Erich
Stem
Schedule
Recent Highlights
Description
The Winds of the Mountain Empire, a 58-piece wind ensemble primarily comprised of music educators, will present its eighteenth annual summer concert in the auditorium of Union High School in Big Stone Gap, Virginia on Sunday, July 14 at 4:00 p.m.
The 2024 Winds of the Mountain Empire program is entitled “Journeys” and features works that take the listener on their own journey through physical and mental destinations. The concert will feature compositions by Rossano Galante (Red Rock Mountain), Julie Giroux (Riften Wed), Sam Hazo (Go!), George Naff (Mountain Serenade), Daisuke Shimizu (Welcome to the Imagination World), Donald Sorah (Journeys), Jack Stamp (Star-Spangled Banner), and a commissioned work by Erich Stem (Unbridled Spirit).
The Winds of the Mountain Empire, founded by conductor Dr. Donald Sorah in 2006, is a professional wind ensemble primarily comprised of musicians from the southwest Virginia, northeast Tennessee, and southeast Kentucky regions that convenes each July for professional development and a culminating performance.
The concert will be presented free of charge, but donations to help sustain the longevity of the organization are gladly welcomed. For more information, email Winds of the Mountain Empire at windsme@comcast.net or search for Winds of the Mountain Empire on Facebook
Erich Stem
Composer
Dates
Description
My piece Consider will receive a performance by the Juventas New Music Ensemble at the Brattleboro Music Center in Brattleboro, VT as part of Juventas's 20th Anniversary Season. This concert, titled "Studio to Stage", will highlight select works from Juventas's 20-year discography including music by Mari Kotskyy, Jonathan Sheffer, Libby Meyer, and Oliver Caplan.
Erich Stem
Composer
Dates
Description
The James Madison University Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Foster Beyers, will be giving the world premiere of Erich Stem's "Shenandoah," featuring dance elements by Louisville Ballet dancer and choreographer, Ashely Thursby. Click here for details.
Erich Stem
Composer
Dates
Description
The University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of David Neely, will premiere Stem's "Kayak." The work will be performed as part of the Solo Series, featuring National Symphony Orchestra percussionist, Scott Christian, Marimba and Vibraphone. For details, click here.
Erich Stem
Composer
Dates
Description
The La HERmandad Clarinet Duo will give a world premiere of Stem's "re:CONNECT" featuring clarinetists Carrie RavenStem and Adria Sutherland. The performance will take place at the 50th Anniversary of the International Clarinet Association's ClarinetFest. For details, click here.
Erich Stem
Composer
Dates
Description
re:CONNECT, for Bb Clarinet duet, will receive its European premiere at the 2023 European Clarinet Congress this December 7 by clarinetists Kristine Dizon and Radovan Cavallin.
Erich Stem
Composer
Dates
Description
The Indiana University Southeast Concert Band, under the direction of Phil Thomas, will be giving the world premiere of "Firefly," featuring Backun artist and solist, Carrie RavenStem, E♭ clarinet. For details, click here.
Erich Stem
Composer
Dates
Description
The Navarro College Symphonic Band will give a Texas premiere of Stem's "Firefly," featuring Backun artist and soloist, Carrie RavenStem (E♭ Clarinet), to help celebrate Navarro College’s 75th Anniversary.
Erich Stem
Composer
Dates
Biography
Erich Stem’s music has been described as “sophisticated and intriguing” (The Washington Post), “unique and beautiful” (Boston Theatre Review), and as having a “fluent and chaotic exchange that breaks minimalism apart” (A Closer Listen). His music has been performed live around the globe in places such as New York City, Boston, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Miami, England, the Netherlands, and Romania and can be heard on albums by critically acclaimed groups such as counter)induction, Aurelia Saxophone Quartet, SOLI Chamber Ensemble, and A/Tonal. His commissions also include music for recognized artists such as saxophonist Johan van der Linden and flutist Lindsey Goodman.
Groups such as the Minnesota Orchestra, Richmond Symphony, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and many others have performed/broadcasted his orchestral works in venues such as Minnesota’s Orchestra Hall, The Carpenter Theatre at CenterStage, WUOL 90.5FM’s Brave New World, and WCVE 88.9FM’s Whitlow Concert Series with Bobbie Barajas. In 2013, his affinity for the history and towns of the United States led to a larger orchestral project called America By: A Symphonic Tour. A consortium of American orchestras has commissioned and performed works from Stem during the tour, including the Bainbridge Symphony Orchestra, West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, University of Portland Orchestra, Arlington Philharmonic, and the James Madison University Symphony Orchestra. His most recent project, Solo Series, takes the touring concept of America By, but focuses on concertos written for various soloists. In 2022, Stem will tour the first piece of the project, Firefly, for Eb Clarinet and Wind Symphony by Backun artist, Carrie RavenStem. The project will wrap up the 2022 season with the second piece of the series, Kayak, for percussion and orchestra, featuring National Symphony Orchestra’s percussionist, Scott Christian and the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra.
Stem has also made the promotion of today’s art music an important part of his career. He was the founder, director, and resident composer of New Dynamic Records, a contemporary music label that recorded and released music by 60 living composers worldwide, including 42 world premiere recordings. He is currently the co-founder and resident composer of A/Tonal, an ensemble dedicated to the music of living composers and their connections to the past.
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