NIU Composer and Percussionist Premiere Work

On Sunday, November 15, NIU Percussion Professor Greg Beyer premiered Maniondala (for MalletKAT) by NIU Composition and Music Theory Professor Robert Fleisher at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This special concert was a tribute to UIUC alum, composer-percussionist Michael Manion, a graduate school colleague of Dr. Fleisher's at UIUC 30 years ago and one of the four performers to premiere his percussion quartet, Mandala 1: Synchron, there in 1979. After Manion suffered a massive stroke in 2008 (from which he continues to recuperate), Greg graciously agreed to premiere this work, which he will perform again in DeKalb on April 12, 2010, during the annual NIU Composers Concert.

Pictured above, left to right: Zack Browning, Professor of Composition and Theory, UIUC; Tim Schirmer, Music Instructor, Parkland College; Robert Fleisher, NIU; Greg Beyer, NIU; Scott A. Wyatt, Director, UIUC Experimental Music Studios; and Li Lin, of Fuzhou, China.

Peter Olson Exhibits at Fermilab

Peter Olson, Assistant Director of the NIU Art Museum and noted artist of bird images, has an exhibit of his works currently on display at the Fermilab Art Gallery. The show runs now through February 26, 2010. Peter is providing an artist talk this Friday, December 11, from noon to 1:00, and a reception will take place Friday evening from 5:00 to 7:00. You can also get a peek at Pete's work on his website.

The Fermilab Art Gallery is located on the second floor of Wilson Hall on the Fermilab campus. Directions can be found here.