Grand Valley ensemble to premiere commissioned work

Grand Valley State University's acclaimed New Music Ensemble, under the direction of Bill Ryan, will give a community performance, including the world premiere of a piece commissioned by the ensemble.

The concert, on Wednesday, April 1, from 8-9 p.m., will be in the Large Dance Studio, 1600 Performing Arts Center, on the Allendale Campus. Admission is free and the public is welcome.

The performance will feature compositions by Dan Becker and Belinda Reynolds, including the commissioned piece “Circles” by Reynolds. In addition, the program will feature music by Grand Valley student composers in response to the Robert L. Hoskins and Erwin A. Raible Collection of “Fin de Siècle” French Prints exhibited at the GVSU Art Gallery.

For more information call (616) 331-3484 or visit www.newmusicensemble.org .

Background:

Founded in 2006 by its director Bill Ryan, the Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble has quickly attracted national attention for their work. In 2007 they were invited to perform at New York’s Bang On a Can Marathon, which was followed by a critically acclaimed CD release of Steve Reich’s “Music for 18 Musicians.” In addition to making numerous “Best of 2007” lists (New York Times, LA Weekly, Washington Post, New York Magazine) the CD spent 11 weeks on the Billboard Classical charts. In April members of the ensemble were invited to perform with Kronos Quartet and others at Carnegie Hall, in celebration of the 45th anniversary of “In C.”

Raised in a Texan Air Force family, Belinda Reynolds is an active composer, organizer, and teacher who focuses on bringing new music to a variety of audiences and communities. She completed her doctorate at Yale University with Martin Bresnick, Jacob Druckman, Jonathan Berger, and Tania León. She received her master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied principally with Andrew Imbrie and John Thow. Among those who have bestowed her awards are ASCAP, the International League of Women Composers, the NACUSA Young Composers Competition, and the CMTA Composition Competition.

Dan Becker received his doctorate of musical arts in composition from Yale University, where he also earned his master’s and master’s of musical arts degrees. His teachers included Jacob Druckman, Martin Bresnick, Poul Ruders, Louis Andriessen, and Terry Riley. Awards and grants include those from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Meet the Composer, the America Composers Forum, and the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the American Music Center.