Annual American Composers Update

John Downey

SAI National Arts Associate John Downey, of Shorewood, WI, teaches music at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Fine Arts.

Premieres

Portrait No. 3, for soprano saxophone and piano, had its first performance with Ensemble 21, at De Paul University, in Chicago, Feb. 7, 1997. For its 150th anniversary, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist choir, along with organist M. Barho, soprano C. Grief, and other musicians, presented Psalm 90, for SATB choir, organ, double brass quartets, tympani and soprano soloist, Aug. 3, 1997, conducted by Downey. Soliloquy, for solo English horn, was commissioned and premiered by Tom Stacey of the New York Philharmonic, Aug. 22, 1996, in New York.

Performances

On Sept. 18-19, 1996, the Dayton Symphony Orchestra, under Neal Gittleman, played For Those who Suffered. The Paris New Music Flute Choir, led by Pierre-Yves Artaud, presented High Clouds and Soft Rain in Le Hague, Holland, Nov. 21, 1996. Carter Simons led the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra in Ode to Freedom at Vihlein Hall, May 11, 1997. At a De Paul University New Music program, cellist Paul Gemeinder and pianist Milton Pecharsky performed Downey's Cello Sonata, Nov. 7, 1997 in Chicago. A Downey Festival at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Mar. 2, 1998, featured Rough Road, with Marie Sender, flute, and Kevin Gallagher, guitar; and Agort, with the Woodwind Arts Quintet.

Publications

Soliloquy; solo English horn; Theodore Presser.

Recordings

Soliloquy; Tom Stacey; Pala Records New York Legends CD PACD 0511, Jan. 1997. The Edge of Space; Robert Thompson, bassoon, and the London Symphony Orchestra, G. Simon conducting; Chandor CHAN 9278 CD. Three songs (poems by Irusha Downey); Erie Mills, soprano, and J. Peterson, piano; on American Composers Erie Mills "always it's Spring", Oct. 1997.