| Robert X. Rodríguez will
direct the UTD Musica Nova ensemble.
The evening will showcase UTD students
performing vocal and instrumental chamber
music, accompanied by assistant director
Jeff Lankov. The program will include
The Shepherd on the Rock and Sonatina
in A by Schubert; songs by Schumann,
Brahms and Copland; Schoenberg's
Cabaret Songs; Lascivious Love
Songs by Donald Grantham, who will
be in attendance; excerpts from Cy
Coleman's Broadway hit City of Angels
and from Professor Rodríguez' opera,
The Old Majestic ; and the world
premiere of Snatch of Sliphorn
Jazz by UTD graduate student Winston
Stone. The Old Majestic, with libretto
by UTD faculty member Mary Medrick, received
its premiere production at the University
of Texas at Austin in 2004, following a
2003 showcase performance by the New York
City Opera.
The music of Robert Xavier Rodríguez
is regularly performed in American, Latin
American, and European musical centers,
with over 2000 professional operatic and
orchestral performances in recent seasons.
Conductors and musical organizations who
have performed Rodríguez’ works
include Eduardo Mata, Andrew Litton, Keith
Lockhart, Sir Neville Marriner, Antal Dorati,
James DePriest, Sir Raymond Leppard, Leonard
Slatkin, The Dallas Opera, Houston Grand
Opera, American Repertory Theater, BAM New
Wave Festival, New York City Opera, The
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Mexico City
Philharmonic, The Baltimore, Houston, Milwaukee,
Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Boston
Symphonies, The Los Angeles Philharmonic,
National Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra,
Louisville Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra.
Rodríguez has served as Composer-in-Residence
with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra,
the San Antonio Symphony and the Dallas
Symphony. He is currently a Professor at
the University of Texas at Dallas and is
active as a guest lecturer and conductor.
His music is published by G. Schirmer and
is recorded on the Newport, Crystal, Orion,
Urtext, Albany and CRI (1999 Grammy nomination)
labels.
Jeff Lankov is a pianist
and musical director, active in both classical
and popular styles. He has performed with
conductors such as Anshel Brusilow, Leonard
Slatkin and Leonard Bernstein. Recent performances
have included solo recitals, chamber music
concerts and concertos of Bach, Mozart,
Beethoven, Grieg and Gershwin. Lankov’s
solo recitals often feature works by living
composers and unusual juxtapositions of
repertoire. He has recorded The Piano Music
of George Gershwin, with a second volume
scheduled for release in 2004. Lankov regularly
performs in major entertainment venues throughout
the United States, and has appeared with
artists such as Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers,
Johnny Mathis, and The Platters. He has
recently served as musical director for
productions by Radio City Music Hall, Dallas
Summer Musicals, Dallas Theater Center and
Casa Mañana’s Forever Plaid,
the longest-running show in DFW history.
Lankov received his formal training at the
St. Louis Conservatory of Music and Interlochen
Arts Academy.
UTD's Chamber Music Ensemble
provides opportunities for graduate and
undergraduate students to perform music
written for small and larger ensembles,
plus multi-media and theater works, of all
periods. Students performing in UTD's Musica
Nova concert series join professional musicians
and members of the community. Musica Nova
guest artists have included members of the
Dallas Symphony and Dallas Opera Orchestra
and singers from the New York City Opera
and Metropolitan Opera. Music for past concerts
has ranged from Medieval and Renaissance
dances and motets to standard repertoire
to experimental new works written for and/or
developed by the ensemble. Concerts have
included an evening of jigs, an evening
of tangos, French cabaret and mariachi songs,
chamber opera, ballet and a commedia dell'arte
pantomime.
Admission to the ensemble is by permission
of Instructor. Intermediate and advanced
instrumentalists (string, woodwind, brass,
piano, guitar, percussion), singers, composers,
actors, dancers and / or video artists may
arrange auditions by calling 972- 883-2766
or 972-238-8703. |
