Sun
4/15/2012
7:30pm
New Music
Matthew Coley and Sonic Inertia
Contemporary Percussion Works
- $15 General Admission
- $10 Student
- Matthew Coley, percussion
- Steven Simpson, composer
- Russ Rolen, cello
Event Details
SONIC INERTIA is a collective of artists and ideas formed together to benefit the community and artists in performance, collaboration, and educational activities. SI’s history began in 2004 when Matthew Coley brought together 3 percussionists, 3 dances, and a choreographer. Over the years the group has taken on different shapes, incorporating collaboration among chamber musicians, composers, dancers, choreographers, improvisers, designers, and several other artists and events. On his upcoming tour Coley will be performing several works by Award winning composer Steven Simpson who is based in the Ann Arbor area. Sonic Inertia will be performing Simpson's Marimba Quartet, Radioactive Octopus, 2nd prize winner in the 2011 PAS Composition Competition. The concert will also mark the world premiere of his work, Flow for Cello & Marimba. On Flow, Coley will be joined by Chicago cellist Russ Rolen. Matthew is currently professor of percussion at Iowa State University, and holds degrees from Northwestern University and the University of North Texas. He is endorsed by Marimba One, Innovative Percussion, and Sabian Cymbals, and published by Innovative Percussion and Edition Svitzer. He can be found on the web at http://www.hearmatthewcoley.com
Matthew Coley
Matthew Coley performs regularly as a soloist throughout the US and Europe, has performed with such entities as the Cedar Valley Chamber Music Festival, Francisco Sinfonietta, Millennium Chamber Players, Moldavian Philharmonic and Tele-Radio Orchestras, and Kurpfalzisches Kammerorchester Mannheim. He has also been featured three times on Chicago’s WFMT Classical Radio Station and in a feature article in Time Out Chicago Magazine. Jason Baker wrote, “I found this CD to be one of the most enjoyable marimba recordings in recent memory due to its exciting repertoire, world-class performing, and extremely high production quality”, in Percussive Notes, September 2011. In 2008 Matthew placed in the top three at the prestigious 5th World Marimba Competition Stuttgart, and is the first American to ever place in this competition. In 2005 he placed third in the Minnesota Orchestra Young Artist Competition, and in 2000 won first in the Music Teachers National Association Solo Percussion Competition and the Percussive Arts Society International Marimba Concerto Competition. He has received numerous other awards throughout his career, as well as grant awards from the City of Chicago Cultural Arts Assistance Program, Illinois Arts Council, and Iowa Arts Council.
Steven Simpson
Dr. Steven Simpson was born in 1967 in Waldorf, MD and earned a D.M. in Composition at the University of Michigan in 2003. His principal teachers were William Bolcolm, Bright Sheng and William Albright. Additional studies include a Bachelors from the D'Angelo School of Music, where he studied with nationally renowned composer Albert Glinsky.
Continuing his studies, he received his M.M. at Bowling Green University under the tutelage of Marilyn Shrude and Burton Berman. Simpson is a musical storyteller, crafting an emotional journey for the listener.
His compositions range from large orchestral works to small chamber works. Simpson's music has been performed by various groups and individuals throughout the United States. Among them, the Cleveland Chamber Orchestra, the Carolina Pops Orchestra, the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra, and the world-renowned new music ensemble, Relaché.
Past Awards include, 1st-prize in the 2010 Classical Lounge Competition for Orchestra, 2nd-prize in the 2011 Percussive Arts Society Composition Competition, the 14th Annual Bowling Green New Music Festival Award, the Cleveland Chamber Orchestra's Young and Emerging Composers Series, and Honorable Mention from ASCAP for his work, Free Flight for Flute and Piano.
