Annual American Composers Update

Persis Parshall Vehar** is a composer and pianist based in Buffalo, NY, where she is Composer-in-Residence at Canisius Coll. At Canisius Coll., she presented lecture recitals "Poetry Becomes Song," Sept. 21, 1999, and "Heard 1st in Buffalo," Jan. 31, 2000. She has received her 16th consecutive ASCAP Award and her fifth Meet the Composer Grant, for Night Concerto.

Soprano Cristen Gregory, baritone Brian Zunner, the Western New York Children's Chorus, the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Swan, premiered Peace Requiem, Mar. 27, 1999. On Apr. 20, 1999, Vehar and the Ars Nova Chamber Orchestra, led by Marylouise Nanna, presented Night Concerto, at Canisus Coll. Dormi Jesu, for SATB choir, was sung first by the Clarence (NY) High School Chamber Singers, Robert Vehar conducting, Dec. 8, 1999.

Works heard in Buffalo in 1999 included Women, Women, with mezzo-soprano Sharon Mabry, at Daemen Coll., Apr. 26; Gallery Walk No. 2 -- Parker Treescapes, for piano, at the Burchfield-Penney Arts Center, May 18; and Ghosts of Lindsay, with bass Valerian Ruminski, at Canisius Coll., Nov. 18, all with the composer at the piano. In 1999, Ruminski and Vehar also presented Ghosts of Lindsay at the Lancaster (NY) Opera House, June 25 and 27; and at the Marcella Sembrich Museum, in Bolton Landing, NY, Aug. 4. Greg Barrett, clarinet, and Vehar, piano, played Sound-Piece, Nov. 4, 1999 at SUNY Coll. at Fredonia. Heard at the NYSSMA Summer Conference was Strolling Dinosaurs, Aug. 1999 in Syracuse, NY with the NYSSMA Reading Orchestra, conducted by Vehar.

Sound-Piece, David Kuehn, trumpet, flugelhorn, and piccolo trumpet, and Vehar, piano; Piano Fleur de Son Classics, Ltd. Musical Landscapes for Trumpet.

• 1997-1998 American Composers Update
• 1996-1997 American Composers Update
• SAI's Composers Bureau Online.
• SAI's Music for Young People section.