From Baroque to brass, the University of Wisconsin School of Music will host a series of music festivals this year bringing new styles, musicians and composers to the campus.
Three short festivals and one year-long festival are planned, replacing the traditional 10 to 12 guest artists that would perform throughout the year.
“There is more excitement about a cluster of events around a topic or theme or individual,” said Susan Cook, director of the School of Music and professor of musicology. “You can really go deeper and do more interesting programming when you have folks on campus for more than just one event. It seems to be better for our students — they can really get to know these visitors — and also more interesting to our audiences who can have a more sustained musical experience.”
The change in tradition is a new effort to bring in more of the surrounding community as well as students and faculty to School of Music events.
The festivals will last several days and feature performances, master classes, colloquia, workshops and lectures.
“It’s a nice time of transition here at the School of Music. We have fun new people here and new ideas,” Katherine Esposito, manager of concerts and public relations at the School of Music, said. “I hope people start to notice what we are doing a little bit more here and join us. We’ve been here a long time, and we are trying to create events that are really intriguing.”
They are all public events, with most being free; some galas and the three headlining concerts are ticketed.
Celebrate Brass!, organized by John Aley, professor of trumpet, will kick off the festival season Oct. 8-13, featuring guests such as internationally acclaimed Norwegian tubist Oystein Baadsvik and composer Tony Plog. The festival will include brass-related concerts, masterclasses and open rehearsals.
The 4th Annual UW-Madison/Madison Metropolitan School District Jazz Festival will follow in December, as well as a George Crumb-themed festival in March and the year-long Rediscovering Rameau.
Between Feb. 19-23, the School of Music will present “Seventy Degrees Below Zero,” the music of British composer Cecilia McDowall. The festival is McDowell’s first residency in the U.S. and will include her composition based on Robert Falcon Scott’s last letters home from the Antarctic.
Cook said she hopes students will experience the range and diversity of music available to them.
“[We want students] to appreciate the contributions of their music-making friends, to see the School of Music as a gateway to a world of sounds, to be inspired to find their own modes of creativity,” she said.
