Decorated composer comes to CU
Pulitzer Prize winning composer Michael Colgrass has come to CU.
The accomplished composer wrote a piece for the CU Symphonic band to perform. The composition, “Mysterious Village”, is written for young bands.
Colgrass is a renowned composer, especially for his Pulitzer Prize winning composition, “Deja vu.” Usually known for writing music for professional orchestras, Colgrass was propositioned to write a piece for younger bands.
“We wanted to commission quality composers to write for young bands,” said Matt Roeder, associate director of bands.
The CU Department of Bands paid to have “Mysterious Village” written. The Colorado Wind Ensemble, Louis Palmer High School Colorado Bandmasters Association, Cherry Creek High School, Arvada West High, Summit High School, Powell Middle School and Thornton High School also contributed funds.
In addition, the CU Composition department, Grant through Grant Committee on Arts and Humanities, Cherry Creek, Powell, Thornton, Summit, CU bands all paid to bring Colgrass to Colorado.
Colgrass said “Mysterious Village” is an interesting piece. Imagine walking into the fog-covered village from a scary movie, Colgrass said. Houses made of rotting wood that seem to hide something terrible are other images evoked from the Colgrass composition.
“Work for mysteriousness,” Colgrass said to the musicians.
Colgrass participated in a recording session with the CU Symphonic band, and taught a master class for all composition majors.
“He talked about composing, and in particular, composing for young band,” said Dustin Rumsey, a junior composition major, who attended the class.
Colgrass said he gave students advice on composing their own pieces.
“He told us to make our pieces original, not rely on other people who have written before you,” Rumsey said.
Colgrass also spent time this week with the bands from high schools and middle schools in the metro area.
“It was great to see middle school and high school kids grow in short amount of time,” Roeder said.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Aaron Musick at aaron.musick@colorado.edu.
