WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., April 12, 2016 — Plus One is the intriguing title of a spring concert planned for 3 p.m., Saturday, April 16 at West Liberty University. Free and open to the public, it will take place in Elbin Auditorium, College Hall.
The West Liberty Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Professor Brian Baldauff, will join guest performers, including WLU students and faculty, during the performance. The concert also will premiere the new composition by Dr. Matthew Harder, “The Brain Abhors the New,” featuring four percussionists and live computer processing.
Harder has been composing the piece since the spring of 2015 and describes the work as a hybrid mix of acoustic sounds and electroacoustic sounds. Harder is the interim dean of the College of Arts and Communication and a professor of music.
“While the players are performing, the computer gathers the sounds of the ensemble from microphones on stage. Then it processes those sounds in real-time and plays them back in various ways. The ensemble performs with the computer and vice-versa,” Harder explains. “For the audience, it is meant to be an immersive experience because the ensemble is on stage but the speakers are positioned behind the seats.”
The concert also will feature a special guest percussionist, Dr. Neeraj Mehta, an expert in Afro-Cuban drumming. Currently, Mehta teaches at the City University of New York and performs often in New York City.
Additionally, the audience will enjoy a performance by Professor Dr. Linda Cowan, who will sing an aria from Dvorak’s opera, Rusalka, entitled “Song to the Moon.” Other selections include music from America, Brazil, Cuba and Europe.
“This concert truly offers something for everyone,” said Professor Brian Baldauff, director of Percussion Studies. “We hope you will join us.”
WLU’s Department of Music and Theater is housed within the College of Arts and Communication. It offers the Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance degree, the Bachelor of Arts in Music Education degree and the Bachelor of Music Technology degree programs. Students also may choose to minor in music. For complete information, please contact the music department at 304-336-8930.