News

June 10, 2008

Summer of '08

Many events going on this summer! On June 20th, I will be performing George Crumb's epic "Gnomic Variations", combined with Howard Sandroff's "Adagio" and my 1st and 4th piano sonatas. I am participating in the Peter de Groot Festival in Groningen, Netherlands, on August 2 and 3 of 2008 in a series of concerts celebrating the 70th birthday and the exquisite music of Dutch composer Jochem Slothouwer. On August 5 and 6 I am performing in the Clarinet Festival of Prades, Catalunya. During this summer, I have it planned to (somehow) finish my new work for violin and piano.

A new work!

In June of 2007 I finished a new sonata for Bassoon and Piano. The outer movements are lyrical, modal and, at times, very playful. In contrast, the middle movement is rather serious, and is meant as a tribute to the late György Ligeti, a composer I greatly admire. Click here to see and hear samples. The work is dedicated to the bassoon and its performers. The work will be played in the near future by Silvia Corricelli, principal bassoonist of the OBC in Barcelona.

The sonata was premiered at a CUBE concert in Chicago in December of 2007 by bassoonist Noé Cantú. If you would like to hear the recording, please e-mail me with your request via info@huydts.com.

In between two worlds...

In June of 2003 I started a year long sabbatical from my position at Columbia College Chicago. During the 2003-2004 season I lived on and off in Barcelona, Catalunya, and fell so deeply in love with the Catalan lands that I decided to make Barcelona my other permanent home. However when I live in Barcelona I miss Chicago, when I live in Chicago I long for Barcelona. That 'in between two worlds' situation recently found a practical solution. In August of 2005 I started my new position at Columbia College Chicago as the Director of Keyboard Studies. During the summer months and during Christmas break I live in Catalunya, play concerts and compose.

It is out!

Acclaimed Flutist Mary Stolper has recorded Music for Flute and Piano as part of the Chicago Duos CD for the Cedille Records label. This recording was released in 2003 and the work got a favorable review in the Gramophone.