Marguerite Scribante Professor of Piano Paul Barnes presents his faculty recital, celebrating the release of his CD titled “New Generations,” on Wednesday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m. in Kimball Recital Hall.
A reception will follow the performance. Copies of the CD will be available for sale, and Barnes will sign autographs at the reception. All proceeds will go to the Paul Barnes New Generations Piano Scholarship Fund created by the University of Nebraska Foundation.
“There is no better way to celebrate this CD release than a recital at the institution that made it possible,” he said. “I have so many dear friends and supporters here in Nebraska and cannot wait to play for them on March 2.”
The CD was released in November and is also available on iTunes and at Amazon.com and other retail outlets.
“This is the culminating event of a two-year project,” Barnes said. “I’m thrilled with how well the recording came out.”
“New Generations” celebrates Barnes’ 20-year association and collaboration with composer Philip Glass, as well as younger composers including Jason Bahr, N. Lincoln Hanks, Zack Stanton, Ivan Moody, Lucas Floyd and Jonah Gallagher.
For his Lincoln recital, Barnes will perform Etudes 6, 8, 11, 16, 18 and 20 from Philip Glass’ “The Complete Piano Etudes.” His program also includes “Ad infinitum” by Jonah Gallagher; Piano Thoughts, Vol. II by Lucas Floyd; “Two Preludes” by Jason Bahr; and N. Lincoln Hanks’ “Monstre sacré.”
“Each piece is explores a completely different musical world.” Barnes said. “The sonic result is a breathtaking panorama of the energetic and expressive landscape that is 21st century piano music.”
Barnes’ project began in the Fall of 2014 when he was booked to be the convention artist for The Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers national festival (CFAMC) in Los Angeles and selected pieces from this group of composers for his program.
“In this recital, I had someone in his 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s,” Barnes said. “I had a composer writing through every generation.”
And thus, the title “New Generations” was born. Gallagher was just a sophomore at Biola University when Barnes selected to play his piece.
“He was the youngest composer I had every programmed in my life,” Barnes said. “I realized this program I was doing had this interesting generational span, where I had this 21-year-old kid all the way up to Philip Glass, who is in his late 70s.”
The CD was recorded last May in Kimball Recital Hall on campus with Assistant Professor of Composition Tom Larson serving as the recording engineer. Barnes has received support from the Hixson-Lied Endowment and the Glenn Korff School of Music for the recording.
“As with my two other solo piano recordings on Orange Mountain Music, it was a joy to work with Tom Larson on the recording and editing process,” Barnes said. “I’m extremely proud of the final result and happy to be at an institution that supports the creation and promotion of new music.”
Barnes is excited about bringing this new repertoire to more people. He has already performed the recital version of “New Generations” in Portland, Los Angeles, Seoul, New York, Chicago and Vienna. He also performed in January at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, and in February at Florida Gulf Coast University and Jacksonville University. He will also be teaching and performing at the Amalfi Coast Music Festival in Maiori, Italy, this July.