Composers from the Mizzou New Music Initiative are working once again with choreographers and dancers from Stephens College to create original music for this year’s Senior Dance Concert at Stephens.
The performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday, November 14 and Saturday, November 15, and at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, November 16 at the Macklanburg Playhouse, 100 Willis Ave on the Stephens campus.
Tickets are $8 for general admission, $6 for students and seniors, and can be purchased in advance at the Macklanburg Playhouse box office; by calling 573-876-7199; or at the door.
Renewing the collaboration between MNMI and Stephens that began in the 2013-14 academic year, the concert will feature dances choreographed by Stephens students to three original works by Mizzou composers.
Stephens seniors Kyla Ranney and Jessie Burgess have created choreography for two pieces written by Erin Hoerchler, a sophomore composition major at Mizzou, and MU graduate student Kaylene Cypret has composed music for senior Alexis Collins’ dance.
For Stephens’ graduating dance majors, the Senior Dance Concert performances represent the culmination of their personal dance experiences, and the collaboration with Mizzou affords them the rare opportunity to perform with live musical accompaniment, provided by the Mizzou New Music Ensemble.
The seven-member Ensemble is made up of University of Missouri graduate students under the direction of Stefan Freund, a cellist, composer and associate professor.
The Ensemble’s members for the 2014-15 season are Taylor Burkhardt, piano; Rachel Czech, cello; Jose Martínez, percussion; Jeremiah Rittel, clarinets; Erin Spencer, flute; Britney Stutz, violin; and Korin Wahl, viola. Joining them for the performances at Stephens will be two guest musicians from Mizzou, violinist Graham Woodland and clarinetist Travis Herd.
“The composers and performers of the Mizzou New Music Initiative are truly grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Stephens’ choreographers and dancers,” said William Lackey, assistant teaching professor of composition and managing director of the Mizzou New Music Initiative. “As a teacher, I always want to provide young composers with opportunities that will push them artistically.”