Tré Bryant, Justin Ortez, Max Miller and Haden Plouffe are all graduate students studying music composition at Western Michigan University. In a new collaboration with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, each will premiere a new work at 7:30 pm on Wednesday, Mar 1 in the Dalton Center Recital Hall.
The four composers described the process to Cara Lieurance, saying they used the opportunity to have professional players perform their music to take new chances and try new things. Bryant, who recently premiered a work with the University Orchestra, found himself paring parts down to four strings for the first time. Miller took the opportunity to use all available players — strings, winds, brass and percussion — and added his own electronic processing. Plouffe changed up how he tells a musical story by creating brief connected vignettes, and Ortez used conceptual cues and a stopwatch in lieu of bar lines and a time signature.
The concert at 7:30 pm is free.