Music of the 21st Century

Music of the 21st Century is an annual residency which brings some of the world’s most outstanding composers to DePauw. It provides students and faculty members a special opportunity for personal interaction with these composers, and to study, perform, and share with our audiences the music of our time.

Music of the 21st Century is generously underwritten by Robert A. and Margaret A. Schmidt, '69/'69.

In 2012, we welcome Joseph Schwantner for a residency from February 15-19.

Known for his dramatic and unique style and as a gifted orchestral colorist, Joseph Schwantner is one of the most prominent American composers today.  He received his musical and academic training at the Chicago Conservatory and Northwestern University and has served on the faculties of The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music and the Yale School of Music.

Schwantner's compositional career has been marked by many awards, grants, and fellowships, including the Pulitzer Prize in 1979 for his orchestral composition Aftertones of Infinity and several Grammy nominations.  Among his many commissions is his Percussion Concerto, which was commissioned for the 150th anniversary season of the New York Philharmonic and is one of the most performed concert works of the past decade.  Schwantner is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

In January 2007, the League of American Orchestras and Meet the Composer announced that Schwantner had been selected as the composer for the second cycle of the nation’s largest commissioning consortium of orchestras: Ford Made in America.  Schwantner’s, Chasing Light…, received its world premiere with the Reno Chamber Orchestra in September 2008 and has been performed over seventy times by fifty-eight orchestras in all fifty states.

Other recent commissions include works for the 75th anniversary of the National Symphony Orchestra, eighth blackbird, Flute Force, a work for flute and piano to honor flutist, Sam Baron’s memory and a Concerto for Percussion Section, Timpani and Orchestra for the Percussive Arts Society 50th anniversary and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

Schwantner’s music is published exclusively by Schott Helicon Music Corporation and recorded on the Naxos, RCA Red Seal/BMG, Hyperion, Koch International Classics, EMI/Virgin, Sony, Delos, New World Records, Klavier and Innova labels.

A recording of Schwantner's recent orchestral music, including, "Chasing Light...", "Morning's Embrace" and his "Percussion Concerto" was recently released on Naxos Records with performances by the Nashville Symphony.

CONCERT SCHEDULE

• Thursday, February 16 - 7:30 pm - Chamber Music
  Green Center, Thompson Recital Hall
• Friday, February 17 - 7:30 pm - Chamber Music
  Green Center, Thompson Recital Hall
• Sunday, February 19 - 3:00 - Closing Concert
  Green Center, Kresge Auditorium

Full Schedule Available Here