Today's composers:
Peter Boyer (born February 10, 1970 in Providence, Rhode Island) is an American composer, conductor, orchestrator, and professor of music. He studies at Rhode Island College and the Hart School of the University of Hartford. In 1996, Boyer was appointed to the faculty of Claremont Graduate University, and in 1999 he was named the first recipient of its Helen M. Smith Chair in Music. In 2003, Boyer established the publishing company Propulsive Music. He is known primarily for his orchestral works, which have received over 300 performances, by more than 100 orchestras.

Tan Dun
Born 1957, Changsha, Hunan, Tan Dun is a Chinese contemporary classical composer and conductor, most widely known for his scores for the movies Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero, as well as composing music for the medal ceremonies at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. (from Wikipedia)
Tan Dun’s creations can be unabashedly populist, radically experimental, or—most frequently—both. While his work does not neatly fit within previously-existing categories—perhaps the closest fit is opera in the broadest cultural context, Tan has created several new artistic formats, which—like opera—encompass sound, sight, narrative, and ritual. In addition to his contributions to the repertoire of opera and motion pictures scores, Tan’s new formats include: orchestral theatre, which re-contextualizes the orchestra and the concert-going experience; organic music, which explores new realms of sound through primal elements such as water, paper, and stone; and multimedia extravaganzas, which incorporate a variety of cutting-edge technologies. (taken from his website)

Kenneth Fuchs has composed music for orchestra, band, chorus, and various chamber ensembles. He serves as Professor of Composition at the University of Connecticut. He received his bachelor of music degree in composition from the University of Miami (cum laude) and his master of music and doctor of musical arts degrees in composition from The Juilliard School. His music has been performed in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The London Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of JoAnn Falletta, has recorded four discs of Fuchs’s music for Naxos American Classics. Mr. Fuchs will attend today's program.

Russell Salk will bring his collection of recordings by contemporary composers for your listening pleasure. Enjoy musical excerpts and learn a bit about selected contemporary composers. Registration is appreciated.