jon magnussen / composer

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MAY



ETHEL rocks in new 'unplugged' version of Outta This World
ETHEL (Cornelius Dufallo and Mary Rowell, violins; Ralph Farris, viola; Dorothy Lawson, 'cello) premiered the unplugged version of Outta This World on May 13 at the Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert in LaGuardia Performing Arts Center...  what seriously awesome performers!  Jon led the pre-performance audience interaction/improvisation with a great assist from those intrepid ETHEL specialists.  Fun, fun, fun...

APRIL



Hawaii Youth Symphony premieres KE AO 
Commissioned by the HYS in celebration of the HYS' 45th and Maestro Henry Miyamura's 25th anniversary with the HYS, KE AO was premiered at Blaisdell Concert Hall on April 11 by the HYS, Honolulu Symphony Chorus (Esther Yoo, dir.) and ho`opa`a chanters from Halau Hula Ka No`eau (Michael Pili Pang, kumu hula) -- a terrific first performance.  Bravi, tutti!!!  See the following HYS Facebook photo links:   Pic 1  Pic 2

MARCH



Meet The Composer's MetLife Creative Connections program award
Thanks to a generous Meet The Composer award, Jon will participate in ETHEL Foundation for the Arts' presentation of Outta This World on May 13 at the Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert in LaGuardia Performing Arts Center. 


2010

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2009
DECEMBER



American Composers Forum ENCORE program award
Thanks to a generous award from ACF's ENCORE program, ETHEL will perform Jon's first string quartet (it's been 11 years since Outta This World's premiere!).  ETHEL will be performing the "unplugged" version in May.


Honolulu Symphony Chorus performs Psalm 23
The Honolulu Symphony Chorus, directed by Esther Yoo, presented Psalm 23 for SATB chorus and organ, at St. Andrew's Cathedral in Honolulu, with John Renke at the organ.  



Hawai`i Youth Opera Chorus performs "Christmas Bells"
The Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus, directed by Nola Nahulu, presented the Hawai`i premiere of Christmas Bells for 3-part treble chorus and piano, atKawaiaha'o Church in Honolulu.


NOVEMBER


Honolulu Symphony Chorus premieres Psalm 23
The Symphony Chorus joined with the Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus to present "A Festival of Psalms", which featured the Honolulu Chamber Choir's premiere of Psalm 23 for SATB chorus and organ at Kawaiaha'o Church on November 25, with Buddy Naluai at the organ and conducted by HSC artistic director Esther Yoo.

AUGUST


PBS Hawai`i premieres State of Aloha documentary
Jon contributed some original music for this TV version of State of Aloha which premiered on PBS Hawai`i on August 27.  Directed by Anne Misawa of the Academy for Creative Media (University of Hawai`i at Manoa), the feature-length version will show at the Hawai`i International Film Fest (October).


TWO NEW versions of Psalm 23 available -- SATB and SSAA
Originally composed for solo voice and piano, these new arrangements are scored for SSAA and SATB with piano/organ (approximately 4 minutes in duration).


MAY

Honolulu Symphony brass quintet premieres Fanfare for Halekulani
Commissioned by the Halekulani Corporation in celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Halekulani Hotel redesign, the Honolulu Symphony Brass Quintet (including 2 fine percussionists!) premieres Fanfare for Halekulani at Halekulani Hotel, Coral Ballroom.



Hawaii Youth Opera Chorus' Na Leo Küho`okahi performs Canticum
One of the final performances of the 2008-09 year for HYOC -- Nola and those young ladies do a great job! 

MARCH

Honolulu Symphony performs Hawaiian Medley on Hawai`i Island Tour
Performances took place at Kamehameha Schools Kea’au Performing Arts Center, Kea`au, Hawai`i Island, and featured students from Kea`au Elementary and Kamehameha Schools, Kea`au.


2009

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2008


DECEMBER


Honolulu Symphony performs Hawaiian Medley at Blaisdell Concert Hall
Performances launch 2008-09 education season with collaborating public and independent schools from O`ahu and Hawai`i Island.  Hawaiian Medley is based on the late Nola Beamer's Pupu Hinuhinu and Kahuli aku, and scored for symphony orchestra with 2-part children’s choir and 2-part recorder choir. 


NOVEMBER

Canticumdebuts 
Based on Song of Solomon 2:10-13 from the Latin Vulgate Bible, the 5-minute choral work for 4-part treble chorus and piano was composed for Nola Nahulu and Hawai'i Youth Opera Chorus' Na Leo Kuho'okahi ensemble for the November premiere at the Hawaii Music Teachers Association annual state convention.  Many thanks to the HMTA and Music Teachers National Association for generous support of this project.

Jon is clinician at 13th Annual Na Leo Pili Mai Choral Festival 
Jon conducts high school and advanced treble voices in Benjamin Britten's "A Ceremony of Carols" at the Festival;  also on the Festival program is Jon's newCanticum.

SEPTEMBER

Christmas Bells for treble chorus available
Click here to hear the 5-minute work for 3-part treble chorus, treble solo and piano, based on . (Recording courtesy of Cornell University Chorus and director Scott Tucker.)  


NEW Canticumfor 4-part treble chorus and piano
Based on Song of Solomon 2:10-13 from the Latin Vulgate Bible, the 5-minute choral work was composed for Nola Nahulu and Hawai'i Youth Opera Chorus' Na Leo Kuho'okahi ensemble for the November premiere at the Hawaii Music Teachers Association annual state convention.  Many thanks to the HMTA and Music Teachers National Association for generous support of this project.


AUGUST

Psalm and The Winged online at Oxford University Press website
Visit the OUP page here.

JULY

Albany Records releases "Jon Magnussen:
Music for Limón Dances" 

  (click to hear mp3 excerpt)

Albany Records released Jon Magnussen:Music for Limón Dances this month.  Very special thanks to the Institute for Advanced Study, Fowler Merle-Smith Family Charitable Lead Trust, Larry Magnussen, Lois Magnussen, and the Aaron Copland Fund for Music Recording Program of the American Music Center for helping make this recording possible.  The CD is available now at these online retailers: www.albanyrecords.com,  www.arkivmusic.com, www.hbdirect.com, www.target.com
[over the coming weeks, online retailers will grow to include Amazon.com, iTunes, Audio Lunchbox, MTraks, Napster, Rhapsody, Naxos, and Chandos.]

Psalm performed in Budapest
The Limón Company takes Psalm to the Budapesti Tavaszi Fesztivál.  See the next stops on the tour here.


Upcoming Performances


Recent Performances


(26 September 2008)

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