MUSIC

Rice University Shepherd School of Music presents Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra - Contemporary Music Concert, Sunday, October 31, at 4pm.

A concert of contemporary chamber orchestra music on Halloween? How terrifying! Quite the contrary, this concert on Sunday afternoon, October 31st, at 4 p.m. in Stude Concert Hall, conducted by Cristian Macelaru, presents three significant works in an engaging and non-threatening way. György Ligeti's Melodien of 1971 marks a return to a more linear, contrapuntal, and melodic compositional style than those atmospheric Ligeti works made famous in the soundtrack to the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Composer Michael Gandolfi will be present for the performance of his Points of Departure from 1988, the newest work performed on this concert. While certainly modern in its melodic and harmonic language, its use of repetition and variation of distinctive passages will make it easy for the listener to follow. The final work, Francis Poulenc's Sinfonietta, commissioned by the BBC in 1947, displays all the musical hallmarks associated with Poulenc: melodic wit, lyricism, instrumental color, and a strong identification with Classical forms.

Featuring:
Cristian Macelaru, (pictured) conductor

Romanian conductor Cristian Macelaru is also a violinist and composer whose accomplishments demonstrate his impressive capabilities as a multidimensional musician. After attending the Aspen Music Festival and studying conducting under David Zinman and Murry Sidlin in 2008, he now serves on the conducting staff of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Here he has conducted productions of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Gustav Holst’s Savitri and Haendel’s Rinaldo, as well as the Symphony and Chamber Orchestras in numerous concerts.

Mr. Macelaru started studying music at the age of six in his native country. After winning top prizes in the National Music Olympiad of Romania, in 1997 he received a scholarship to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy.

During his studies at the University of Miami, Mr. Macelaru was assistant conductor of the University of Miami Symphony Orchestra, associate conductor of the Florida Youth Orchestra, conductor and founder of the Clarke Chamber Players, and concertmaster of the Miami Symphony Orchestra. While receiving the master of music in violin performance under the guidance of Sergiu Luca at Rice University, Mr. Macelaru played in the Houston Symphony’s first violin section. He has also given recitals throughout the United States, Europe and China.

Most recently, Mr. Macelaru finished a master of music in conducting with Larry Rachleff at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. He is also a conductor with the Houston Youth Symphony, music director and conductor of the Campanile Orchestra and the founder and artistic director of the Crisalis Music Project.

Scheduled Program:

Ligeti - Melodien
Gandolfi - Points of Departure
Poulenc - Sinfonietta