The world premieres of three new works commissioned by the Hope College Patrons for the Arts will be performed by multiple Hope College music ensembles on Friday, April 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
The Orchestra will perform “fp<f!!!,” by Texu Kim; the Chapel Choir, Orchestra and an organist will perform “Consummatum est,” by Evan Williams; and the Wind Ensemble will perform “Up and Down,” by Molly Joyce.
Korean-born American composer Texu Kim’s works have been performed by New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Oregon Symphony, San Diego Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, New World Symphony, National Orchestra of Korea, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Alarm Will Sound, Ensemble Modern and Ensemble Intercontemporain, among many others. Winner of the 2021 Barlow Prize, his music has earned honors and awards from Civitella Ranieri Foundation and Copland House. He is currently teaching at San Diego State University as an assistant professor of music.
Evan Williams has been commissioned by notable performers and ensembles including the Cincinnati and Toledo Symphony Orchestras, Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra, Quince Ensemble and more, with further performances by members of the Detroit, Seattle and National symphonies, the International Contemporary Ensemble, American Brass Quintet, New Music Detroit, Fifth House Ensemble, Splinter Reeds, the Verb Ballets and the Pacific Northwest Ballet. He is currently assistant professor of music and director of instrumental activities at Rhodes College.
Composer and performer Molly Joyce was recently deemed one of the “most versatile, prolific and intriguing composers working under the vast new-music dome” by The Washington Post. Her music has additionally been described as “serene power” (The New York Times), written to “superb effect” (The Wire), and “unwavering” and “enveloping” (Vulture). Her work is concerned with disability as a creative source. Joyce’s creative projects have been presented and commissioned by Carnegie Hall, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Bang on a Can Marathon, Danspace Project, Americans for the Arts, National Gallery of Art and VisionIntoArt’s FERUS Festival. Her compositional works have been commissioned and performed by ensembles including the Vermont, New World, New York Youth, Pittsburgh, Albany and Milwaukee symphony orchestras, as well as the New Juilliard, Decoda and Contemporaneous ensembles, and Harvard Glee Club. Her debut full-length album, “Breaking and Entering,” featuring toy organ, voice and electronic sampling of both sources, was released in June 2020 on New Amsterdam Records, and has been praised by New Sounds as “a powerful response to something (namely, physical disability of any kind) that is still too often stigmatized, but that Joyce has used as a creative prompt.”
Hope College Patrons for the Arts encourages and supports the fine and performing arts by providing additional competitive grants, beyond funding from tuition and tickets, that enable Hope College to expand the quality and quantity of artistic offerings to students and the community throughout the academic year.
Audience members who need assistance to fully enjoy any event at Hope are encouraged to contact the college’s Events and Conferences Office by emailing events@hope.edu or calling 616.395.7222 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Updates related to events are posted when available in the individual listings at hope.edu/calendar.
Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, the Hope College Department of Music is currently requiring that masks be worn by all individuals at their performances.
The Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts is located at 221 Columbia Ave., between Ninth and 10th streets.