By ANNE GREGORY
Media Relations, Manchester University

Manchester University’s Music Department will host its second New Music Festival from Thursday, March 26 to Saturday, March 28 on the North Manchester campus.

This event will present five contemporary classical music concerts with new works by 45 composers who will be attending from throughout the United States. The concerts are free and open to the public.

Choral, chamber music, solo voice and electroacoustic works are among those to be performed. Guest appearances include mezzo-soprano Ashlee Bickley and pianist Robert Nance on Friday, March 27.

The concert schedule is as follows:

• Concert 1: Solo, Chamber and Electroacoustic Music: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26 – Cordier Auditorium
  This program will feature a mix of music for solo piano as well as electroacoustic compositions. It will feature pianist Holly Roadfelt, as well as several other guest performers.
• Concert 2: Solo, Chamber and Electroacoustic Music: 2 p.m. Friday, March 27 – Cordier Auditorium
  This program will feature a variety of chamber works including compositions for solo flute, saxophone, clarinet a trio for two clarinets and piano and others.
• Concert 3: New Music for Soprano and Piano – Featuring Ashlee Bickley, mezzo soprano and Robert Nance, piano: 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 27 – Wine Recital Hall
  Concert three is a program of new works for soprano and piano, performed by guest artists Ashlee Bickley (mezzo soprano) and Robert Nance (piano).
• Concert 4: Solo, Chamber and Electroacoustic Music: 2 p.m. Saturday, March 28 – Wine Recital Hall
  This program will include a wide range chamber and electroacoustic works including compositions for soprano voice and trombone, solo clarinet, percussion, bassoon a quartet for clarinet and strings and more.
• Concert 5: Solo, Chamber and Choral Music – Featuring Manchester University’s A Capella Choir, directed by Debra Lynn: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28 – Wine Recital Hall
  This program will feature a number of choral works, performed by the Manchester University A Capella Choir as well as winning pieces from our Young Composers Competition and several chamber pieces.

A Young Composers Competition, reading sessions and presentations have been added to this year’s event, with support from the Dr. Joyce A. Nolen and Rev. Wilfred E. Nolen Endowment Fund for Music.

The first MU New Music Festival was in February of 2013. Visit manchester.edu for more information.