Dana students debut musical compositions

The musical compositions of eight students in the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University will be performed in a concert 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 15 in Room 2222 of Bliss Hall.

The concert, which is free and open to the public, will be performed by 25 Dana students.

The composers are all students in Professor David Morgan’s Composition Studio at YSU.

“The Composition Studio offers an entrepreneurial aspect for students since they not only must compose the music, but they need to find willing musicians to perform their music at rehearsals and for the concert,” he said.

Students are also responsible for setting up the performance space, writing program notes, getting their music recorded, and finding an audience. “I think this prepares them for what they will need to do in the “real” world,” he said.

Students, their composition and those who are performing the piece include:

• Etude for Third Trumpet composed by Dan Mihelarakis, performed by Brandon Perkins, trumpet.
• Finlano composed by Tommy Starr, performed by Tommy Starr, marimba; Evan McCreary, marimba; Brandon Maffitt, marimba and Nathan Weingart, marimba.
• Reminiscent composed by Max Franko, performed by Morgan Frederick, flute; Brendan Burke, double bass; and Max Franko, piano.
• Winter (from The Seasons) composed by Jonathan Charlton, performed by the YSU Saxophone Quartet: Max Klauscher, soprano saxophone; Thomas Turnbull alto saxophone; Daniel Slencsak, tenor saxophone; and Santino Almasy, baritone saxophone.
• The Brilliance (from Piano Cycle no. 1 in C major) composed by Matthew Eustace, performed by accompanist Jerry Rezanka, piano.
• Feldoras composed by Emma Donkin, performed by Anna Reitsma, flute; Camryn Doctor, oboe; Cayla Conrad, clarinet; Brendan Gage, French horn; and Elliot Kwolek, bassoon.
• The Last Performance composed by Alyssa Kordecki, performed by the composer.
• Gold composed by Juan Rodriguez, performed by Dan Mihelarakis, trumpet; Max Franko, trumpet; Brendan Gage, French horn; Dominick Gentile, trombone; Juan Rodriguez, euphonium; and Lauren Zetts, tuba.

Parking is available in the M30 Wick Avenue parking deck for a nominal fee.