1931 FRANKENSTEIN Film Set for Screening with New Score by UT Wind Ensemble Tonight

Texas Performing Arts presents a screening of the1931 film FRANKENSTEIN, starring Boris Karloff as the Frankenstein monster, featuring a new film score by composer Michael Shapiro performed by The University of Texas Wind Ensemble, Jerry F. Junkin, conductor. The first half of the program features the UT Wind Ensemble performing Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor and Dukas' The Sorcerer's Apprentice, with video projections designed by UT graduate Stephanie Busing.

Unlike The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) with its lush score by Franz Waxman, the 1931 FRANKENSTEIN was produced without a movie score. Movie critics have remarked that Frankenstein is badly in need of music, and American composer Michael Shapiro was up to the task with a commission for a new film score from the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Mr. Shapiro's 70-minute score is orchestrated for wind ensemble and will be performed by UT's renowned wind ensemble. For modern day moviegoers, Mr. Shapiro's haunting music adds significantly to the emotional impact of the film.

Michael Shapiro's works, which in the aggregate address nearly every medium, have been performed widely throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe -- with broadcasts of premieres on National Public Radio, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the Israel Broadcasting Authority, Sender Freies Berlin, WQXR, and WCBS-TV. His music has been characterized in a New York Times review as "possessing a rare melodic gift." His oeuvre includes more than one hundred works for solo voice, piano, chamber ensembles, chorus, orchestra, as well as for opera, film, and television, with recordings on Naxos and Paumanok Records.

Conducted by Jerry F. Junkin, The University of Texas Wind Ensemble has firmly established itself as one of America's elite wind bands. Active in the area of commissioning new music since 1988, the group has offered world premiere performances of works by composers such as John Corigliano, Michael Daugherty, Donald Grantham, David Maslanka, and Dan Welcher.

The Wind Ensemble made its international debut at the Fifth Conference of the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles in Manchester, England, in 1991, and its New York debut at Carnegie Hall in February 1998. In the summer of 2008, the ensemble embarked on a seventeen day European Tour, performing in prestigious festivals and venues in England, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, and Spain.

Commercial recordings released by The University of Texas Wind Ensemble have garnered many accolades. Their latest release Circus Maximus, was featured in Diapason d'Or, France's largest classical music publication and received its coveted Golden Tuning Fork, the most prestigious award in French culture for classical music recordings.

Serving in his 28th year on the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin, Jerry Junkin is recognized as one of the world's most highly regarded wind conductors. In addition to his responsibilities as Professor of Music and Conductor of the Texas Wind Ensemble, he serves as Head of the Conducting Division and teaches courses in conducting and wind band literature. He is a recipient of multiple teaching awards, and students of Mr. Junkin hold major positions throughout the world.

The New York Times named his release with the UT Wind Ensemble on the Reference Recordings label, Bells for Stokowski, one of the best classical CD's of the year. Their performance of Circus Maximus was recently released on the world's first Blu Ray audio disc in 5.1 surround sound by Naxos. In 2014 he led The University of Texas Wind Ensemble on a four-week tour around the world.

In addition to $10 tickets for primary, secondary, or college students, Texas Performing Arts is now offering a limited number of $12 tickets to active and retired military personnel for all 2015-2016 season performances (excludes Broadway and special engagements). For a schedule of upcoming 2015-2016 season performances, visit www.TexasPerformingArts.org.

For more information on this performance, go to texasperformingarts.org/season/frankenstein-ut-wind-ensemble-bass-concert-hall-2015.

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