Contemporary Music Group

Formed by Chris Rutkowski in 1998, the Contemporary Music Group was an ensemble composed of faculty and students of the University of Indianapolis which often featured guest performers and one or more guest composers. Guest composers included Academy Award winner John Corigliano, Anthony Iannaccone, Takeshi Saitoh of Japan, and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Higdon. Guest performers included saxophonists Thomas Walsh and Otis Murphy of the Indiana University School of Music, the Corigliano Quartet, members of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and saxophonist Joseph Lulloff and pianist Jun Okada of Michigan State University.

The CMG combined elements of a new music ensemble with a general performance series. Repertoire was thus drawn from a very inclusive stylistic list, incorporating Varése, Prokofiev, and Debussy as well as Crumb, Dello Joio, Copland and challenging new works of the guest composers. Recently composed works were heard in the larger context of music from all periods and styles of the 20th century. This programming philosophy attracted a large and loyal following of students and off-campus visitors, and the ensemble has received very positive press attention in the form of four and five star reviews.

A typical guest composer's residency included a wide range of activities, such as a composition master class, a public lecture, and a pre-concert talk in an interview format. Students studied a representative score of the guest composer, and student performers of the highest level were prominently featured, often performing with the guest composer or giving premiers. Concerts were jointly sponsored by the Music Department, the student chapter of the Society of Composers, Inc., and the university’s Lecture/Performance series.

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Programs

Guest Composers (click to go to that program)

John Corigliano

Frank Felice

James Beckel

Michael Hunt

Takeshi Saitoh

Anthony Iannaccone

Don Freund

Jennifer Higdon

Perry Goldstein

David Heuser

An Afternoon with
John Corigliano

Sunday, March 22, 1998
Indianapolis Art Center
3:00 PM

John Corigliano and Chris Rutkowski

Fantasia on an Ostinato John Corigliano
Richard Ratliff, piano
Three Irish Folk Song Settings
Eric Small,tenor
Anne Reynolds, flute
Two Richard Wilbur Settings
L'Invitation au Voyage
A Black November Turkey
Mon Choeur
Paul Krasnovsky, Director
String Quartet
The Corigliano Quartet

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Guest Composer
Frank Felice
Butler University, Indianapolis

Wednesday, October 30, 2002
Christel DeHann Fine Arts Center
7:30 PM

Fanfare for a New Theater (1964) Igor Stravinsky (1982-1971)
Wade Baker, Aaron Miller, trumpets
Fanfare for St. Edmundsbury (1959) Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)
Julia Fredeick, Kevin Robertson, Amy Wever, trumpets
Estudios Sencillos I-VI. XI (1972) Leo Brouwer (1939-)
Graham Case, guitar
Elogia de la Danza (1964) Leo Brouwer
Matt Hudson, guitar
"The Things Our Fathers Loved" (1917) Charles Ives (1874-1954)
"The Desire for Hermitage" from Op. 29 (1954) Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
Aaron Carman, baritone
Amy Eggleston*, piano
Don Quichotte à Dulcinée (1933) Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Matthew Byerly, baritone
Amy Eggleston*, piano
Assobio a Játo (The Jet Whistle) (1950) Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959)
Cheryl Riggle, flute
Sarah Binford, cello
Four Songs of Jennifer Haines
(1989) Frank Felice (9:56)
Mitzi Westra*, mezzo soprano
Amy Eggleston*, piano
from 44 Violin Duos (1933) Béla Bartók (1871-1945)
III. Arabian Song
IV. Ruthenian Kolomejka
Daniel Darboro, violin
Louis Wu, violin
Violin Concerto, Op. 48 (1948) Dmitri Kabalevsky (19041987)
I. Allegro molto e con brio
Louis Wu, violin
Claude Cymerman**, piano
Dance of the Adolescent Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
Nino Papava, piano
Richard Ratliff*, piano

*U of I Faculty
**DePauw University Faculty

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Guest Composers
James Beckel and Michael Hunt

