School of Music Hosts Concert of Premieres

Musicians from Texas Tech University School of Music will perform Pulitzer Prize winning-composer John Harbison's latest work, “Crossroads.”  The Texas-wide co-premiere will begin 8 p.m. Sept. 13 at Hemmle Recital Hall.

Chamber Music Amarillo will perform the same concert simultaneously in Amarillo. A 7 p.m. pre-concert video conversation with Chamber Music Amarillo will occur before both premieres.

Harbison’s “Crossroads” was commissioned by Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, La Jolla Music Society for SummerFest, and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, with support from 12 other organizations across the United States. Texas Tech is one of three institutions of higher education on the commission.

David Palmer, founder of Chamber Music Amarillo, and Amy Goeser Kolb, principal oboe of the Amarillo Symphony and executive director and founder of the Central Oregon Youth Orchestra, invited the Texas Tech School of Music to join the commissioning body.

The lyrics in the performance come from “A Village Life,” a collection of poetry by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Louise Glück , who collaborated with Harbison.

“Finding the musical voice for the fresh sound of Louise’s recent work is an inspiring prospect,” Harbison said. “I feel the combination and performers involved will be ideal in realizing the evocative and elusive texture of her poetry.”

Music featured will be classical genre with a jazz-inspired piece. A violin sonata composed by Samuel Barber will be performed. Barber composed the piece in 1928 at the age of 18. He withheld the piece from publication and the manuscript was lost before resurfacing in 2005.

Other pieces to be premiered at the concert include 3 Gs, a Bluegrass inspired work for solo viola by Kenji Bunch , a work for cello and piano by Midland composer Lowell Hohstadt, and Bill Douglas’ jazz influenced oboe sonata.

The concert is free and open to the public.