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Indiana University of Pennsylvania continues its “IUP Plays Pittsburgh” event at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Hall for the third consecutive year on November 2, 2009, at 7:30 p.m.
This event showcases the talents of IUP faculty and students in the IUP Wind Ensemble, IUP Trombone Choir, the Keystone Winds Brass and Percussion group, IUP Music Theater, and the IUP Marching Band.
Tickets for IUP Plays Pittsburgh are available in advance by visiting or calling the Heinz Hall box office, 412-392-4900 or toll free at 800-743-8560. Tickets will also be sold at the door the night of the concert. Tickets are $16 regular admission, $12 for senior citizens, and $10 for students.
The Department of Music has chartered a community bus for the concert. The bus will leave from IUP’s Cogswell Hall at 5:00 p.m. and return shortly after the concert. Bus seat reservations should be made by contacting Dr. Matt Baumer at 724-357-5646 or via e-mail at Matthew.Baumer@iup.edu. Bus tickets are $10 each and are separate from the concert ticket cost.
This year’s IUP Plays Pittsburgh features a world premiere and a Pittsburgh premiere of performances of works by Richard Danielpour, the 2009–2010 Pittsburgh Symphony Composer of the Year, as well as the world-premiere performance of a composition by IUP student Derek Cooper.
The world premiere of Danielpour’s Voice of the City will be presented by the IUP Wind Ensemble. This composition is Danielpour’s first work for a wind band. It was written in 2005, but only part one was performed. With the assistance of the IUP Wind Ensemble, part two was revised and completed in March.
Voice of the City represents New York City “pre-9/11 and post-9/11,” Grammy Award-winner Danielpour said. The full work is dedicated to Marvin Hamlisch, longtime friend of Danielpour. Hamlisch, IUP’s 2009 Helwig Artist, was in concert at IUP in October.
The IUP Wind Ensemble is conducted by Dr. Jack Stamp, chair of the Music Department and director of band studies. Stamp is also IUP’s 2008–2009 University Professor.
In addition to the Danielpour composition, the Wind Ensemble will perform American Fanfare by James Stephenson.
Keystone Winds Brass and Percussion, also conducted by Stamp, will present the Pittsburgh premiere of Danielpour’s Icarus, which is dedicated by Danielpour to Stamp.
Icarus was commissioned by a consortium of eighteen universities and premiered by IUP’s Keystone Brass Ensemble at the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles International Conference in July. The performance at Heinz Hall marks its second presentation.
The world premiere of “Slide Dances” by IUP student Derek Cooper, of Felton, will be performed by the IUP Trombone Choir. The group, conducted by Dr. Christian Dickinson, will also present “Hornpipe” by Handel and “Over the Rainbow” by Harold Arlen.
IUP Music Theater, under the direction of Dr. Sarah Mantel and Dr. Mary Logan Hastings, will present selections from The Merry Widow, “Vilia-Song and Pontevedrian Dance,” “You’re Back Where You First Began” and “Eh, Voila Les Belles Grisettes.”
Dr. Henry Wong Doe, pianist, will perform Transcendental Etude No. 9, “Ricordanza” by Liszt.
A native of New Zealand, Wong Doe has performed throughout the world and has won “Audience Favorite” prizes at both the Rubinstein and Busoni International Piano Competitions.
The Marching Band, under the direction of Dr. David Martynuik, will present a Billy Joel suite: “This is the Time,” “Downeaster ‘Alexa’,” and “I Go to Extremes” ; a Genesis suite: “Invisible Touch,” “Hold on My Heart,” and “No Reply at All”; “Crimson Xpress”; and “Hail Indiana.” The Marching Band will close IUP Plays Pittsburgh with its signature piece, “Amazing Grace.”
Ted Sohier from WQED will serve as master of ceremonies for the event.
A dessert reception, hosted by Dr. Tony Atwater, IUP president, will be held in the lobby of Heinz Hall starting at 6:30 p.m. for all concert ticket holders.
There will also be a special reception for alumni before the concert. For more information or to make a reservation for the reception, alumni may contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 724-357-7042 or via the Alumni website.
For more information about IUP Plays Pittsburgh or to make reservations for groups, contact the Lively Arts at IUP by calling 724-357-2547, or e-mail lively-arts@iup.edu.
