The Ithaca College Choir, conducted by Lawrence Doebler, will perform the world premiere of Daniel Dorff's The Colors of Creation at the 24th Choral Composition Contest and Festival on Saturday, November 15, at 7:00 p.m. in Ford Hall in the Whalen Center.
The free event will also feature six high school choirs, each performing pieces chosen as finalists in a national competition of newly composed works. The evening's performance will conclude with the Ithaca College Choral Union joining the high school choirs in singing Paul Tschesnokoff's Salvation Is Created.
Designed to encourage the creation and performance of new choral music, the festival will give members of the high school choirs the opportunity to attend rehearsals and workshops throughout the day. Each choir will be coached by the composer of the piece it will perform. Participating choirs represent high schools from Ithaca, Ward Melville, West Genessee, Amherst, Corning West, and Fayetteville-Manlius. The competition is sponsored by the School of Music and the Theodore Presser Company.
Commissioned by Ithaca College, The Colors of Creation sets to music poetic writings by Romaine Samworth, a sculptor who, despite having lost her sight 60 years ago, uses vivid colors in her work. Several unusual choral techniques are employed in what Doebler calls a "simply beautiful" piece of music.
Daniel Dorff has received commissions from several organizations, including the Philadelphia Orchestra's education department, Minnesota Orchestra's Kinder Konzert series, Colorado Symphony's Up Close and Musical series, and Sacramento Symphony. His works have been performed by the Baltimore Symphony, Louisville Orchestra, Indianapolis Symphony, Detroit Symphony, and Eastman Wind Ensemble.
Dorff also serves as the director of publications for Theodore Presser Company, a world-renowned music publisher. A sought-after expert on music engraving and notation, Dorff has lectured at many colleges and at Carnegie Hall.
Contributed by Erik Kibelsbeck
