Stefan Freund

July 23, 2012

Mizzou New Music in the News

If you’ve missed some of the recent coverage of the Mizzou New Music Summer Festival in the news media, here’s your chance to catch up. * On Sunday, the Columbia Daily Tribune published a thoughtful and comprehensive preview story about the Festival by Aarik Danielsen. * The St. Louis Beacon last week had a nice feature story about the Festival, written by Neel Thakkar. * Stephanie Berg, who recently earned her master’s degree at Mizzou and is one of the resident composers for this year’s Festival, was featured in last week’s issue of…

July 12, 2012

Summer Festival Spotlight: Alarm Will Sound

Continuing with our series of posts focusing on various participants in the 2012 Mizzou New Music Summer Festival, today we shine out spotlight on Alarm Will Sound. As the resident ensemble for the Festival, AWS plays an essential role in bringing to life the new works created by the resident composers. Not many groups would be willing or able to take on the challenge of premiering eight new pieces in one night with limited rehearsal time, but Alarm Will Sound has accomplished the task each year of the MNMSF with consummate skill and panache. Former in 2001 by…

June 7, 2012

Tickets now on sale for 2012 Mizzou New Music Summer Festival

Tickets are now on sale for the 2012 Mizzou New Music Summer Festival’s concerts on Thursday, July 26; Friday, July 27; and Saturday, July 28. Now in its third year, the Mizzou New Music Summer Festival will take place starting Monday, July 23 through Saturday, July 28 in Columbia, MO. The MNMSF already is established as one of the most noteworthy contemporary music events in the Midwest, attracting attention from composers, musicians, music educators and media around the world. This year’s grand finale will feature the world premieres of eight new works written by the festival’s…

May 1, 2012

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis to host
“New Music, New Works” on Saturday, May 19

Inspired by the Great Rivers Biennial 2012 exhibition, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) and the Mizzou New Music Initiative will present “New Music, New Works” at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 19. The event at CAM, 3750 Washington Blvd in St. Louis’ Grand Center district, is free and open to the public. The concert will feature the world premiere of original compositions by University of Missouri students Grant Fonda, Joe Hills, and Joseph Weidinger, each of whom has created a new piece that attempts to capture the aural essence of one of the three…

Jan. 31, 2012

Missouri Composers Orchestra Project selects four winning new works

The Columbia Civic Orchestra (CCO) and the Mizzou New Music Initiative have announced the selection of four orchestral compositions written by Missouri residents to be performed by the CCO at a concert in March. The works were chosen in a statewide competition conducted under the auspices of the Missouri Composers Orchestra Project (MOCOP). The winners will receive a $500 honorarium from MOCOP’s sponsor, the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation. The three works chosen in the Open category are “Euphoria Overture” by Michael Blackwood, who lives in Florissant and teaches orchestra for the Rockwood School District; “This Is the Garden”…

Sep. 30, 2011

Mizzou New Music Ensemble to feature works from Missouri composers in concert on Monday, October 10 at Whitmore Recital Hall

The Mizzou New Music Ensemble (pictured) will open its 2011-12 season with a concert at 8:00 p.m., Monday, October 10 at Whitmore Recital Hall, 135 Fine Arts Building on the University of Missouri campus. Admission to the concert is free and open to the public. The concert will feature a program written entirely by Missouri composers and including three world premiere performances, said Stefan Freund, who directs the Ensemble. “Drumming,” composed in 2011 by Mizzou senior Joe Widinger, is “filled with rhythmic energy as figures are passed amongst members of the ensemble,” said Freund, while Mizzou graduate…

Dec. 2, 2010

New Music Ensemble to perform Monday, December 6 at Whitmore Recital Hall

The Mizzou New Music Ensemble (pictured) will present their second performance of the 2010-11 season at 8:00 p.m. Monday, December 6 at Whitmore Recital Hall on the University of Missouri campus. If you’re in Columbia or anywhere nearby, you’re invited to attend the concert, which is free and open to the public. The Ensemble is directed by Stefan Fruend, Associate Professor, Composition & Music Theory, and this season is their first full year of rehearsals and performances with a complete roster of musicians. All of us are delighted to have this talented group representing the Mizzou New Music…

July 12, 2010

Spotlight on Stefan Freund

Cellist and composer Stefan Freund is a big part of the Mizzou New Music Initiative. As associate professor of composition and music theory, Freund teaches young composers at Mizzou and directs the Creating Original Music Project (COMP). He’ll be busy during the inaugural Mizzou New Music Summer Festival, too, both as a teacher and as a performer with Alarm Will Sound, the Fest’s resident ensemble. A native of Memphis, TN, Freund received a BM with High Distinction from the Indiana University School of Music and an MM and a DMA from the…