World-renowned composer at SIUC May 4

World-renowned composer Bernard Rands meets music lovers, and is the guest of honor at an evening concert featuring his work at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 4, in the Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall.

Bernard Rands

The concert features the Altgeld Chamber Players performing Rands' compositions. Concert tickets are $6.50 for the general public, $3 for senior citizens and children. SIUC students with valid Ids are admitted free. Tickets go on sale one hour before the performance.

The world premier of a new work by Rands entitled "Walcott Songs" -- featuring guest artist mezzo-soprano Julia Bentley and SIUC faculty cellist Eric Lenz -- promises to be among the evening's highlights. The piece is a song cycle set to the poems of West Indian-born poet Derek Walcott.

Another highlight will be SIUC's Todd Rewoldt, professor of saxophone, performing "Memo 6," a demanding virtuosic piece for solo alto saxophone.

Rands is currently the Walter Bigelow Rosen Professor of Music at Harvard University. He has penned hundreds of published works for soloists as well as symphony and chamber orchestras.

Earlier in the day, Rands is participating in a series of events, including a "Meet the Composer" session from 10 to 11 a.m. and an open rehearsal from 1 to 3 p.m.. Both take place at the Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall, just north of Faner Hall. The afternoon events are free and open to the public.