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Annual American Composers Update
Karel Husa
The Academy of Musical Arts in Prague, the Czech Republic
awarded SAI National Arts Associate Karel Husa an honorary
doctorate. After President Vaclav Havel, film director
Milos Forman, and the conductor Sir Charles Mackerras,
Husa is the fourth to be awarded this doctorate, and
the first Czech composer.
Premieres
The 2001 Prague Spring Festival celebrated Husa's 80th
birthday with the European premiere of Concerto for
Orchestra, in Smetana Hall with the Prague Symphony,
Serge Baudo conductor, May 17, 2001; and the Czech premiere
of Portrait for String Orchestra, in Dvorak Hall
with the Prague Chamber Orchestra, O. Kukal, conductor,
May 31.
Performances
80th-birthday concerts took place in 2001, at Cornell
University, September 28; SUNY Binghamton, October 6;
the Cleveland Museum of Arts, October 10; Ithaca College,
October 15; at Merkin Hall, in New York, NY, with the
Quintet of Americas, October 24, and with the Brno (the
Czech Republic) Philharmonic, November l. In 2001, Music
for Prague 1968 had performances with the Yale University
Band, T. Duffy conductor, at Yale University, March
11, and on tour in Europe, including Vienna and Brno;
and with bands at Northwestern University, M. Thompson
conducting; Emory University, S. Stewart conducting;
the University of Southern Maine, P. Martin conducting;
the 2001 Tanglewood IAW Ensemble, F. Battisti, conductor,
in Lenox, MA; and the University of Michigan, M. Haithcock,
conductor, October 11. Pastoral for Strings was
heard with the Great Neck High School Orchestra, under
J. Rutkowski, in Carnegie Hall and on tour; and at Cornell
University September 28, conducted by the composer.
The Colorado Quartet played String Quartet No. 4
at Baird College, NY; in Denver, CO: Seattle, WA; and
at DePaul University, in Chicago, IL. Recently, Concerto
for Wind Ensemble was on programs of Temple University,
A. Chodoroff, conductor; the University of Louisville,
F. Speck, conductor; SUNY College at Fredonia, P. Holcomb,
conductor; and Ithaca College, S. Peterson, conductor.
Publications
String Quartet No. 4 ("Poems"); AMP/G.
Schirmer.
Recordings
Works by Husa before 1946; Clarton Pragensia.
Music for Prague 1968; University of North Texas,
E. Corporon, conductor; Klavier. Stele for Violin
Solo; Edna Michell; Angel Records Compassion,
in memory of Yehudi Menuhin. Postcard from Home
and Elegy and Rondeau; J. Sampen and Schrude;
Albany Records Troy 442.
Further Information
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