Posted on Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Gloamin, a composition for flute and piano written by Dr. Daniel Perttu, Westminster College assistant professor of music theory and composition, was performed Oct. 9 at the Society of Composers' Region V conference at Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa.
Gloamin, selected in a highly-competitive peer-review process, was performed at Westminster last month and received its premiere performance during a tour of Louisiana, Georgia, and Florida in the spring.
"It was an honor to have my composition featured at this conference, since many of the pieces performed were rather experimental in their conception, and my style of writing is more firmly rooted in tradition," Perttu said.
"This conference was somewhat unusual in its extensive inclusion of avant-garde music," Perttu added. "Such music is often controversial because it calls into question the definition of music. Many of the compositions at this conference inspired spirited discussions about aesthetics and compositional craft."
The Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI), promotes contemporary American music by providing opportunities for performing, recording, and publishing members' works. SCI has sponsored more than 5,000 performances of new music since its inception in 1966 and is one of the premiere professional organizations of contemporary composers in the country.
Perttu, who joined the Westminster faculty in 2008, is the music theory program coordinator. He earned an undergraduate degree from Williams College, two masters from Kent State University, and doctorate from Ohio State University. His compositions have been performed nationally and internationally in arts festivals, concerts, conferences, and solo recitals. His peer-reviewed articles have been published in three journals.
Contact Perttu at (724) 946-7024 or e-mail perttude@westminster.edu for additional information.
