The Denison Orchestra will perform two symphonic masterworks and a new work by a Denison senior at its spring concert at 8 p.m., Saturday (April 17) in Swasey Chapel. Admission is free and open to the public.

This semester, the group is being co-directed by Assistant Professor Andrew Carlson and the newly-hired assistant professor Nicholas del Grazia. This concert features Rossini's "Italians in Algeria" Overture and Symphony No. 5 by Franz Schubert. Also on the program is a new work written by Denison senior Corey Babb (Tulsa, Okla.). Babb will graduate this spring with a bachelor of arts in music composition. The performance of two movements of "The Circadian Symphony" will be the capstone of his work at Denison.

The idea for Babb's symphony began his freshman year in college. "At that time, my plan was to write a 13-movement work for various ensembles but as time progressed, I edited my ideas into a work with three movements, two of which will be performed at this concert: 'Dusk' and 'Dawn.'" The symphony is Babb's musical attempt to capture the moods and happenings as we drift off to sleep.

The Denison University Orchestra was founded in 1999 by Carlson. He felt strongly that enough Denison students were interested in learning and performing symphonic literature to support a student-based ensemble. The first group consisted of 13 string players and performed chamber music of the baroque era. Each year, the orchestra has grown and now regularly features some 50 Denison student musicians and performs full symphonic works.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

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(740) 587-8575