NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

Greg Beyer, NIU Professor and Director of Percussion Studies has been selected as a member of the newly formed Grossman Ensemble, part of the Chicago Center for Contemporary Composition (CCCC) at the University of Chicago.

The CCCC was founded just last year, and in this, their first season of performances they are looking to establish themselves as a powerful force for new music in the city.

The first season features more than 40 world premieres, including those from the Grossman Ensemble.

Here are details about the Grossman Ensemble, courtesy the Chicago Tribune:

During the course of three concerts at the university’s Logan Center for the Arts, the Grossman Ensemble will offer 12 world premieres by university faculty, students and guest composers. In a most unusual feature, the musicians will conduct eight rehearsals before each performance, allowing composers time to revise their works before the premieres, a luxury by today’s standards; and the public will be invited to attend an open rehearsal preceding each concert. The ensemble features flutist Tim Munro, oboist Andrew Nogal, clarinetist Katie Schoepflin, saxophonist Taimur Sullivan, hornist Matthew Oliphant, percussionists Greg Beyer and John Corkill, harpist Ben Melsky, pianist Daniel Pesca and the Spektral Quartet. Performances in the Logan Center Performance Hall, 915 E. 60th St.; $15.

 

Here is the schedule:

Ben Bolter conducts world premieres by Sam Pluta, David Rakowski, Shulamit Ran and Tonia Ko; 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7.

 

James Baker conducts world premieres by Chen Yi, Carlos Sanchez-Gutierrez and university graduate student composers Rodrigo Bussad and Jack Hughes; 7:30 p.m. March 15, 2019.

 

David Dzubay conducts world premieres by Kate Soper, Steve Lehman, Dzubay and graduate student composer Joungbum Lee. 7:30 p.m. June 7.

 

Open rehearsals will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 10, Feb. 16 and May 11 in the Logan Center Performance Hall; admission is free.