Partnering for music education

RIT Singers rehearse the classical piece, Away, composed by Eastman School of Music professor David Liptak. The piece is a setting of a poem written by Dane Gordon, RIT professor emeritus and university historian.

RIT’s College of Liberal Arts and The Commission Project are both in the business of music education. To celebrate this common goal, RIT Singers, RIT’s Jazz Ensemble and Concert Band, and area high school jazz ensembles will perform a free concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6, in Ingle Auditorium. All of the music is commissioned by The Commission Project, a national music education program based in Rochester.

The showcase piece will be the premiere of Away, composed by David Liptak, an internationally recognized and award-winning composer and Eastman School of Music professor. Liptak’s classical piece is a setting of a poem written by Dane Gordon, RIT professor emeritus and university historian. Away is scored for chorus, string quartet, clarinet, flute and percussion.

“Having a piece composed for our university choral ensemble by someone of David’s stature is a distinct honor,” says Edward Schell, associate professor and music program director in RIT’s College of Liberal Arts. “Although the composition is relatively short, it successfully conveys a wide spectrum of emotions reflecting the sentiments of the text that evoke a desire to ‘hold the moment a little longer before it drifts away.’ I find that the piece elicits personal memories and emotion, which for me creates a feeling of transcendence. The chance to experience well-crafted contemporary art music, coupled with the opportunity to interact with the composer, is a unique opportunity.”

“The idea for this collaboration was born out of an idea to help RIT celebrate its 175th anniversary and spotlight the university’s music program,” says Ned Corman, founder of The Commission Project. “This unique community event is just another way The Commission Project offers elementary, high school and college students the opportunity to perform original music. I’m thankful for the support of New York state Sen. Joe Robach, who secured the grant money to underwrite Liptak’s piece.”

The concert will also feature RIT collaborations with the Rush-Henrietta High School Jazz Ensemble and Rochester School of the Arts Jazz Ensemble.

In addition to Liptak, the concert’s featured composers are Jeff Beal (Los Angeles), an Emmy Award-winning TV/film composer; Cary Ratcliff (Rochester), a prominent choral/ vocal/instrumental composer; Paul Smoker (Rochester), critically acclaimed jazz trumpeter/composer on the faculty at Nazareth College; David Evan Thomas (Minneapolis), an award-winning choral/vocal/ instrumental composer; and Gregory Yasinitsky (Pullman, Wash.), renowned saxophonist/composer on the faculty at Washington State University. Liptak, Smoker, Thomas and Yasinitsky will be attending the concert.