Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA in Music Composition Presents Variety of Concerts and Music Luminaries to Montpelier Campus

MONTPELIER, Vt., July 24, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- August 4-10 will be a music-filled week at Vermont College of Fine Arts as the MFA in Music Composition welcomes students and faculty to the summer residency.

In addition to a full line-up of concerts of student music performed by world class musicians, the MFA in Music Composition welcomes special guests George S. Clinton, Grammy and Emmy nominated film scoring composer and Chair of Berklee College of Music's Film Scoring Department, and Doreen Ringer Ross, Vice President of Film/TV relations at BMI.

While George S. Clinton may be best known for scoring Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and its sequels, his film music experience is quite diverse, ranging from blockbuster thrillers to documentaries.  In addition, Clinton has written several concert works; three musicals; and serves as an advisor at the Sundance Composers Lab. Awards include a Grammy nomination, an Emmy nomination, and 9 BMI Film Music Awards, including their highest honor, the Richard Kirk Career Achievement Award. George S. Clinton will offer a screening and presentation on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 9 and will also perform in the Songwriters Showcase that evening.

Two premiere ensembles will be on campus during the week to perform and record student music. A string quartet featuring Cornelius Dufallo and Jennifer Choi on violin, Lev "Ljova" Zhurbin on viola, and Yves Dharamraj on cello will be joined by percussionist David Cossin on marimba for concerts on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. And the VCFA Crossover Ensemble, featuring John Benthal on guitar, Fung Chern Hwei on violin, Gregg August on bass, Ken Thomson on clarinet and saxophone, and Adam Gold on drums and percussion, will present concerts on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon.

The Electronic Music Showcase will happen Monday evening, Aug. 4 and the Film Music Showcase on Friday afternoon the 8^th; both events feature student and faculty music.

The always-popular Songwriters Showcase will take place on Saturday evening, Aug. 9.

All performances are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Carol Beatty at (802) 828-8610.

LISTING OF EVENTS

Monday, August 4, 8 p.m., VCFA Gallery, College Hall: Electronic Music Showcase
An evening of electronic sound and multimedia; VCFA students and faculty perform new work for instruments with live electronic sound and video.

Wednesday, August 6 and Thursday, August 7, 8 p.m., College Hall Chapel
VCFA New Music Ensemble Concert: String Quartet and Marimba performing music of MFA in Music Composition students reflecting a widely versatile cross-section of approaches to new music.
Cornelius Dufallo, violin
Jennifer Choi, violin
Lev "Ljova" Zhurbin, viola
Yves Dharamraj, cello
David Cossin, marimba

Friday, August 8, 3:15 p.m., Noble Lounge, Film Music Festival
In film, music is often the secret partner in story-telling, embodying the internal states of the characters in the narrative. This event will feature a variety of approaches to the marriage of music to picture, as offered by highly accomplished Music in Media faculty and students—from ethnic and folkloric forms, to non-tonal chamber textures, to jazz-influenced underscore. A short discussion with the composers will precede the screening of each excerpt.

Friday, August 8, 6:15 p.m., Noble Lounge, Panel Discussion with Doreen Ringer Ross, Vice President for Film/Television Relations at BMI and George S. Clinton, film composer and Chair of the Film Scoring Department at Berklee College of Music: "The Process of Composing for the Screen," including the nuances of the composer-director relationship, the differences between film and television scoring, and how to choose among the infinite variety of approaches to a film score.

Friday, August 8, 8 p.m., and Sunday, August 10, 1:30 p.m., College Hall Chapel
VCFA Crossover Ensemble Concert performing music of MFA in Music Composition students reflecting a widely versatile cross-section of approaches to new music.
John Benthal, guitar
Fung Chern Hwei , violin
Gregg August, bass
Ken Thomson, clarinet and saxophone
Adam Gold, drums and percussion

Saturday, August 9, 3:15 p.m., Guest Presentation with Film Composer George S. Clinton
George S. Clinton, perhaps best known for scoring the Austin Powers films, has a diverse and rich background as a composer for film, television, and the concert hall. Currently the Chair of the Film Scoring Department at Berklee College of Music, he began his career in composition as a songwriter in Nashville, then moved on to becoming a staff writer at Warner Brothers in Los Angeles. Clinton will present a sampling of his work and will discuss his experience as composer for film and television. 

Saturday, August 9, 8 p.m., College Hall Gallery: VCFA Songwriters' Showcase
Saturday evening, we'll turn the Gallery into the VCFA Pub (cash bar) to host the Songwriters' Showcase, which highlights the diverse songwriting and performing talents of the students and faculty of VCFA's MFA in Music Composition, joined by acclaimed film scoring composer George S. Clinton. From intimate solo pop performances to intricate arrangements for a full band; from rock to R&B to fingerpicking guitar to jazz; the evening promises to be an exciting romp through the current musical landscape.

Vermont College of Fine Arts is a national center for education in the arts, fostering the excellence of emerging and established artists, while advancing the arts to create a more humane world. It is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), and offers the Master of Fine Arts degree in writing, writing for children & young adults, visual art, music composition, graphic design, and film. www.vcfa.edu.

For more information:

Carol Beatty
(802) 828-8610
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140724/130244

SOURCE Vermont College of Fine Arts