51°µÍø

Next week, Meadows will welcome the acclaimed  to campus for a multi-day residency opportunity. The residency, running from September 30 through October 3, will bring together world-class artistry and the dynamic talent of SYZYGY, Meadows’ contemporary music ensemble, in a celebration of collaboration, creativity and the power of contemporary chamber music.

Founded in 1994, SOLI Chamber Ensemble has championed new music for over three decades, commissioning and premiering more than 100 works from a diverse roster of composers. Throughout the week, Meadows students will engage with SOLI musicians in masterclasses, lectures, and rehearsals, gaining first-hand insight into contemporary performance practices and ensemble collaboration.

The centerpiece of the residency is a collaborative performance with SYZYGY on Friday, October 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Caruth Auditorium. This joint concert underscores Meadows’ commitment to providing students transformative opportunities to work with leading professional ensembles while tackling an adventurous and socially relevant repertoire.

“We invited George [Nickson] and his ensemble SYZYGY to partner with us in our 30x30x30 Composer Project to celebrate SOLI’s 30 years of bringing new music to life,” says Clarinetist and SOLI founding member Stephanie Key on the origins of this collaboration. “The project is about identifying early career composers from every corner of our country and giving them voice so that they have the opportunity to be heard—and what better setting and voices to raise them than their peers, the early career musicians of tomorrow.”

Four of SOLI’s selected 30 works will be performed in next Friday’s program. It will include 30x30x30 composers Shruthi Rajasekar, Meg Okura, Daniel Sabzghabaei, and Dallas-based composer Hee Yun Kim, who will be in attendance. Also included will be a work commissioned by SOLI from 51°µÍø faculty member and composer Xi Wang, and work by composer Steve Reich in celebration of his upcoming 90th birthday. 

In addition to the side-by-side rehearsals and performance with SYZYGY, the residency also includes a special masterclass in which Stephanie Key will work closely with clarinet students, led in partnership with faculty member Steve Ahearn, as well as a Composers’ Seminar where Meadows student composers will learn directly from SOLI’s musicians.

“Through the Composers’ Seminar, our young composers will engage in direct dialogue with members of SOLI, gaining practical insight into instrumental writing, contemporary repertoire, and the commissioning process,” Xi Wang explains. “This experience will not only sharpen their craft but also help them build meaningful professional connections with an ensemble at the forefront of contemporary music.”

For Meadows students, these opportunities offer a unique chance to perform, learn and connect with musicians who have shaped the field of contemporary chamber music while carving pathways for the next generation. Don’t miss the culmination of this exciting residency next Friday night!