October 20, 2000
RELEASE ON RECEIPT

OBERLIN, OHIO--Jeffrey Mumford, newly appointed assistant professor of composition at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, will offer a world premiere of "a still radiance within dark air" in a new orchestration. The Cleveland Chamber Symphony, conducted by Andrew Rindfleisch, will perform the piece on Monday, Nov. 20, at 8 p.m., in Drinko Recital Hall, located on the campus of Cleveland State University. Robert Shannon, professor of pianoforte at Oberlin, will be guest soloist. The concert is free and open to the public.

Cincinnati radio station WGUC-FM originally commissioned the piece in 1995 for pianist Sandra Rivers and the Linton Music Series, directed by Richard Waller. In that instrumentation, it was scored for solo piano and four instruments--flute, clarinet, violin and cello, and was dedicated to Ann Santen, WGUC¹s general manager and, says Mumford, "a true friend and champion of new music."

Edwin London, artistic director and principal conductor of the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, requested the present orchestration, for piano and chamber orchestra, in the spring of 2000.

Mumford describes the piano's part in his work as having two major roles: "First, it is a soloist whose material develops independently of the other instruments. Second, it initiates material, which is later considered and developed by the other instruments. In this context, the piano's sonority is a primary foundation for the instrumental material. Often, the instrumental motives assume personalities of their own, only to have the piano reassert its importance--either by itself, or in its role of initiating new instrumental activity."

Originally from the Washington D. C. area, Mumford received his master of arts degree in composition from the University of California, San Diego. He studied with Elliott Carter, Lawrence Moss, Bernard Rands and Peter Odegard.

Mumford's works have been extensively performed in the United States at such venues as the Library of Congress, the Aspen Music Festival and the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, and by such prestigious orchestras and ensembles as the National Symphony Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Ensemble and the New York New Music Ensemble. In Europe, his music has been featured in London's Purcell Room, at Finland's prestigious Helsinki Festival and at the Musica nel Nostro Tempo Festival in Milan, Italy.

Media Contact: Marci Janas 10/20/00 #35 mj