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St. Louis Symphony Orchestra musicians will perform the world premiere of Open Your Eyes, Now Is The Time, a new work for string quartet written by Mizzou New Music Initiative student composer Nate Leslie, as part of the SLSO’s Live at The Sheldon program on April 30, 2026. This expressive chamber concert will be curated by SLSO violists Chris Tantillo and Shannon Williams.
“My piece reads like a fortune cookie, as it is about my journey in realizing the kind of person I would like to become and what it will take to step into that version of myself,” Leslie said. “Sonically, I spent some time trying to figure out how to get real power out of the instrumentation. I’m really into playing with an “impulse and response” idea, especially within an odd meter, so you will hear several instances of rhythms folding back on themselves and repeated forte-to-pianissimo gestures.”
Nate is a composer, educator, and saxophonist whose work puts focus on the joy of music. As an undergraduate at the University of Missouri, he studies composition with Stefan Freund, Utku Asuroglu, and Bonnie McLarty. Nate has also participated in guest lessons with prominent contemporary composers such as Chen Yi, Jennifer Jolley, André Thomas, and Viet Cuong. While his primary interest is the Wind Ensemble, his catalog spans works for a variety of ensembles, including solo instruments, chamber groups, and larger configurations.
Nate was recently interviewed on the symphony’s SLSO Stories blog. That interview can be found here.
Now in its third year, the SLSO’s Live at The Sheldon series features chamber music by rising composers at the University of Missouri, part of the orchestra’s long-running collaboration with the Mizzou New Music Initiative – a program of the university that supports emerging composers.
Tickets for the April 30 concert are $48 – $59.50 for the general public and $13, including service charges. More information can be found here.
To stay up to date with all Mizzou New Music Initiative announcements, follow them on Instagram and Facebook: @MizzouNewMusic