The University of Virginia Department of Music proudly presents the first annual Undergraduate Composers Concert on Saturday, April 19, at 8:00 PM in Old Cabell Hall. This special event, generously co-sponsored by the Music Department and the Jefferson Trust, is free and open to the public—no tickets are required.
The concert will showcase original works by undergraduate composers from UVA’s Composition and Computer Technology program, spanning a variety of musical styles. The program will highlight Distinguished Major Projects by Hunter Colson and Hannah Martin. Performances will feature esteemed UVA faculty members Ayn Baliya (viola), Jiyeon Choi (clarinet), John Mayhood (piano), and David Sariti (violin), along with talented student performers and ensembles.
Program Notes
Wadden Sea: An Ecoacoustic Composition for Brass Quintet and Speaker is a sonification of the four seasons in the Wadden Sea, a crucial stopover point for the migratory birds of Europe and Africa. Five migratory species and one overwintering species of the Sea are highlighted. The speaker guides the audience through the piece’s more scientific aspects, and the brass quintet takes the listener along for a rollicking fall & spring migration, a sobering winter, and a calm yet unclear summer, representing the uncertain futures facing many avian species.
Distinguished Major Program Composition
Clarinet quartet in A minor is a three movement piece for clarinet, violin, viola, and piano (the first two movements will be performed at the concert), akin to the trios and quartets by romantic composers such as Beethoven and Brahms. The first movement is a sonata form that frequently alternates between moments of turbulence and serenity. After exploring various key centers and developing its themes, the music is tragically unable to escape from its A minor tonic key, concluding with an unparalleled fury. The second movement is in the key of E minor, consisting of three contrasting sections. This movement is characterized by a gentle, yet pained, ethereal atmosphere.
Horizons (which will be performed by pianist Lauren Kim) is intended to be the fourth piece of a suite of five solo piano works. This piece explores the tonalities of D-flat major and C-sharp minor, showing both the light and dark sides of the tonic C-sharp/D-flat note.
Undergraduate Composers
Hannah Martin
Hannah Martin (she/her) is a fourth year Music and Biology student, with a concentration in Environmental and Biological Conservation. After taking Ecoacoustics in her first year at UVA, she has been fascinated by works at the intersection of her studies. She finds herself focused on ornithology and avian conservation after both having worked at the Avian Conservation Center in Charleston, SC and having studied abroad for a Polar Biology program that highlighted migratory Arctic birds. She also remains dedicated to the trumpet, her main instrument since the fateful day she picked it up in 6th grade, and has performed in various UVA Music ensembles, most notably the Cavalier Marching Band for all four years.
Hunter Colson
Hunter Colson is a fourth year music major, musician, and composer from Washington, D.C. He has studied the piano and has composed for a variety of ensembles. He completed an extensive film scoring program at the Film Scoring Academy of Europe. At UVA, Hunter is a Miller Arts Scholar and has won several awards including the Miller Arts Scholar Rising Fourth Year Award. He is a member of the Radio Music Society, Student Game Developers, the Catalyst Program, and is a Lawnie. Hunter’s Distinguished Major Program in Music is a collection of works mainly inspired by music of the romantic period.
This event is sponsored by the UVA Music Department & The Jefferson Trust.
Join us for an evening of innovation and artistry as UVA’s emerging composers share their work with the community!
Old Cabell Hall is located on the south end of UVA's historic lawn, directly opposite the Rotunda (map). At UVA, parking is available in the C1 lot off McCormick Rd, and the Central Grounds Parking Garage on Emmet St. is walking-distance to the hall. Handicap parking is available in the small parking lot adjacent to Bryan Hall.
All events are subject to change.
For more information on this event, please contact the UVA Department of Music at 434.924.3052 or email music@virginia.edu.