Four Dana Alumni Featured in New Music Society Annual Winter Pops Concert

The Annual New Music Society Winter Pops Concert takes place in Bliss Recital Hall, March 3, 8:00 p.m., and will include seven world premieres. Two of these are works by Dana faculty composer Robert Rollin which were commissioned by Dana Alumni. Dana voice instructor Corinne Morini requested a set of songs for soprano and piano on poems by the American poetess Emily Dickinson. Ms. Morini holds a B. Mus. from Dana and an M. Mus. from the New England Conservatory, and is highly regarded as a performer and teacher in the area. She will premiere Three Songs on Poems by Emily Dickinson accompanied by another Dana alumnus, Anthony Ruggiero.

Micah Howard, Dana alumnus and a member of the Pittsburgh Symphony string bass section for over ten years, requested a virtuosic work for solo bass in a lighter vein based on dance rhythms. Rollin responded with Fantasy Samba which Howard will premiere on the program. The work explores the many colors available on the instrument.

Local composer Richard Zacharias, member of the New Music Guild, Inc., will hear his Sonata for Oboe and Piano performed by Dana alumnus Nathan Welch accompanied by Masters candidate Timothy Webb, piano. Welch now lives in the Cleveland area.2.

Senior composition major Daniel Brandt will have a premiere of his Three Nocturnes for piano performed by junior Stephen Klein. Brandt will have two other pieces on the program: Prelude for Guitar played by Margaret Jones, and Synapses with Joseph Finkel, alto saxophone and Patrick Fulton, bass clarinet. Brandt won a national composition contest last year for a tuba and piano work.

Samantha Hogan, a freshman composition major, will hear the premiere of Reign of Thunder played by Shanyse Strickland, flute and Cory Davis, piano. Sophomore Sarah Kramer’s trio Vita, Amore, Music will be performed by Graduates Mariana Szalaj, violin and Maria Fesz, cello with Stephen Kline at the piano.

Rounding off the concert will be a performance of Augustin Barrios’ solo guitar piece Una limosno por el amor de Dios by senior Ben Dague.

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All concerts are free and open to the public. For additional information please call 330-941-3636.