Annual American Composers Update

Randall Snyder, Composer-In-Residence at the University of Nebraska, in Lincoln, also serves as co-conductor with Larry Mallett of Lincoln's Third Chair Chamber Players. He conducted the Paul Bowles Concerto for Two Pianos, Winds, and Percussion in concert and on Elan's Music for Two Pianos and Percussion CD.

Featuring tenor John deHaan, Snyder's opera The Divine Madness premiered at the University of Nebraska, directed by William Shomos and conducted by Tyler White. The NFA Convention in Phoenix, AX included the first performance of Canticle, for two flutes, with John Bailey and Leonard Garrison. On a Nebraska Wesleyan University program, soprano Helen Pridmore and the Timaeus Ensemble presented Moonsong. Fictions (after Borges), for 10 instruments, was commissioned and introduced by the Third Chair Chamber Players. Heard first with the Lincoln Civic Orchestra, led by Pat Forney, was Wind, Sand, and Saint-Säens. Other recent premieres were Filip, with Diane Cawein, E-flat clarinet; Al Rometo, percussion; and Nicole Narboni, piano; Portals, for two pianos and percussion, with Mark Clinton and Narboni, pianos; Death Zone, for trombone with slides, with trombonist Scott Anderson; Cavatina, with Rusty White, bass, and Scott Potter, viola; and Norwegian Idyll, for soprano, narrator, bassoon, viola, and piano.

The North/South Consonance played Ghost Tones at St. Stephens Church, in New York, NY. In Lincoln, the Inoue Ensemble performed The Bamboo Princess at Weil Auditorium, and then presented it in 13 elementary-school concerts as part of the Arts Are Basic program. The 1998 National Clarinet Convention, in Oklahoma, included Comedie Chalumeaux, for clarinet duet, with Cawein and Richard MacDowell.

Eastern Approaches; clarinet, alto saxophone, piano; Coulisses; organ and alto saxophone; Pelog Designs; four like saxophones; Dances of Siva and Ziggurat; both for organ; The Book of Imaginary Beings; harpsichord; all by Musik Fabrik. Passage; wind ensemble; Vienna Masterworks.

Portals, for two pianos and percussion; Clinton, Narboni, Richard Brown, Doug Scott; Elan Recordings. Passage; University of Nebraska Wind Ensemble, Jay Kloecker directing; Vienna Modern Masters 3042.

• 1996-1997 American Composers Update