The FSU College of Music's Summer Music Camps are offering campers the unique opportunity to premiere five never-before-heard musical pieces.
The weeklong camps are offered for elementary, middle and high school students over a four-week period, with more than 1,600 students signing up for this year's camps - the largest cohort to date.
"We see the summer music camps as something that's very special," said Steve Kelly, director of FSU Summer Music Camps. "We're always looking for unique opportunities for our campers, and there's nothing more unique than creating new music. All the pieces are phenomenal and very unique. I think our audiences as well as our performers will really enjoy them."
The middle and high school students will be divided into 11 diverse camps, ranging from ensemble and choral music to jazz. Performances will feature compositions by Rob Redei, Michele Fernández, Aaron Houston, Chandler L. Wilson and Piotr Szewczyk. Students will also have the opportunity to work with the composers on their respective pieces before their official performance.
"One of the things that attracts students to our camp is the diversity of experiences they get on a daily basis," said Mark Belfast, assistant director of FSU Summer Music Camps. "Many of these students don't ever get a chance to have such experiences except for when they come to summer music camps."
The five debut performances are:
Choral Camp Piece: "Success"
Composer: Rob Redei is a composer, arranger and choral director. His works and arrangements have been heard and performed around the world.
Jazz Camp Piece: "Samba Da Tribo"
Composer: Michele Fernández is an instrumental music educator, guest clinician, adjudicator and published instrumental music composer.
High School Band Piece: "A Shot in the Dark"
Composer: Aaron Houston composes music that lives where the energetic soul of rock, folk music and more collides with his classical training in unexpected ways.
Orchestra Piece: "Alternate Timelines"
Composer: Piotr Szewczyk is a Polish-born violinist and composer who has received numerous awards, including the Progressive Classical Music Award.
Middle School Band Piece: "Pioneer's Quest"
Composer: Chandler L. Wilson is an assistant professor of music education at FSU. Wilson's compositions have been performed at events such as the Music for All National Festival and the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic.
