CLU concert highlights L.A.'s New Music scene

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – April 4, 2008) The Sixth Annual New Music Concert: Postmodern L.A. will showcase five accomplished composers at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 20, at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks.

There have been many great musical centers over the years, including 18th century Vienna, 19th century Paris and 20th century New York. Vera Ivanova, Joseph Trapanese, Jenni Brandon, Alex Miller and Jason V. Barabba live and work in the Los Angeles area today, one of the great musical cities of the 21st century.

The free event in Samuelson Chapel will begin with a roundtable discussion featuring the five composers talking about music in 21st century Los Angeles followed by performances of their compositions.

Ivanova’s many honors include the young composers’ 1st Prize at the International Contest of Acousmatic Compositions: “Metamorphoses 2004” and the Andre Chevillion-Yvonne Bonnaud Composition Prize at the 8th International Piano Competition. The concert will include her piece “Confession,” featuring Andrew Tholl on violin.

Trapanese writes music for concerts, films and television and has received awards from the Henry Mancini Institute, Downbeat Magazine and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. The CLU New Music Ensemble conducted by Wyant Morton will perform his piece “Three Pieces for Sextet,” which was commissioned by Yale University’s Norfolk Contemporary Music Workshop.

The concert will also feature performances by three CLU faculty soloists: clarinetist Daniel Geeting, pianist Eric Kinsley and soprano Angela Rasmussen. Miller will play guitar on his piece “Flatiron.”

Samuelson Chapel is located near the corner of Olsen Road and Campus Drive.

CLU’s Music Department is sponsoring the concert. Donations will be accepted. For more information, please call (805) 493-3306 or visit http://www.callutheran.edu/music.