Principal Trombonist, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

Director, Fine Arts Society of Indianapolis

Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Christel DeHann Fine Arts Center
Public Lecture 11:00 AM
Pre-concert talk 6:45 PM
Concert 7:30 PM

Prelude and Fugue No. 17 in Ab major (1998) Ron Weidberg (1953-)
Amy Eggleston*, piano
Sonata in D for Flute and Piano, Op. 94 (1943) Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953
Cheryl Riggle, flute
Amy Eggleston*, piano
Songs of Tao Michael Hunt (1945-)
I. Clear of Water
II. The Moment of Fullness
III. The Lesson of Water (2:28)
IV. The Utility of Nothing
V. How to Recognize the Tao Imprint
Elizabeth Hoegberg*, soprano
Amy Eggleston*, piano
The Glass Bead Game James Beckel (1948-)
Kent Leslie**, horn
Amy Eggleston*, piano
Little Scherzo (1958) Karel Husa (1921-)
Tomomi Ide, piano
Nino Papava, piano
Concertino for Two Pianos, Op. 94 Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)
Nino Papava, piano
Richard Ratliff*, piano

*University of Indianapolis Faculty
**Special Guest Artist

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Guest Composer
Takeshi Saitoh
Composition Faculty, University of Miyazaki, Japan

Wednesday, March 5, 2003
Christel DeHann Fine Arts Center
Public Lecture 11 AM
Pre-concert discussion 6:45 PM
Concert 7:30 PM

Chris Rutkowski leads a pre-concert panel discussion with Takeshi Saitoh and Hong Kong painter Bonnie Kwan Huo

Density 21.5 Edgard Varése (1883-1965)
Cheryl Riggle, flute
Violin Concerto Samuel Barber
Daniel Darbro, violin
Rebecca O'Connor, piano
Genius Child Ricky Ian Gordon (1956-)
Fern Freelander**, soprano
Amy Eggleston*, piano
Trio Ernö Dohnanyi (1887-1960)
Daniel Darbro, violin
Levi Comstock, viola
Aaron Scott,cello
Troubles Rain Down Like Thorns Takeshi Saitoh (1958-) (16:06)
1. Prologue
2. I Run Away
3. A Phone Call
4. Murderous Intent
Epilogue: For the Distant Future
Laura Hammer, soprano
Amy Eggleston*, piano

Syrinx Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
Cheryl Riggle, flute

*U of I Music Faculty
**Special Guest Performer

AFTERGLOW CDFAC Lobby

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Guest Composer
Anthony Iannaccone
Composition Faculty, Eastern Michigan University

Thursday, April 10, 2003
Christel DeHann Fine Arts Center
Public Lecture 11:00 AM
Pre-concert talk 6:45 PM
Concert 7:30 PM

Anthony Iannaccone leads the Concert Choir in rehearsal of his work.

Trio for Flute, Clarinet and Piano (1979) Anthony Iannaccone (1943-)
Leela Breithaupt, flute
David Bellman, clarinet*
Amanda Hopson, piano
Divertimento (2002) Chris Rutkowski (1953-)
The Ronen Chamber Ensemble
Leela Breithaupt, flute
David Bellman, clarinet and bass clarinet*
Philip Palermo, violin*
Ingrid Fischer-Bellman, cello*
Richard Ratliff, piano
String Quartet No. 3 (1999) Anthony Iannaccone
1. Espressivo
2. Largo
3. Con fuoco (7:23)
Dean Franke, violin*
Lisa Scott, violin*
Susan Chan, viola
Perry Scott, cello*

*Member of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra

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Guest Composer
Don Freund
Composition Faculty, Indiana University

Thursday, April 10, 2003
Christel DeHann Fine Arts Center
Public Lecture 2:00 PM
Pre-Concert talk 6:45 PM
Concert 7:30 PM

Don Freund with Anthony Iannaccone land Chris Rutkkowski.

