MDRS: Commissions

THE MDRS 25^th ANNIVERSARY COMMISSIONING PROJECT

The Midwest Double Reed Society celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary year with new music for double reeds. We have commissioned works from four talented composers and will debut them in a dedicated recital at our next annual meeting this fall. We also hope to continue the celebration by applying to recognize our composers in an encore performance at the IDRS convention in 2009. You may read about the composers and their upcoming works below. If you are interested in supporting the project financially, please contact The Double Read Times editor, Emily Helvering, for details. Information on giving levels and contact informtion is detailed at the bottom of this page.

Stacey Berk will be composing a jazz-inspired double reed quartet for the program. Ms. Berk is assistant professor of oboe and music theory at the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point. Her works have been performed in cities across the United States, and she has received commissions from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Symphony Band, The Madera Trio, the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point Horn Choir, WiZARDS! Double Reed Consort, the U.S. Air Force Band of Mid-America, Lake Park High School, Illinois, Westfield Community School, Illinois, and the Point Dance Ensemble. Her compositions often have a programmatic or literary

reference, and her works cover a broad spectrum of styles, including humorous ensembles, exciting fanfares, challenging contemporary works, and serene lullabies. Her most recent work was a ballet based on Alice in Wonderland that was performed by the Central Wisconsin Symphony and the Point Dance Ensemble in December 2007. Information about her compositions can be found at www.berkworks.com.

In addition to teaching and composing, Stacey Berk is an active performer. She currently performs as principal oboist with the Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra and with Trio Canna, the UW-SP faculty reed trio. Prior to moving to Wisconsin, she performed as a member of the Des Moines Symphony Orchestra, Iowa, and the award-winning Polaris Wind Quintet. From 1995-1999, Ms. Berk was a member of the U.S. Air Force Band of the West, stationed in San Antonio, Texas. She performed as principal oboist and frequent soloist in the Concert Band and chamber ensembles, and composed and arranged music for many of the Air Force ensembles.

Stuart Breczinski will compose a trio for oboe, bassoon, and piano. Mr. Breczinski is a student at the University of Iowa, pursuing his Bachelor of Music degree with oboe professor Mark Weiger. His past instructors include John Snow, Associate principal oboe of the Minnesota Orchestra, and Rachel Brudnoy. He has been a member of the Quad City and Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestras, and has also performed with the Cedar Rapids and Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestras, as well as the University of Iowa’s Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Band, and Center for New Music ensembles. Additionally, he is a founding and active member

of the Sorcerers Double Reed Quartet. Breczinski was the winner of the University of Iowa’s Center for the Arts competition in 2007, and also a two-time winner of the Midwest Oboe Competition.

As a composer, Breczinski has written a number of works that have been performed by such ensembles as WiZARDS! A Double Reed Consort, the Encore Wind Ensemble, and the Sorcerers Double Reed Quartet, at such venues as the International Double Reed Society Conference and the University of Iowa’s OctOBOEfest.

R. Douglas Helvering will be offering us an aria for voice, oboe, and piano. Recently Mr. Helvering's music has been featured at the national convention of the American Choral Directors Association, various MENC Conferences, the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC, ACDA regional conventions, and the historic Carnegie Hall in New York. He is currently a music professor at the Kansas City Metropolitan Community College's Penn Valley Campus and also teaches music at the Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. Mr. Helvering holds music composition degrees from Westminster Choir College and the University of

Nebraska and will soon be awarded a D.M.A. from the University of Kansas. His background includes composition study with Dr. Z. Randall Stroope, Dr. Stefan Young (a student of Nadia Boulanger), Dr. James Barnes, and Dr. W. Kenton Bales. Mr. Helvering's music has developed a reputation for its artistry and emotional appeal. For more information, visit his web site, www.rdouglashelvering.com.

Stephen McCardell will compose a work for bassoon and piano. Mr. McCardell has served on the faculty of the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music as an instructor of music since 1999. He received degrees in composition from Mannes College of Music, where he studied composition with David Tcimpidis and analysis with Carl Schachter. His undergraduate studies included course work at Lawrence University, where he studied composition with James Ming and Steven Stucky. Mr. McCardell’s musical background includes owning and operating a digital recording studio, with a focus on digital editing and CD mastering in

classical, jazz, and rock styles. His interest in popular music extends to performing and recording on electric guitar and dobro. His most recent compositions in the classical realm include instrumental solo works and pieces for chamber music ensembles as well as electronic media and improvisational works.

Giving to the MDRS 25th Anniversary Commissioning Project

The MDRS graciously accepts the support of our donors.

Individuals and businesses who have donated are listed below: