Africa Composers to Teach Free Class

PRESS RELEASE

From the Orchestra of Southern Utah

To Be Release= d: Between February 15th – February 21st

Contact: = Laurel Kay Dodgion, (435) 865-1492

Africa Composers to Teach Free Class

   &nbs= p;        Marshall McDonald and Steven Sharp Nelson, will give a free seminar about the composition of t= heir suite Africa on Thursday, Feb. = 21, at 1 p.m. in the SUU Music Building, Thorley Recital Hall. The public is invited to this f= ree event, students are welcome.

The seminar coincides with the world premiere of the suite, to be performed by = the Orchestra of Southern Utah Thursday evening at 7:30 at the Heritage Center. OSU commissioned McDonald and Nels= on to compose Afri= ca. The composers, described by Orches= tra Manager Sara Penny as “very entertaining, a little like a cross betwe= en John Williams and Victor Borge.,” have written a piece that will inspire composers, musi= cians, and listeners of all ages.

McDonald’s unique mus= ical style combines classical, inspirational, film score, and new age genres of music all in one. Among his m= any accomplishments are his album “Christmas Oranges” and his accla= imed arrangement of “If You Could Hie to Kolob”, which he performed during the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s weekly broadcast of Music and the Spoken Wo= rd in 2007.

   &nbs= p;        Nelson’s works include “Farewell” which was written at age 15 and perfor= med by the Utah Symphony and “Supplication” an A Cappella piece wri= tten in memory of the 9/11 victims. He also performs improvisational cello with several independent artists, inclu= ding Paul Cardall, Jon Schmidt, and Peter Breinholt.

   &nbs= p;        McDonald and Nelson will also perform with OSU at the Winter Concert that evening. Nelson will perform the cello solo, “Homeward Bound”. McDonald will perform O Creature Del Singor (Fantasy on All Creatures of Our God and King) on the piano.

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