus, Michigan State University. His talk on "Composing Lessons from Children" will take place during the banquet at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, October 2. Dr. Kratus is a leading scholar on the topic of children's musical compositions and improvisations. He has conducted research with hundreds of children, and has presented his work in a wide variety of publications and in presentations to national and international audiences. Dr. Kratus will describe his research into how kids compose and will reflect on its implications for professional composers, students, and teachers of composition. He is Professor of Music and chair of the music education area of the School of Music at Michigan State University.

Guest performers: Minnesota Contemporary Ensemble (flute/ piccolo, clarinet/bass clarinet, two violins, viola, cello, piano) University of Iowa Center for New Music (chamber groupings up to eight instruments) Grinnell High School Concert Choir (fifty-member SATB chorus) Andrea Gullickson (oboe, oboe d'amore, English horn: solo, with piano or organ or tape), University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Grinnell College ensembles: Orchestra (seventy members) Singers (fifty-member SATB chorus) Symphonic Band (sixty members) Jazz Band (twenty members) Percussion Ensemble (fifteen members)

Contact:

Mid-America Composers Festival
c/o Jonathan Chenette
Grinnell College Department of Music
1102 Park St.
Grinnell, IA 50112-0806

email chenet@grinnell.edu
phone 515-269-3065
fax 515-269-4420

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