Concert to feature world premiere of song written for CSB Centennial

Pastiche, the faculty chamber music ensemble of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University, presents its fall concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at Escher Auditorium, Benedicta Arts Center of the College of Saint Benedict.

The concert will feature the world premiere of a special work commissioned by CSB as part of its Centennial celebration. The Analogy of the Bee and the Soul was written by Twin Cities composer Janika Vandervelde, with words by S. Eva Hooker, CSC.

Vandervelde has written more than 90 works for orchestra, choirs, chamber ensembles, soloists and the stage. She has twice been a Bush Artist Fellow and McKnight Foundation Composer Fellow, and has been honored with the Boulanger Award of the Women's Philharmonic in San Francisco. Vandervelde has been commissioned by such organizations as the Minnesota Orchestra, the Guthrie Theater and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

Hooker is professor of English and writer-in-residence at Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Ind. She was vice president for Academic Affairs at SJU from 1983-92, and taught in the English Department at CSB and SJU from 1992-2006. She was named Regents Professor of Poetry in 2005. Her poems have been widely published in journals such as Agni, New England Journal, Drunken Boat, Notre Dame Review and Witness.

The work is for three female voices and six instruments. Performers include Patricia Kent, Carolyn Finley and Marcie Givens (voice), Dale White (trumpet), Bruce Thornton (clarinet), J. David Arnott (violin), Richard Dirlam (alto saxophone), Lucia Magney (cello) and Edward Turley (piano). All are members of the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University music department faculty.

With the world premiere of the piece, Pastiche's motto of "always different, always entertaining" will be reflected in the concert.

Robert Koopmann, OSB, will perform piano preludes by Rachmaninoff, which were part of a program he recently performed in Japan.

Pianists Amy Grinsteiner and Brian Campbell of the CSB and SJU music faculty will join the program playing works by Cowell and Rachmaninoff. The program also features music by Jacob and Rivier.

Tickets are $10 for adults, or $7 with a CSB and SJU ID. Tickets are available at the BAC Box Office, by calling 320-363-5777, or online.