The Composer’s Voice

Here is an interesting package of contemporary music, highlighted by a performance of the Symphony No. 2 by Karel Husa in its world premiere recording. The Bowling Green Philharmonia was founded in 1918 by decree of the university president. It is a combined student-faculty ensemble. In the last several years the orchestra, with conductor Emily Freeman Brown, has established a wider reputation through its performances at the Bowling Green New Music and Art Festival. Don Freund was born in Pittsburgh and studied at Duquesne University and the Eastman School of Music. His teachers included Darius Milhaud, Charles Jones, Wayne Barlow, Warren Benson and Samuel Adler. Chris Theofanidis was born in Dallas, Texas and holds degrees from Yale, Eastman and the University of Houston. His piece On the Edge of the Infinite was composed to commemorate the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi Empire in Monaco. Sam Adler's Requiescat in Pace is dedicated to the memory of John. F. Kennedy and was written in Dallas during November, 1963, immediately after the assassination. The Canadian composer, Jeffrey Ryan, studied both in his native Canada and at the Cleveland Institute with Donald Erb. Writes Mr. Husa: "Although not written in a classical or romantic style, my symphony nevertheless reflects symphonic form.'' Marilyn Shrude is professor of music composition and director of the MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music at Bowling Green. Into Light was written at the request of Henry Charles Smith for the World Youth Symphony Orchestra and the opening concert of the 67th season of the Interlochen Arts Camp in 1994.