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  • April 13, 2009
  • Christine Davis Mantai
Fredonia Women's ChoirWhen: Wednesday, April 22, at 8 p.m.
Where: Juliet J. Rosch Recital Hall.
Notes: Free and open to the public.


The SUNY Fredonia College Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Dr. David Rudge and Fredonia Women’s Chorus under the direction of Dr. Gwen Coleman Detwiler will perform together Wednesday, April 22, at 8 p.m. in Rosch Recital Hall.

The concert will feature a World Premiere of "America Windows" by Dr. Rob Deemer, Professor of Composition, with soloists Angela Haas, Soprano; Joe Dan Harper, Tenor; David Rose, Viola; and Roderick MacDonald, Trumpet.

Other works included in the evenings’ performance include the Suite from Les Indes Galantes by Jean-Philippe Rameau, (played with baroque bows), Symphony No. 1 by C.P.E. Bach, and Three Spanish Dances by Granados.

Soprano Angela Haas is an active member of the voice faculty of SUNY Fredonia. She earned her Doctor of Music degree from Florida State University, where she studied with baritone Dr. Jerrold Pope. Other degrees include a Master of Music from New England Conservatory and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Tulane University.

As a performer, Dr. Haas has appeared as guest soloist with the Chautauqua Institute, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tanglewood Orchestra, the Western New York Chamber Orchestra, the Midland-Odessa Symphony in Texas, the Eastman School of Music, and the New Orleans Chorale. She continues to pursue an active career as both voice teacher and performer.

Tenor, Joe Dan Harper has distinguished himself as a wonderfully versatile singer of concert, recital & chamber music repertoire. He has performed with such renowned groups as the, Boston Academy of Music, Central City Opera, Handel & Haydn Society, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Mercury Opera of Rochester, Opera Aperta, Opera Unlimited, Plano International Arts Festival, South Carolina Opera, Utah Festival Opera & Utah Opera. His recordings include the Daniel Pinkham’s opera The Garden Party in the role of “Adam” (Arsis) Wesley Fuller’s setting of five poems by William Carlos Williams, A Solace of Ripe Plums, (Capstone Records) and Concordia, by Randol Bass, with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra & Chorus, and most recently, the first two discs of The Complete Songs of Daniel Pinkham (Florestan Records).

David Rose was born in Regina, Saskatchewan and there began his early musical education and violin study. At the suggestion of his first teacher, Ernest Kassian, David switched to the viola at age 12 and immediately enjoyed the deep, warm sound of this new instrument. A few years later, he became a member of the Regina Symphony Orchestra. David's principal teachers have been Gerald Stanick at the University of British Columbia, and Atar Arad at Indiana University, both of whom guided him to a greater love for music and the viola. His interest in orchestral and chamber music led to association with the Vancouver Symphony, the CBC Vancouver Orchestra, and many chamber music series from coast to coast in Canada, including the Vetta Chamber Ensemble in Vancouver, the Ottawa Chamber music Festival and the summer festival of New Brunswick. Upon graduation, David was awarded the position of associate principal viola of the Vancouver Symphony. He served for eight seasons as principal viola of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and violist with the Canadian Chamber Ensemble, as well as teaching at the University of Waterloo. Also greatly interested in performance on period instruments, David studied baroque viola with John Sawyer and Stanley Ritchie. He was a member of the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and performs and tours frequently with Toronto's Tafelmusik. Most recently, David served as the acting assistant principal viola of the San Francisco Symphony, enjoying involvement in a European tour and the grammy winning Mahler symphony recording cycle.
Roderick MacDonald's has appeared worldwide as a trumpet soloist. His concert career as soloist began after Kurt Masur, then Music Director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, appointed him Principal Trumpet of that orchestra in 1989. Since then, Mr. MacDonald has performed as soloist with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Japan Philharmonic, Virtuosi Saxonia, Bach Collegium Munich, Leipzig Bach Orchestra, Leipzig Chamber Orchestra, Concerto Leipzig, Kammerphilharmonie Leipzig, and the Super World Orchestra (Tokyo). The most recent of his many solo recordings was named "CD of the Month" by Naxos in December 2003. In July/August 2003, the American Record Guide wrote: "MacDonald is an outstanding player who strives more for elegance and grace" "His style is regal and vocal, and his sweet tone is rounder and darker than we usually hear from trumpet players, baroque or otherwise. I would call it the quintessential German sound - from an American trumpet player..."

Composer/conductor Rob Deemer has had his works performed in concert halls, theatrical stages and film festivals across the country and around the world. With over 30 films and documentaries to his credit, his film scores have been heard in the Cannes Film festival, and the Directors Guilds of America in both Los Angeles and New York. His work as theatrical composer and sound designer has been produced at the Mark Taper New Works Festival and the California Institute of the Arts. He co-founded the Austin-based American Repertory Ensemble that combines live chamber music with dance. He has co-authored Hearing the Movies: Music and Sound in Film History (OUP) with noted film scholars David Neumeyer and James Buhler. Deemer has held teaching positions at The University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City University and The University of Texas, and he currently holds the position of Assistant Professor and Chair of Music Composition in the School of Music at SUNY Fredonia.

For more information about the concert or other upcoming events, visit www.fredonia.edu/music or call 716-673-3151.