FSU College of Music to host 20th biennial Festival of New Music

Concert flyer created by Katie Taylor, College of Music.
(Katie Taylor, College of Music)

The FSU College of Music will present the 20th biennial Festival of New Music, a series of concerts featuring a variety of exciting new works for various ensembles Feb. 3–5.

This year’s program, featuring both guest artist Pamela Z and guest performers from the International Contemporary Ensemble, includes works by over 20 composers worldwide.

“For over 40 years, the FSU College of Music has been a leading champion of new music, highlighted by the biennial Festival of New Music,” said Greg Jones, associate dean for Outreach and Engagement in the FSU College of Music. “Current FSU faculty and students will be collaborating with these guests for three days of creativity, exploration and cutting-edge fun!”

Pamela Z is a composer/performer and media artist working with voice, live electronic processing, sampled sound and video. A pioneer of live digital looping techniques, she processes her voice in real-time to create dense, complex sonic layers. Her performances range from small concerts in galleries to large-scale multimedia works in theaters and concert halls. She also has a growing body of installation works using multi-channel sound and video.

FSU’s new music ensemble, "Polymorphia" (Photo: FSU College of Music)
FSU’s new music ensemble, “Polymorphia” (Photo: FSU College of Music)

Described as “America’s foremost new-music group” by The New Yorker, the International Contemporary Ensemble has become a leading force in new music throughout the past 20 years. The ensemble has premiered more than 1,000 works and been a vehicle for the workshop and performance of thousands of works by student composers across the United States. The ensemble performers are flutist Isabel Lepanto Gleicher, bassoonist Rebekah Heller, clarinetist Joshua Nathan Rubin, oboist Michelle Farah, saxophonist Erin Rogers and percussionist Ross Karre.

The festival will stage six concerts as well as several masterclasses and presentations.

“I am grateful for the wonderful cooperation between committee members in selecting among a huge number of musical submissions to create our concert programs,” said Evan Jones, a Festival of New Music committee member and program performer. “It is also tremendously gratifying to experience the direct involvement of so many faculty, staff, administrators and students from across the College of Music, all working together to make each festival a success.”

Pamela Z will collaborate with the Burgin String Quartet, the college’s resident student quartet, to perform her piece “The Unraveling” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5 in Opperman Music Hall.

“I feel very fortunate to be performing [the piece] with the composer,” said Megumi Terry, violinist of the Burgin Quartet and doctor of music student at FSU. “I think it is such an engaging piece and the audience will hear something really special.”


Members of FSU’s new music ensemble, "Polymorphia" (Photo: FSU College of Music)
Members of FSU’s new music ensemble, “Polymorphia” (Photo: FSU College of Music)

SCHEDULE OF CONCERTS

Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m. Opperman Music Hall
Opening Concert

Feb. 4, 11:15 p.m. Dohnányi Recital Hall
Matinee Concert

Feb. 4, 2 p.m. Opperman Music Hall
Polymorphia Concert

Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. Opperman Music Hall
Pamela Z and FSU Composers

Feb. 5, 1 p.m. Dohnányi Recital Hall
Electroacoustic Concert

Feb. 5, 7:30 p.m. Opperman Music Hall
International Contemporary Ensemble and Pamela Z


All events are free and open to the public except for the final concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5, which will not be livestreamed. For tickets and more information, please visit tickets.music.fsu.edu and music.fsu.edu/FNM.