News

Henry Rusten

Nov. 11, 2025

St. Louis Symphony Members to Perform World Premiere of Henry Rusten’s Wind Quintet “Fuse” on December 4 at The Sheldon

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra musicians will perform the world premiere of Fuse, a new work for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon written by Mizzou New Music Initiative student composer Henry Rusten as part of the SLSO’s Live at The Sheldon program on December 4, 2025, The program, themed “Reeds in Turn,” will be curated by oboist Xiomara Mass and bassoonist Julia Paine of the SLSO, who will be in the wind quintet performing the premiere. Henry Rusten “The title Fuse refers to two…

Dr. Andre J. Thomas

Nov. 11, 2025

Internationally Acclaimed Composer/ Conductor/Choral Director Dr. André Thomas to Lead Performance of His Gospel Compositions by Mizzou Choruses and Symphony Orchestra on November 20

Internationally acclaimed composer, conductor, choral director, and author Dr. André Thomas will be in residence November 16-21 at the University of Missouri School of Music, where he will provide composition lessons, lead choral conducting masterclasses, and rehearse Mizzou’s choirs and orchestra in preparation for a major concert on November 20 by the Choral Union Symphonic Chorus, University Singers, Concert Chorale, and the University Symphony Orchestra. The concert is sponsored in part by the Mizzou New Music Initiative. Dr.

Nove. 17 Wind Ensemble Performance poster

Nov. 11, 2025

University of Missouri Wind Ensemble Presents World Premiere of Dr. Stefan Freund’s Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble on November 17

The University of Missouri Wind Ensemble will present the world premiere of Dr. Stefan Freund’s SAS Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Ensemble at 7 p.m. Monday, November 17 at the Missouri Theatre. Freund is the Artistic Director of the Mizzou New Music Initiative and Music Director of the Columbia Civic Orchestra. The piece will be performed by guest faculty soloist Leo Saguiguit and conducted by Dr. Brian A. Silvey. It was written by Freund in honor of Saguiguit’s…

Stefan Freund (center) performing as a member of Alarm Will Sound

Nov. 11, 2025

Two University of Missouri School of Music Faculty Members nominated for a 2026 Grammy Award as Part of New Music Ensemble Alarm Will Sound.

Two University of Missouri School of Music faculty members are among the nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards. Stefan Freund and Bill Kalinkos are founding members of Alarm Will Sound, whose album Land of Winter was nominated for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance. The piece itself was also nominated for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. Freund is a Professor of Music Composition, the Artistic Director of the Mizzou New Music Initiative, and Director of the Mizzou New Music Ensemble. Kalinkos…

Yoell Tewolde

Oct. 23, 2025

St. Louis Symphony Members to Perform World Premiere of Yoell Tewolde’s “Oblivious and Ride” for String Quartet on November 13 at The Sheldon

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra musicians will perform the world premiere of Oblivious and Ride, a new work written by Mizzou New Music Initiative student composer Yoell Tewolde, as part of the SLSO’s Live at The Sheldon: Folk Fest program on November 13, 2025. This program will be curated by violinist Andrea Jarrett and cellist Jennifer Humphreys of the SLSO, who will be in the string quartet performing the premiere. Yoell Tewolde “The piece is based on a bit of a whimsical…

Percussion ensemble Beyond This Point

Oct. 13, 2025

Chicago-Based Percussion Ensemble Beyond This Point to Perform “Musician Minus Instrument” October 25 at Sinquefield Music Center

Beyond this Point, a Chicago-based percussion ensemble, will present the concert “Musician Minus Instrument” that explores musical expression beyond instruments and expands what it means to be a musician and performer on October 25 at 7:30p.m. at the University of Missouri School of Music’s Sinquefield Music Center. Beyond This Point comprises percussionists John Corkill, Adam Rosenblatt, and Rebecca McDaniel, a former member of the Mizzou New Music Ensemble. They transform the live performance experience by presenting adventurous programs that synthesize musicalperformance with other creative disciplines. Beyond…

Sinquefield Prize Winner Dean Wibe is celebrated at a dinner at the Reynolds Alumni Center Bistro by Curator Jeanne Sinquefield, Dean Cooper Drury, President Mun Choi, Provost Matt Martens, Vice Chancellor Chris Smith and School of Music leadership.

Oct. 7, 2025

Dean Wibe wins 2026 Sinquefield Composition Prize  

Award includes scholarship and a commission to create new work that will premiere at the 2026 Chancellor’s Arts Showcase. The University of Missouri School of Music and Mizzou New Music Initiative have awarded the 2026  Sinquefield Composition Prize to student composer Dean Wibe. The prize is the top award for composition students at Mizzou, made possible by Dr. Jeanne Sinquefield, Rex Sinquefield and the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation.   Wibe is a composer and cellist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Iowa. He completed…

Oct. 7, 2025

Residency of New York Composer Katherine Balch October 3-5 to Include Performance of Her Acclaimed speckled the green and blue by Mizzou New Music Ensemble

Internationally acclaimed composer Katherine Balch will be in residence October 3-5, 2025 for the first time at the Mizzou New Music Initiative. She will give composition lessons and a lecture to students and attend the public performance of her acclaimed composition speckled the green and blue by the Mizzou New Music Ensemble. Katherine Balch Katherine’s works have been commissioned and performed by leading ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, the London Sinfonietta, Ensemble Modern, and the symphony orchestras of Pittsburgh, Dallas, Minnesota, Oregon, Albany, Indianapolis,…