COOKEVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 22, 2004) — His orchestral and chamber music compositions have been premiered in Mexico City, Chicago, West Point, Taiwan and the Canary Islands — and next month Cookeville will be added to the list.

Tennessee Tech University’s Cumberland Quintet will present the world premiere performance of Eric Ewazen’s new “Cumberland Suite” in a concert on Monday, Nov. 1, in the Wattenbarger Auditorium of the Bryan Fine Arts Building.

That show kicks off a two-night event highlighting the work of the renowned composer, and both performances begin at 8 p.m.

Ewazen will be in town to conduct a master class and work with TTU music students, and he is expected to attend receptions following each night’s performance.

A faculty member of the Juilliard School since 1980, he is also a lecturer for the New York Philharmonic’s Musical Encounters series.

He has been the sole composer featured on a number of compact discs, including one titled “Chamber Music of Eric Ewazen” and performed by the American Brass Quintet and St. Luke’s Chamber Ensemble.

His symphony for wind ensemble titled “Legacy” was commissioned to commemorate the bicentennial of West Point and was premiered by the U.S. Military Academy Band, and his symphonic wind ensemble piece titled “Flight” was commissioned for the Langley Air Force Base Band.

In addition to the premier performance of his “Cumberland Suite,” Monday’s program will include the TTU Trumpet Ensemble performing “Concert Fanfare,” “Northern Lights,” featuring Adam Blackstock on marimba, and “An Elizabethan Songbook,” with Charles Decker on trumpet, Joshua Hauser on trombone and Sandra Robbins on piano.

Tuesday’s show will include Trombones at Tech performing “Empire Fanfare” and “Great Lakes Octet,” TTU’s Percussion Ensemble presenting “The Palace of Nine Perfections,” the Tennessee Tech Tuba Ensemble performing “Prelude and Fugue,” and an orchestra of TTU student musicians presenting “Shadowcatcher.”

Both programs are Center Stage events that are free and open to the public.

For more information, call TTU’s department of music and art at 931/372-3161.

--Tracey LeFevre
This information posted 28 October 2004