Dana music fest to feature ensemble

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Aurista Chamber Ensemble of New York will be the guest group at the 26th annual Dana New Music Festival, which runs Wednesday through April 25 at Youngstown State University.

Johnterryl Plumeri, who is equally adept at classical music and film scores, will be the guest composer.

The Aurista is appearing in place of South African musicians Juan-Luis Munoz and Mariel Ilusorio, whose visit was postponed because of visa issues. Aurista is a flexible ensemble of New York professionals who join together in various groupings to perform contemporary music recitals.

Thomas Osuga, Aurista’s director, describes the upcoming performances as “a potpourri of international music.” Osuga is a Dana School of Music alumnus, a student of the late Robert Hopkins and of Larry Harris, and a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music. At present he is on the faculty of the Mannes School of Music in New York, has a large private studio, and performs widely in the New York area. As a Japanese-American, he has championed music of Japanese composers, and music concerning Japanese-Americans who were interned during World War II. He has also performed concerts that included music of the Holocaust era.

Joining Osuga will be violinist Jannina Barefield, a gifted classical musician who is adept in the jazz, folk and popular styles. She appeared with the Detroit Symphony at age 13 playing Wieniawsky’s Second Concerto and in 1999 playing the Sibelius Concerto. At present she performs as soloist and chamber player in the New York area.

Aurista will perform at five concert events during the festival: two on campus and three in metropolitan Youngstown. They will perform a children’s concert at a local Catholic school; a program of Jewish and Yiddish music selection at the Youngstown Jewish Community Center Thursday from 6:30-8 p.m.; and a recital at Sts. Peter and Paul Church, Covington Street, at 1 p.m. April 25 at 1 p.m. A closing reception will precede the program at 11:30 a.m.

The Gala opening concert with the Festival Chamber Orchestra and the Composers Ensemble will take place at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Ford Family Recital Hall on West Federal Street and will feature music by Plumeri; Dana faculty members Gwyneth Rollin and Robert Rollin; local composer and New Music Guild member Richard Zacharias; and student composers Daniel Brandt and Samantha Hogan. Brandt received the New Music commission this year and has composed “Fantasia for Chamber Orchestra,” which will be premiered at the concert. Plumeri has composed a new work for flute and string orchestra which will also be premiered, featuring Dana faculty member Kathryn Umble. Zacharias will be on hand for the world premiere of his “String Quartet,” performed by the Dana Student String Quartet.

Plumeri, who served as guest composer in the past, studied string bass with Robert Brennand, who was principal bass of the New York Philharmonic, and composition and conducting with Hungarian conductor/composer Antal Dorati, a student of Bela Bartok’s. Plumeri has recently conducted the Moscow Philharmonic in a CD recording of Tchaikovsky’s last three symphonies, and just made a commercial video with the group. Plumeri lives in Florida.