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Conversations with creators and organizers of the arts scene in West Michigan, hosted by Cara Lieurance

American Composers Orchestra and Kalamazoo Symphony partner for "Sounds Waves" concert

LaRob K. Rafael
courtesy of the artist
LaRob K. Rafael

The Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra is presenting an innovative concert Thursday evening that pulls back the curtain on the creative process behind new musical works.

The Sound Waves series event, taking place at 7 p.m. in the Dalton Theatre at Kalamazoo College, features world premieres by four emerging composers working with the American Composers Orchestra's Earshot program.

"We have these four brand new pieces that will be workshopped throughout this week," explains Julian Kuerti, music director of the KSO. "The composers are all going to be here in Kalamazoo, and they're going to be part of the concert. They're going to talk about their pieces."

The composers—Matthew Lom, Benjamin Krause, Jens Ibsen, and Marisol Gentile—bring diverse backgrounds to the project. LaRob K. Rafael, director of composer advancement with the ACO, notes that Lom comes from Hong Kong and studies at Eastman, Krause works in Michigan's jazz scene, Ibsen merges classical and heavy metal influences, and Gentile incorporates Argentinian folk styles. "We really just wanted to give an opportunity for people to just see what happens when a composer writes a new piece of music and gives it to an orchestra to interpret," Rafael says.

Before each premiere, the composers will discuss their work with the audience, facilitated by Rafael and guest conductor Kyle Dixon. The KSO's Artists in Residence (AIR) ensemble—eight symphony musicians who also perform as a chamber group—will perform the new works.

"Music is a living art. It's not only written by people who are no longer alive," Kuerti says. "There are people who are saying something about our world today through music."

Tickets are available at KalamazooSymphony.com.

This interview was summarized by Claude AI and edited by the author.