Brigham Young University’s School of Music will present original compositions by faculty artist Neil Thornock in a recital performed by guest saxophonists from the Upland Chamber Ensemble Friday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. The recital is free.
Thornock, who is releasing a record of his compositions later this year, will also play the harpsichord and be accompanied by faculty pianist Scott Holden.
Pieces include “All the Goods Are Stolen,” performed by Adam McCord and Paul Tucker on the saxophone with Holden on the piano, and “Traptalk,” performed by Thornock on the harpsichord with saxophone accompaniment by McCord.
“This is really a retrospective recital of my saxophone music,” said Thornock, adding that pieces for this recital come from commissioned work as far back as 2004. “A lot of this music is influenced by my perception of American vernacular music, which means that it borrows from jazz and rock — even though it doesn’t sound like either of those genres.”
Thornock joined the BYU faculty in 2007 after receiving a doctorate in composition from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in 2006. He got his start as an organist and carillonneur at BYU by playing in the Centennial Carillon Bell Tower as a student. He also plays the saxophone, which he describes as one of the quintessential American instruments. His music has been called “richly scored, moving [and] resonant” by the (Indiana) Herald Times.
The Upland Chamber Ensemble was formed by Paul Tucker and Adam McCord at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in 2003. From saxophone duo and piano to saxophone quartet, the ensemble is committed to performing works from the classical canon as well as premiering new works, such as those by Thornock, in a variety of combinations. Recent engagements include performances at the World Saxophone Congress in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and at the North American Saxophone Alliance Biennial Conferences in Athens, Ga., and Columbia, S.C.
For more information about this recital, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348 or ken_crossley@byu.edu, or visit byuarts.com. For more about Neil Thornock, see his bio at history.cfac.byu.edu/index.php/Neil_Thornock.
