A second solo CD by trumpeter Richard Stoelzel, associate
professor of music, has been lauded by music critics.
"A Mild Fantasie" was produced by Albany Records and
features the Aries Trio, which is composed of Grand Valley faculty
members Eric Tanner, violin, and Ksenia Leletkina, piano. The disc
also includes many pieces that were written for Stoelzel by students,
teachers, or colleagues.
"I tried to record pieces that I thought were destined to
be staples in the trumpet repertoire," Stoelzel said of his song
selections. "There are not many great, well-known compositions
written for trumpet and I wanted to do my part to help change that."
Stoelzel added several pieces that he felt emotional connections
to and that he wanted his listeners to experience as well. An example
is "Hymn for the Lost and the Living," an emotional
composition by Eric Ewazen in remembrance of September 11.
"I have friends that are great composers and I try to
perform their pieces the best I can and share them with the world.
That is my inspiration," Stoelzel said.
The disc has been critcally acclaimed and is currently being
played on public radio stations across the nation. Fanfare Magazine
recently called it "an entertaining album of beautifully crafted
new works" and complimented Stoelzel on his beautiful, clear, and
focused tone. "A Mild Fantasie" has been so successful, in
fact, that it was picked by Albany Records as a hopeful Grammy
nomination for the upcoming year.
For more on the trumpet studio or audio clips from "A Mild
Fantasie," visit www.gvsu.edu/music/trumpets/.
