CNM Concert Information, School of Music, The University of Iowa

Zachariah ZUBOW

My Fairy King

Farrokh Bulsara, or more commonly known as Freddie Mercury, was the lead singer of the rock group, Queen and on their self-titled album, Queen, Mercury was responsible for composing five of the ten tracks including the song "My Fairy King". This song takes place in the fantasy world Rhye, a common theme among Queen's songs, but most interesting about this song are the lyrics "Mother Mercury, look what they've done to me", which is said to have been the inspiration for Farrokh Bulsara to change his name to Freddie Mercury. My Fairy King is based on this theme of transformation. Freddie Mercury did not change into an entire new being at this time, but he did transform his character by adapting Mercury as his new persona. The theme of My Fairy King is to explore a transformation of one element of sound and its many characteristics that can be explored within it.

Zachariah Zubow (b. 1984) started his music education at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and in 2008 graduated with a Masters in Music Composition from Illinois State University in Normal, IL. Zach's music has been chosen to be included on the Society of Composers National Conference, Society of Composers Regional Conference, Electronic Music Midwest, Midwest Composers Symposium, and Iowa Composers Forum Conference this past fall. This coming spring (2011), Zach's Answers from Nature will be featured at the South-Central and Great Lakes College Music Society Regional Conferences as well as his piece for solo piano, Prevailing Wind, at the Mid-Atlantic and Southern College Music Society Regional Conferences. Zach's electro-acoustic and live instrument pieces, Nebulae and Fugitive Yellow Shirt, will also be featured on two conferences this spring in Kansas City and Warrensburg, MO. His music has also been performed at new music conferences in Europe as well as the United States in recent years. Zach's composition teachers include David Gompper, Lawrence Fritts, David Feurzeig, Brooke Joyce, and Martha Horst. Zach is now pursuing a Ph.D. in music composition at The University of Iowa and is a member of Society of Composers, ASCAP, College Music Society, SEAMUS, Electronic Music Midwest, and the Iowa Composers Forum. For more information or to contact Zach, please visit www.zachzubow.com.

Stephanie G. PIECZYNSKI

Aurora

Northern Lights takes its title from the beautiful light displays in the night skies of the polar regions of the planet. The scene is set with a section of wind and fluttering sounds depicting the frozen landscape. As more prominent pitches are introduced, the first flickering of the lights appears and grows. In the climax, the lights take over the night sky in a tumultuous array of colors. Finally, as dawn approaches, the lights die away, in wait for the evening.

Stephanie Pieczynski is a resident of Channahon, IL and a recent graduate of Northern Illinois University earning a Bachelor's degree in music composition. She has studied composition under Ted Hatmaker, Robert Fleisher and David Maki, as well as oboe under Carl Sonik and Ricardo Castaneda, and piano under Mary Jo Mehrl. Pieczynski has been commissioned by several of her peers to compose pieces for recitals as well as benefit concerts and has had pieces performed by the Chicago Miniaturist Ensemble, the 2008 Fusion Arts Exchange Ensemble, and the NIU wind ensemble. Pieczynski was involved in the NIU Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, Philharmonic, Steel Band, Early Music Ensemble, and New Music Ensemble as well as several chamber groups. Stephanie is currently pursuing her MFA in composition at the University of Iowa studying with Lawrence Fritts and David Gompper. For more information visit www.stephaniepieczynski.com.

Aaron PERRINE

A Look Back at Loveliness

Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) was an American poet and playwright. Independent and rebellious by nature, her best-known and most characteristic works are about love, grief, the inevitability of change, abandonment and death. Millay achieved much success during her lifetime, including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1923.

Born in McGregor, Minnesota, Aaron Perrine has received degrees from the University of Minnesota, Morris, the University of Minnesota, and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in composition from the University of Iowa, studying with David Gompper and Lawrence Fritts. April, one of his compositions for band, was a finalist in the first Frank Ticheli Composition Contest. This piece was also a JW Pepper "Editors' Choice" and was a featured composition in Teaching Music Through Performance in Band, Volume 7. His compositions for band can be found at C. Alan Publications. For more information, please visit his website at www.aaronperrine.com.

Jason GREGORY

Marmeladov

Marmeladov is a reference to the character found in Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment. The full breadth of the dilemma the character represents cannot be captured in this short note, but it can be crudely put as a conflict in the perception of one's own sin. As I reinterpret the scenes from Dostoevsky's scene into a piece for solo violin, I use the 'sins' of the violin and juxtapose them with it's potential 'virtues' creating an unequivocal missing of the mark, and a hope for redemption.

Jason Gregory is studying music composition here at The University of Iowa under the aegis of Dr. Lawrence Fritts and Dr. David Gompper. Currently, he is helping out the dance department with their sound needs as well as creating new music in collaboration with faculty choreographers

Matt SMART

Cope

is a frenetic gallop across the keyboard exploring quintal harmonies, registral contrast, and controlled sudden outbursts. Different voices vie to be heard but eventually compromise, each coping with the presence of the other.

Matt Smart recently completed his Masters in Music Composition at Butler University where he co-founded the experimental new music group Ensemble 48 and studied composition with Michael Schelle, Frank Felice, and James Mulholland. Prior to that, Matt was the resident composer and musical director for Crossroads Theatre in Walnut Creek, California where he directed the music for over twenty productions. He has been nominated twice for the regional "Shellie" award for outstanding musical direction and has toured nationally and internationally with the troupe Savoy Express, the Contra Costa Children's Chorus, and Butler's Jordan Jazz as pianist. Some composition and arranging credits include the creation of the synth scores to the Bay Area premiere of Pavilion, the world premiere of Senior Class, and the creation of a new musical adaption of Little Women which received its world premiere in Walnut Creek, CA. Matt has publishing contracts with Hal Leonard and Colla Voce and also worked as a music editor for the latter. He has received commissions from The American Pianists' Association, Butler's Jordan Jazz, the Contra Costa Children's Chorus, and Northgate High School among others. Matt is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Composition at the University of Iowa where he studies composition with David Gompper and Lawrence Fritts.

Daniel HOUGLUM

et si sensus deficit…

was composed for violinist Emily Rolka. Structural, harmonic, and melodic characteristics of Untitled are based on the Pange Lingua chant by St. Thomas Aquinas. The chant is comprised of six phrases and each phrase outlines the interval of a fourth (or fifth) slightly different ways. The most striking example occurs on the surface at the end of the fourth phrase — a falling D-G. Other aspects of the chant that I found interesting included the use of repeated notes, neighbor tones, and half-step placement and approach. Some of the phrases move the chant forward, while others prolong a given pitch — or, perhaps these phrases are interruptions? Violin works bearing influence on et si sensus deficit… include Bach's Sonata No. 2 in A minor, Ysaye's Sonata No. 3, and Subito by Lutoslawski.

Daniel Houglum, from Soldotna, Alaska, is a doctoral candidate in the Ph.D. in Music Composition program at the University of Iowa. He received his B.A. degree from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington and his M.Mus. degree from Northern Illinois University. Houglum has served as an instructor for Kishwaukee College in Malta, Illinois. His composition teachers include Kevin Waters, S.J., Robert Fleisher, David Maki, John Eaton and David Gompper. Houglum is the UI Center for New Music RA and he teaches at the Preucil School of Music as theory instructor for the Certificate Program. Recent composition projects include collaborations with musicians Stephen Page, Mabel Kwan, Christopher Sande, Emily Rolka, and poet Patrick Haas. Please visit www.houglum-music.com for more information.