News Briefs
Premiere Saturday, November 12, 2005: Fantasie for Violin and Piano,
performed by Glenn Basham, violin, and Jodie DeSalvo, piano;
commissioned by the Florida State Music Teachers Associan (FSMTA)
for their state conference.
Additional upcoming premieres:
Swing Carol Fantasy, arrangement commissioned by Bruce Hangen,
Assistant Conductor of the Boston Pops, to be played by the Indian Hill Symphony
We Three Basses, arrangement commissioned by Michael Krajewski, principal pops conductor
of the Houston Symphony and Rhode Island Philharmonic, to be performed by the Houston Symphony.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, arrangement commissioned by Michael Krajewski,
principal pops conductor of the Houston Symphony and Rhode Island Philharmonic,
to be performed by the Atlanta Symphony.
The Magic of Christmas, original work commissioned and to be performed by the Portland (ME)
Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, December 5 through 15, 2005
The Prince of Peace, original work commissioned and to be perfomed by Jeffrey Faux and the
First United Methodist Church of Ft. Myers, FL. December 18, 2005
Three members of the faculty of the University of Wisconsin are presenting a
recital for brass instruments and piano on Wednesday, October 12, at 7:30 p.m.
John Aley, trumpet, and Mark Hetzler, trombone, pair with Martha Fischer, piano,
to perform Stephenson's trumpet and trombone sonatas. The event will be held in
Mills Hall on the UW campus. Click here
for more information.
The Omaha Symphony has chosen to open their brand new concert hall with Stephenson's
American Fanfare in late October. Thomas Wilkins, their new music director, is conducting.
Also in October, the Canton Symphony is using "Green" from Colors on their educational concerts.
The Avatar Brass is performing Stephenson's brass arrangement of Nutcracker Suite in December.
Stephenson recently teamed up with Jack Everly, director of the Symphonic
Pops Consortium, to arrange "Le Jazz Hot" for their newest
production: Men of Broadway. The premiere took place on
June 3 - 5 with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.
Pinchas Zukerman charmed audiences with Stephenson's
realization of Stephen Foster's "I Dream of Jeannie with the Light
Brown Hair." The performances were in Ottawa, Canada, with the National
Arts Centre Orchestra, Jack Everly conducting.
Stephenson's arrangement of all-time Christmas favorite, "Rudolph,
the Red-Nosed Reindeer," will be performed in December, 2005, by the
Atlanta Symphony with Michael Krajewski, conducting. The event will
feature Rockette-style dancing as Krajewski "guides" the Atlanta
Symphonic sleigh through the toe-tapping arrangement.
Richard Watson, a
top-call Boston free-lance trumpeter and member of the
Majestic Brass, will be recording the premiere of a new commission
composed just for him on his new disc set for release later this year.
The composition, entitled Glimmers of Hope will be recorded by Douglas
Major on the organ along with Mr. Watson on trumpet.
This past summer Stephenson was "composer in residence" at the Southern Illinois
Music Festival. Works by Stephenson performed
at the Festival were: Legend of Sleepy Hollow, American Fanfare, Concerto for
Trumpet, Celebration Overture, and Colors.
“American Fanfare” received summer performances by the Santa
Rosa Symphony with Jeff Tyzik and the Dubuque Symphony
with William Intriligator.
Marc Reese and friends premiered Stephenson’s "Bold, Blue,
and Bright”...composed for solo trumpet, six trumpets, and timpani...at the
Las Vegas Music
Festival in August, 2005. Stephenson's music was also
featured in a concert completely dedicated to his brass
compositions.
Paul Merkelo, principal trumpeter of the Montreal Symphony,
premiered a new Stephenson composition, “Fantasie,” at the ITG Conference in Bangkok,
Thailand in June, 2005. The piece is dedicated to the memory of Timofei Dokshizer.
The Florida Music Teachers'
Association hss commissioned a new work, "Fantasie," for Violin and
Piano for their November conference. Performers will be Naples
Philharmonic concertmaster, Glenn Basham, and concert pianist, Jodie
DeSalvo.
The Andover chamber music ensemble,
Mistral, has commissioned a new work for Flute, String quartet and Piano for
performance during their Florida tour of 2006.
Stephenson’s “Mountain Laurel Suite” was performed at the National Flute Conference
in San Diego in August, 2005. Click
here for information about the Mountain Laurel Trio.
On January 15, 2005, James Stephenson was the keynote speaker for the
District 10 chapter of the Southwest Florida
Music Teachers' Association. Also at the conference, the Mountain Laurel Trio
premiered Stephenson's newly composed Mountain
Laurel Suite for flute, clarinet, and piano. Stephenson has also been
commissioned to compose a new piece for the state conference to be held in November.
Check out the article about Jim Stephenson in the Winter Edition of the
ollier County United Arts Council
newsletter. It's on page 9.
Composer James Stephenson was commissioned by Eric Berlin
to compose a piece for trumpet and percussion which was premiered at the
June 21-24,2005, International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Convention,
where Mr. Berlin presented a recital with the assistance of
Eduardo Leandro, percussion. The piece opened the recital and was
about 10 minutes in length. According to Stephenson, "Eric and I were college friends,
and the chance to write something for such a great player for such a great venue is a wonderful
opportunity, and I thank Eric for his trust in me!"
The annual Organ Duel, held at Vanderbilt Presbyterian Church in
Naples, FL, will next year feature a newly composed piece by Jim
tephenson. The work is commissioned by Jim Cochran, Director of Music
for the church and one of the featured soloists.
Commission for Empire Brass trumpeter Marc Reese
Trumpets and Timpani will all be a part of James Stephenson's
new piece
to
premiered in 2005 by Marc Reese
and friends. The piece is to be slated as an ideal complement to
the already well-known Altenberg concerto, written for 7 trumpets and
timpani. Details of the premiere to follow.
Stephenson to rework sonata with concert band accompaniment
Rich Stoelzel,
the commissioner of the highly acclaimed Sonata for Trumpet (2001), has
commissioned James Stephenson to rescore the work for solo trumpet with
concert band. Mr. Stoelzel, a professor at Grand Valley State
University plans to premiere the new version with the concert band at
GVSU.
Tuba Concerto now to have piano accompaniment
Mike Grose
, professor of tuba at Oregon State University, who has stated "I have
really taken to the piece and am looking forward to programming it
quite a bit" has commissioned James Stephenson to rework his Tuba Concerto
(currently scored for tuba with brass quintet and available at EditionsBim
) to be available with piano accompaniment. Mr. Grose plans to record
the piece early this summer.
New Trombone Sonata
Mark Hetzler, of the Empire
Brass
, has made tentative plans to record James Stephenson's newly composed Trombone Sonata (commissioned by
Hetzler) in the summer of 2005.
Hetzler said "the more I play it, look at it, and listen to it, it's
really blowing me away - I'm really psyched!"
Boston Pops Assistant conductor, Bruce Hangen, commissions
arrangement from Stephenson
As a part of an all-sports program programmed (Stephenson has
already
scored
the Boston Americans March, a Red Sox song of 1903 for Hangen) with the
Louisville Symphony Orchestra, Jim Stephenson has re-scored Ferde
Grofe's "Knute
Rockne" for performance in February, 2005.
Trumpet Concerto repeated in Missouri
James Stephenson's well-received Concerto
for Trumpet
received its
second performance with the Chamber Orchestra of Columbia, MO, on July 2, 2005. Click here to read reviews of the premiere
performance.
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