Courtney Orlando and SD after her performance of regarding "Reconciliation Elegy" at the June In Buffalo festival, 6 June 2018. Photos: Su Lee.
I just got back from June in Buffalo, an annual festival and conference hosted by the Center for 21st century music at the University of Buffalo. It was a busy week with a tremendous amount of new music of all stripes. Lectures and masterclasses were given each day by the visiting faculty composers (John Harbison, Hans Thomalla, Hilda Paredes, Louis Karchin, Roger Reynolds, and UB's own David Felder). Most days featured two concerts (one afternoon, one evening) and every composer who came as a participant in the festival had a work performed.
At the Wednesday night concert, violinist Courtney Orlando (Alarm Will Sound, Ensemble Signal, faculty @ Peabody Institute) performed a new revision of my solo violin work, regarding Reconciliation Elegy. The work, first composed in 2012, is based on a massive painting by Robert Motherwell that hangs in the east building of the National Gallery of Art.
A photo of Robert Motherwell's Reconciliation Elegy I took on a recent visit to the NGA.
I'm thrilled to be able to share a recording of the performance with you, made possible by the incredible June in Buffalo staff who got composers high quality recordings of their works with quick turnaround. Thanks to Rob Phillips and David Felder for assembling and presenting a brilliant festival week of new music. And, of course, my endless gratitude to Courtney for a truly inspired and passionate performance of this piece.