Resonance 2018

press release: The Sun Prairie Arts Alliance is proud to present Resonance 2018 on March 10, 2018 at 7:00pm at the Sun Prairie Performing Arts Center. For the second year in a row, the music concert will feature a full program of world premieres – eleven diverse works that have never been heard before, written by Sun Prairie students and their mentors. The concert will showcase students along with their teachers in a side-by-side format and will also feature performances of original works by William Smith and SPHS alum Jon Nelson. Tickets for the concert are $10 for adults and $5 for seniors/students. Tickets can be purchased online at www.SPPerformingarts.org or at the door.

Resonance 2018 is the final component of a music composition program created and taught by Nelson and Smith. The program is designed to empower and encourage students who want to write and perform new music. At the first concert in March 2017, Resonance featured over forty student musicians, seven student composers and fifteen compositions in a successful world premier concert. This year, the project introduced weekly private lessons (through support from Prairie Music & Arts) and bi-monthly composer forums (sponsored by the Sun Prairie Education Foundation.)

“Composing music is such a joy in my life,” says Nelson, “and I feel fulfilled by sharing it with younger minds as well as our community at large through Resonance. I can’t offer enough thanks to the Sun Prairie Education Foundation, the Sun Prairie Arts Alliance and Prairie Music & Arts for facilitating this project.”

The following students will premiere their compositions at Resonance 2018:

·         Jacob Couch: sonata for cello and piano

·         Han Fuerst: string quartet and tuba

·         Miles Gleason: chorale for his brass ensemble, performed by Sun Prairie's music faculty

·         Isaac Meyer: brass ensemble with piano

·         Ryan Sellek: quartet for piano and percussionists

Jon Nelson will premiere a new piano prelude, the first in a set of "air preludes" to build on the selections from his “Element Preludes” book included in last year's concert. This prelude is named "Souffle de Malade". Nelson will also perform a pair of compositions for piano, percussion and electronics named "Aequitus Solaria" and "Aequitus Lunaria". Last, he will premiere his own work for brass quintet named "Moro", performed by Paul Dietrich, Jacob Sveum, Sydni Euclide, Jared Dalgleish, and Joe Mesner.  William Smith will perform “Variations on a Hymn”, an original piece for solo guitar, “Sonata a la Fernando Sor for Two Guitars”, and “Chôro”, for two guitars, marimba, and percussion.

Resonance 2018 is a true community event, receiving support from Prairie Music & Arts, the Sun Prairie Arts Alliance, the Sun Prairie Performing Arts Center, and The Sun Prairie Education Foundation.

Jon D. Nelson is a composer and pianist and an alumnus of Sun Prairie High School. He received his bachelor's in music composition from Ball State University, studying closely with Dr. Jody Nagel and Dr. Michael Pounds. His music has been selected for performances by various ensembles throughout the United States, including performances by the Muncie Symphony Orchestra. Nelson has composed music for short films in addition to writing for other forms of media, including mobile applications, commercial advertisements and documentaries. Nelson’s keyboard playing can be heard on numerous studio recordings for artists and ensembles spanning a wide range of styles from pop music and jazz quartets, to film music and classical piano recordings. Alongside his work as a composer, he performs with his band Trackless, who after gaining a loyal fan base in the Midwest, moved to Los Angeles.

William Smith is a guitarist, composer, and educator based in Chicago, IL. He performs primarily as a classical guitarist, either solo works, or with his duo partner and guitarist, Paul Witkamp, with works ranging from traditional repertoire to their own arrangements and compositions.

The Sun Prairie Arts Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering community engagement through programming, activities, and opportunities in the performance and exhibition spaces of the Sun Prairie community.

Prairie Music & Arts is a community school of the arts offering quality music and arts education to people of all ages and backgrounds.  Group programming includes early childhood music and movement classes, S.I.N.G. an elementary group vocal class, drama classes, a jazz combo for grades 8 and up, and art workshops. Their instructors feature some of the area’s finest musicians/educators, providing individual instruction for a wide variety of instruments and musical styles. A need-based financial assistance program is offered annually for students who require financial assistance.

The Sun Prairie Education Foundation enhances extraordinary educational opportunities throughout the Sun Prairie Area School District by acquiring and distributing resources.