Hoff-Barthelson Music School Students to Perform World Premiere Meet the Composer at a Composers Conversation On May 21

Hoff-Barthelson Music School students will present the world premiere of Nilo Alcala's composition, "To the Others" at the culminating concert of the School's Music of Our Time Festival on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at 7:00 pm at the Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation at White Plains, 468 Rosedale Avenue, White Plains, NY.

Earlier on May 21, 2023, at 1:00 pm at the Scarsdale Library, 54 Olmsted Road, Scarsdale, the School will host its first-ever Composer Conversation. During this lively and interactive discussion, composer Nilo Alcala and Peter Seidenberg, Artistic Director of the Festival, will explore the impetus of Alcala's new work based upon Lola Ridge's poem of the same title, regarded as a classic poem from the Suffrage Movement. Discussion topics include the work's development and preparations for its world premiere by HBMS students.

Admission is free of charge; however, reservations are appreciated and can be made by visiting www.hbms.org, emailing hb@hbms.org, or calling 914-723-1169.

Commissioned by HBMS for a student ensemble and made possible under the auspices of Hoff-Barthelson's Wilma Machover Residency and Commission Program, the world premiere will be performed under the direction of HBMS Faculty member Jennifer Tibbetts by the School's Junior Voices and Chamber Choir with HBMS students Ian Chow, piano; Benjamin Reyes, violin; and vocal soloists Grace Barron and Carys Harrison duBoulay.

The School's relationship with Nilo is made possible by Copland House, with which Hoff-Barthelson has had a long and mutually beneficial relationship. "Both organizations are devoted to introducing students and audiences to contemporary music and the nurturing and development of emerging composers," says Seidenberg.

Annually, in a partnership with Copland House, initiated in part by the late Wilma Machover, beloved HBMS faculty member, Hoff-Barthelson engages an emerging composer to collaboratively develop a new work for a student chamber ensemble which premieres the work at the School's Music of Our Time Festival. Generous support to the Machover Fund underwrites the composer's commission and honorarium and collaboration with HB community students, faculty, and families.

The Music of Our Time Festival takes place May 13 - 21, 2023. In addition to the culminating concert featuring the world premiere, the Festival includes a series of student and faculty recitals of works composed between 1922 and the present. Recitals include presentations of student works composed during composition classes under the direction of HBMS faculty member Dr. Derek Cooper; All That Jazz, under the direction of jazz faculty member and jazz great Ed Palermo; and performances by the Young People's Symphonette and Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Robert Schwartz.

"The Music of Our Time Festival is one of the most exciting, creative events of the school year here at Hoff-Barthelson," says Executive Director Ken Cole. "We hope you'll join us for this dynamic celebration of new music!"

A complete listing of events can be found at www.hbms.org.

Nilo Alcala's works have been hailed as "highly revealing, insightful" (Inquirer.Net), a "marvelously ear-opening experience" (Musical America Worldwide), "powerful . . . spectacularly engaging" (Lauri's List), "exuberant and at times hypnotic"(Cultural Cocktail Hour), and "scaled peaks of genius" (Asian Journal).

Alcala is carving a legacy for Philippine Arts internationally. A trailblazing artist, he is the first Philippine-born composer to receive the Copland House Residency Award, as well as to be commissioned by Grammy-winner Los Angeles Master Chorale. He is also the first Filipino-American artist to be featured as Musical America Worldwide's Artist of the Month and be awarded The American Prize in the Professional Division, Major Choral Works Category. He has received two Ani Ng Dangal (Harvest of Honor) awards from two Philippine Presidents.

His commissions include the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra, Asia-Europe Foundation, Andrea O. Veneracion International Choral Festival, Korean Ministry of Culture, C4 The Choral Composer/Conductor Collective, White Snake Projects (Boston), National Music Competition for Young Artists, Manila Symphony Orchestra, the Filipino-American Symphony Orchestra, and many other ensembles. Alcala's choral works have been performed by numerous winning ensembles in prestigious competitions and festivals in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. He was a member and composer-in-residence of the Philippine Madrigal Singers (UNESCO Artist for Peace).

Hoff-Barthelson Music School has achieved national recognition as a premier community music school for its unsurpassed leadership in education, performance, and community service. With a faculty drawn from the region's most talented teachers and performers, Hoff-Barthelson has long been one of Westchester County's most cherished cultural resources. At Hoff-Barthelson, students find a warm, friendly music school dedicated to the highest standards of education, performance, and community service. Students of all ages, aptitudes, and levels of interest enjoy a supportive, joyful learning environment; a focus on the whole person; exceptional teaching; and a multifaceted curriculum.

Hoff-Barthelson Music School is proud to be a grantee of ArtsWestchester with funding made possible by the Westchester County government with the support of County Executive George Latimer. Programs are made possible, in part, with support from the New York State Council on the Arts, the support of Governor Kathy Hochul, and the New York State Legislature.

Photo caption: Composer Nilo Alcala's "To the Others" will receive its world premiere on May 21, 2023, by Hoff-Barthelson Music School students. Photo supplied by Nilo Alcala.

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