Meditation sur un motif de Claude Debussy (1907) Zoltan Kodaly
Richard Ratliff*, piano
Sonata for piano, four hands (1918) Francis Poulenc
Tomomi Ide, piano
Richard Ratliff*, piano
Spur of the Moment Don Freund (11:54)
Cheryl Riggle, flute
Don Freund, piano

Lauda Anima Me Don Freund
Vertu, from Three Poems of George Herbert Don Freund
The University of Indianapolis Concert Choir
Paul Krasnovsky*, Director
"Image" pour flute seule, op. 38 Eugene Bozza
Anne Reynolds*, flute
Backyard Songs Don Freund
Kathleen Hacker*, soprano
Anne Reynolds*, flute
Wendy Muston**, harp
Skyscrapings Don Freund
Thomas Walsh**, also saxophone
Don Freund, piano

*University of Indianapolis Faculty
**Special Guest Artist

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Guest Composer
Jennifer Higdon
Composition Faculty, Curtis Institute of Music

Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Christel DeHann Fine Arts Center
Pre-concert Talk, 6:45PM
Concert, 7:30 PM

Amazing Grace Jennifer Higdon
The Indianapolis Flute Quintet**
Suite for Piano Norman Dello Joio
Mikihiro Nishioka, piano
Sonata for Saxophone and Piano Bernard Heiden
Dathan Echols, alto saxophone
Amy Eggleston*, piano
Legacy Jennifer Higdon
Dean Franke*, violin
Mikihiro Nishioka, piano
Rapid•Fire Jennifer Higdon (5:59)
Cheryl Riggle, flute

Autumn Reflections Jennifer Higdon
Anne Reynolds*, flute
Amy Eggleston*, piano
Homage to Cowell, Cage, Crumb and Czerny Emma Lou Diemer
Susan Parr*, piano
Rebecca Sorley*, piano
Short Stories Jennifer Higdon
The Indiana Saxophone Quartet**

*University of Indianapolis Faculty
**Special Guest Artist

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Guest Composer
Perry Goldstein
Composition Faculty, Stony Brook University

Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Christel DeHann Fine Arts Center
Public Lecture 11 AM
Pre-concert Talk, 6:45PM
Concert, 7:30 PM

Fault Lines Perry Goldstein (b. 1952)
Joseph Lulloff, alto saxophone
Jun Okada, piano
An Idyll for the Misbegotten George Crumb (b. 1929)
Cheryl Riggle, amplified flute
The University of Indianapolis Percussion Ensemble
Blow! Perry Goldstein
The Indiana Saxophone Quartet
CMG Remix Pete Schmutte, Chris Rutkowski
Computer and five sound sources
Of Points Fluid and Fixed Perry Goldstein (15:24)
Jun Okada, piano

Motherless Child Variations Perry Goldstein
The Indiana Saxophone Quartet

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Guest Composer
David Heuser
Composition Faculty, University of Texas at San Antonio

Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Christel DeHann Fine Arts Center
Public Lecture 10 AM
Pre-concert Talk, 6:45PM

Oscillations Pete Schmutte
Computer
Veiled Autumn Joseph Schwantner
The Machine Age William Albright
"Robot Drummers from Hell"
Megan Horman, piano
Gazebo Dances John Corigliano (b. 1938)
III. Adagio
Katie Abell, piano
Megan Horman, piano
Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 14 Robert Muszynski (b. 1929)
III. Andante
I. Allegro Deciso
Cheryl Riggle, flute
Amy Eggleston, piano
Deep Blue Spiral David Heuser (b. 1966)
Thomas Walsh, alto saxophone
Thin Green Traces David Heuser
I. Arcs and Arches
V. Air: Fading Away
Dean Franke, violin
Rebecca Sorley, piano
Duo Sonata for Two Bassoons Sophia Gubaidulina (b. 1931)
Jeffrey McCray, bassoon
Samuel Banks, bassoon
O The White Towns David Heuser
Brooke Fitzwater Sweets, soprano
Amy Eggleston, piano
Trio Russel Peck
The University of Indianapolis Percussion Ensemble
Paul Berns, director

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