Evan will give a presentation sharing the story and resources of his annual "Call for Scores" opportunity, which has received over 400 submissions from around the world and received over $9,000 in funding, aiming to inspire and show other instrumentalists how easy and important it is to seek, discover, and create their own unique impact on the music world. As musicians, we are in a privileged position that many people across the world are not able to be in due to their financial situation, geographical location, age, luck, etc. In today's digital age, it is easier than ever to be in contact with these under-resourced musicians to make a difference in their lives. Evan will dive into just how easy, approachable, and necessary it is for musicians to create opportunities that promote new music and support unknown composers looking to share their musical voice.

Be sure to sign up for the EEM newsletter at the bottom of this page so you can be notified when the Möbius Duo’s premiere album showcasing these works is released in May (along with a new work by Evan, himself!), and you can find social media links at the top right of the page (bottom on mobile) to be notified when recordings are posted on social platforms! Click here for the resource link from today’s lecture.

Following a year of outstanding growth for the opportunity, the Evan Erickson Music “2023 Call for Scores” initiative is going on a small tour to highlight the importance of performing music by under-resourced composers. After receiving funding to offer the “Call for Scores” as a commissioning platform in 2023, Evan directly commissioned 3 selected composers in 2023 to write a new work for the Möbius Duo (clarinet & saxophone). With an extended lecture-recital format at the North American Saxophone Alliance 2024 Conference, all three pieces will be premiered live to offer exposure to these composers names and build credibility for the non-profit opportunity. For time, only one of the commissioned works will be performed today as part of CMS. Be sure to sign up for the EEM newsletter at the bottom of this page so you can be notified when the Möbius Duo’s premiere album showcasing these works is released in May, and you can find social media links at the top right of the page (bottom on mobile) to be notified when recordings are posted on social platforms! Click here for the resource link from today’s lecture.

Program

Sketches of Becoming (2024) by Annemie du Plessis - 5’30” (WORLD PREMIERE)

Performed by Evan Erickson, Clarinet, and Becca Tank, Saxophone

Composer Biographies

Annemie du Plessis is currently a Master’s student in music composition at Stellenbosch University, under the direction of Antoni Shonken and Arthur Feder. She grew up playing the viola, violin and piano. While in school, she completed her Unisa and Royal Schools Grade 8 on viola and violin, and was a finalist in the Unisa National bursary competition in 2002. She was awarded abursary by the Institute for Transport Technology to study Industrial Engineering, and obtained her Master’s cum laude from Stellenbosch University in 2008, after which she started working in the Logistics and Supply Chain industry. While working full-time, she continued to play in various orchestras in South Africa and neighbouring countries as freelance violist (including the National Youth Orchestra, Johannesburg Music Initiative as well as Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra). After a personal health crisis, she discovered her passion for writing music, and started taking composition lessons with Melissa van der Spuy in 2020. She then completed a bridging composition course under the supervision of Melissa, Arthur and Antoni in 2021, in preparation for the commencement of her Master’s studies in 2022. Where time allows, she still plays for national shows and ad hoc chamber music groups. In March this year she had the opportunity to get three of her compositions performed at the Stellenbosch Conservatory, as part of the Wood and Water sound experience. This event consisted of a performance and sound installation that she designed and curated. Music composition has played a significant role in her personal recovery journey over the past few years-which has been one of personal discovery, regaining vitality and finding renewed meaning in life.

After 500 hours of writing, editing, engraving, and meetings since the start of 2022, Evan’s large-scale work, “Desert Tales” (a Dance Suite for Wind Ensemble), will be receiving its debut at the Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center Plough Performance Hall on Tuesday, April 25th at 7:30pm. Closing the final University of Memphis Wind Ensemble concert of the school year, this work is a tribute to his freshman year of college undergrad. At its core, it is acknowledging the supportive friends he made, the amazing mentors he is thankful to study with, the gratitude of being able to study music at a higher level as a first generation student, all of the new music he heard and played, and being given the chance to create the work at all.

The work follows the story of a group of nomads travelling through the desert, eventually stumbling upon the annual parade and gathering in a Sultan’s kingdom. During the celebration, there is a trial sentencing some of the kingdom’s most wanted individuals to a very harsh punishment: banishment to “The Tiger Cave.” The final movement is a depiction of the journey to the cave, one last celebration and dance by the inmates, and then fighting for their lives. It is up to the listener to decide who won.

For the first time in the university’s history, this piece marks the collaboration between a student composer, a student ensemble, and the student dance studio! There has never been an on campus collaboration of wind ensemble and dance members, and “Desert Tales” will feature a uniquely choreographed visual element to accompany this rhythmically evocative work. Be sure to mark your calendars! This is a major stride in Evan’s career.

Livestream link click here!

The program will be available here the day of the concert.

Receiving its 2nd performance as part of winning the University of Memphis Spring 2023 Composition Contest, “Two Pieces in Minimalism” will receive its mid-South premiere at the brand new Scheidt Performing Arts Center on Monday, March 20th.

The event will not unfortunately not be live streamed, since this element of the concert hall is still in development. Archived recordings will be posted on Evan’s YouTube channel as soon as possible.

Tickets are $20 or free for those with a University of Memphis ID.

Pianist Perry Mears will be giving a solo piano recital in Memphis, TN at the Beethoven Club on Friday, March 17th, 2023. An upcoming solo piece for piano is being composed for this concert to receive its premiere. More information to come.

Event will not be livestreamed, but an archived recording will be posted when available.

Evan Erickson and Becca Tank will be performing Yunfei Li’s “Circling” for Clarinet and Alto Sax, as well as performances from the rest of the UofM clarinet studio.

Live stream link will be posted closer to the performance. Event is in Harris Concert Hall at the University of Memphis.

One of Evan’s latest compositions, “Scenes from a Village,” will be receiving its premiere performance in Harris Concert Hall at the University of Memphis.

The livestream link will start at 7:25pm CST: click here.

Watch as the 3 UofM undergraduate chamber groups perform the music they have been working on throughout the semester! The Magnoli Winds will be featured and will be premiering Evan’s latest work, “Skipping Stones at the Pond.”

Live stream will be available here right at 7:30pm: link to live stream. Event is at Barth House at the University of Memphis.

Evan Erickson and Becca Tank will be performing Yunfei Li’s “Circling” for Clarinet and Alto Sax, as well as performances from the rest of the UofM saxophone studio.

There will be no live stream for this performance. Event is in Rose Theater at the University of Memphis.

A normal Wind Ensemble concert Evan participates in. Live stream link will be shared closer to the date.

My piano for piano and clarinet is receiving its 2nd performance with the ICF!