Editors: Rehearsals are closed to the public but media visits and photo opportunities may be scheduled by contacting Diana Wilson, bands coordinator, at (303) 492-6584 or wilsond@colorado.edu.
Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Michael Colgrass will work with middle and high school students and lead a free public concert with the University of Colorado at Boulder Wind Symphony on April 13.
Colgrass will spend two days in residence at the CU-Boulder College of Music working with the Wind Symphony to prepare for the 7:30 p.m. concert in Macky Auditorium. The show will feature guest ensembles from Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs and Walt Clark Middle School in Loveland.
The concert and clinics were coordinated by Allan McMurray, director of bands and conductor of the Wind Symphony at CU-Boulder. McMurray said Colgrass is one of America's most respected composers.
"His compositions have been performed all over the world, including most major symphony orchestras and solo artists," McMurray said. "He will be here working with the CU Wind Symphony on a fantastic piece entitled Arctic Dreams which was inspired by his visit and residency with an Inuit Tribe."
Colgrass will work with student performers in all of the participating bands on April 12 and April 13. The rehearsals are closed to the public.
"As far as I know, this is the first time a middle school and high school ensemble have worked with a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer in a shared clinic/concert," McMurray said.
"Michael has recently been involved in an initiative to bring his music to younger musicians and he has written three or four pieces for school bands. I have invited Clark Middle School from Loveland and Cheyenne Mountain High School from Colorado Springs to come to CU, work with Michael Colgrass on his compositions and share a performance with the CU Wind Symphony," McMurray said.
Colgrass won the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for music for "Déjà vu," which was commissioned and premiered by the New York Philharmonic. In addition, he received an Emmy Award in 1982 for the PBS documentary, "Soundings: The Music of Michael Colgrass," which featured his teaching techniques.
Although he makes his living as a composer, he has for 25 years been giving workshops throughout North America in performing excellence. Colgrass has written music for children and recently initiated music creativity projects in middle schools in Toronto and Longmeadow, Mass.
For more information about the concert call the CU-Boulder College of Music Concerts Box Office at (303) 492-8008 or visit the