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College of Music first to host Jean Sibelius conference outside Finland
DENTON (UNT), Texas ¾ Musical scholars, performers and composers from throughout the world will gather at the University of North Texas Jan. 16-20 when the UNT College of Music hosts the 4th International Jean Sibelius Conference. Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) is acknowledged as Finland's greatest composer and the founder of Finnish nationalist music. According to Dr. Timothy Jackson, UNT associate professor of music and keynote speaker for the conference, "In the past two decades the music of Sibelius has come to occupy a place of increasing importance in contemporary musical life." Jackson -- who co-edited Sibelius Studies (Cambridge University Press 2001), presented papers at previous International Sibelius Conferences and was guest professor at the Sibelius Academy in Finland in 1997 -- played an instrumental role in bringing the prestigious event to UNT. This will mark the first time the international assembly will convene outside the composer's native land. "We at the College of Music are very pleased that having an important Sibelius scholar on our faculty has led to our being able to host this significant conference, and the exciting array of activities that it will generate," said UNT College of Music Dean James C. Scott. The program for this collaboration between the College of Music at UNT, the Sibelius Academy, and the American Sibelius Society will feature a host of concerts, including several American and world premieres, performed by assembled international, national, and UNT and North Texas area musicians. Highlights will include: - The Fort Worth Symphony, under the direction of Miguel Harth-Bedoya and featuring Alban Gerhardt on cello, opens the conference at 2 p.m. on Jan. 16 (Sunday) at Bass Hall in Fort Worth with the world premiere of the first version of Sibelius's Seventh Symphony and selections by Shostakovich and Beethoven.
- The Sibelius Festival Orchestra, under the direction of John Norine, at 8 p.m. on Jan. 19 (Wednesday) in Winspear Performance Hall in the Murchison Performing Arts Center (located on I-35 at North Texas Boulevard). The special program will feature the world premiere performances of Sibelius's Lemminkäinen in Tuonela (1896 version) and his Symphony No. 2 in D Major. In addition, the orchestra will perform Arnold Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 2. Tickets are $7 (cash or check only). Admission will be free for UNT students with IDs.
- The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Osmo Vänskä and featuring Jon Nakamatsu on the piano, closes the conference at 8 p.m. on Jan. 20 (Thursday) at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas with Sibelius' Finlandia and Lemminkäinen "Legends" Symphony and Listz's Piano Concerto No. 1.
Other performances will include: - UNT's Canticum novum, a chamber choir composed of 24 voices selected primarily from graduate and experienced undergraduate students under the direction of Henry Gibbons, performs on Jan. 17 (Monday) at 8 p.m. in the Campus Theater, one block west of the Denton square on Hickory. The group will perform music by Sibelius and will present the post-World War II premieres of music by "lost composers" Josef Knettel, Arnold Mendelssohn, and Heinrich Schenker. Half of the evening's program will feature mezzo-soprano and UNT Professor of Voice Linda Di Fiore performing songs by Sibelius, A. Mendelssohn and H. Schenker. She will be accompanied by Heejung Kang on the piano.
- Chamber Music Concert on Jan. 18 (Tuesday) at 1 p.m. in the College of Music Concert Hall in the Music Building at the intersection of Avenue C and Chestnut Street. The program will feature the North American premiere of Sibelius's two-piano piece Rakkaalle Ainolle "to my beloved Aino," JS 161, to be performed by Joseph Banowetz and Heejung Kang; and the slow movement of Paul Kletzki's Piano Concerto Op. 22 in the composer's reduction for two pianos, and music for double bass by Kalevi Aho performed by Jeff Bradetich. (The latter composer will attend.)
- Erik T. Tawaststjerna, professor of the piano at the Sibelius Academy, presents a piano recital featuring the piano music of Sibelius and other Finnish composers on Jan. 18 (Tuesday) at 8 p.m. in the College of Music Recital Hall.
- Pianist Ruusamari Teppo and an ensemble of UNT students perform a Chamber Music concert of music by Sibelius and Kalevi Aho on Jan. 19 (Wednesday) at 2 p.m. in the College of Music Recital Hall.
Conference sponsors include Nokia, the American Sibelius Society, the Sibelius Academy (Helsinki), Suomi-Seura (the Finland Society in Helsinki), the Finlandia Foundation National (USA), the UNT College of Music, and the UNT Center for Schenkerian Studies. In addition, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra are collaborating with the symposium. With the exception of the Sibelius Festival Orchestra performance, all concerts on the UNT campus will be free and open to the public. Note: For additional information about the 4th International Jean Sibelius Conference, check the special UNT College of Music Sibelius web site at www.music.unt.edu/the/sibelius/.
UNT News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108
Contact: Roddy Wolper (940) 565-2943
Email: rwolper@unt.edu
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