This past week at KSU, the College of the Arts hosted the 2013 Festival of New Music at the Bailey Performance Center. There were four nights of performances, each displaying the multitude of talents of KSU faculty and students.

The theme that fueled the originality of the various pieces was 12 months of collaboration of composers, the Atlanta community and national artists. All of this was made possible by Co-Artistic Directors David Daly and Laurence Sherr.

The World Premiere of “The Child Project” featuring gloATL and Sonic Generator marked opening night. The performance, which included some of our very own KSU students, was a unique and memorable event for the Kennesaw community.

During the performance, many of the performers came into the audience, adding somewhat of a 3D effect.
The composer, David Lang, stated that his purpose for this piece was to attempt to illustrate experiences from his own childhood.

On Wednesday, Feb. 13, the Faculty Artist Showcase took the stage with an exciting setup of new and old faculty members displaying their passion for music.

Laurence Sherr said, “Collectively, these collaborations plumb the deep pool of KSU faculty talent and display their dedication to the music of our time.”

When asked about his favorite piece, Avery Sharpe, a third year theater major, said that David Lang’s Little Eye stood out to him the most. This piece was inspired by the ‘I spy with my little eye’ game that kids play during long car rides.

“I really enjoyed this piece because, number one, I really enjoy games, and secondly, because the sounds produced were so raw and organic. It brought a new twist to what I usually am inclined to hearing,” Sharpe said.

The Orchestra and Wind Ensemble brought a wide range of talent on Feb. 14. David Kehler, KSU’s associate professor and Director of Bands, was honored to work with Michael Markowski in this exceptional collaboration.

This performance was made possible by eight college wind ensembles coming together to help fund Markowski’s new work, “Remember the Molecules.” One of the distinctive pieces that stood out in this performance was an upbeat opener called “Mothership.”

“Mothership,” directed by Mason Bates, portrayed the orchestra as a mothership that is visited by multiple soloists. Each soloist performed brief yet intriguing works that included electro-acoustic orchestral figuration.