Music of Burr Van Nostrand

“We had never heard anyone like him before, and we haven’t since.” – Malcolm Peyton (2011)

Have you ever heard the music of Burr Van Nostrand? If not, you are in for a listening experience unlike any other this February. An often overlooked modern composer, Van Nostrand received a good deal of recognition in the 1970s, including a four-year residency at Gaudeamus Foundation and several awards, before his works fell into obscurity for a number of years. Happily, that situation has been changing in recent years. Due to the efforts of New England Conservatory student Jason Belcher and pianist/composer Anthony Coleman, a New World Records recording of Van Nostrands’s music has sparked renewed interest in his work; Music on the Edge co-director Mathew Rosenblum has also played a significant role in that trend. Rosenblum provided extensive liner notes for that CD and has been one of the main catalysts for the Pittsburgh concert that seeks to build on the success of the recording project.

Burr Van Nostrand’s composition combine detailed graphic notation with conventional notation in his compositions. If you’ve ever performed a graphically notated piece, you know it requires a great degree of skill and creative interpretation on the part of the performer. Due to the difficulty of Van Nostrand’s works, they are rarely performed, but Music on the Edge has found a group of musicians up to the task! Three stalwarts of Pittsburgh’s contemporary music scene will bring Van Nostrand’s Fantasy Manual for Urban Survival to life. The trio will comprise flutist Lindsey Goodman, best known locally for her stellar performances with Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, Attack Theatre Music Director Dave Eggar on cello, and Pitt faculty composer Eric Moe on the piano. Many of the same artists who participated in the landmark New World recording will reprise their performances in Pittsburgh. Pianist/conductor Anthony Coleman will lead the New England Conservatory Chamber Ensemble in Van Nostrand’s Voyage in a White Building 1 and violinist Paul Severtson will perform Phaedra Antinomaes. Oh, and did we mention that the composer will also be in attendance?

Don’t miss this all-star lineup of talented performers on Saturday, February 22, 8 p.m. at Bellefield Hall Auditorium on the University of Pittsburgh Campus.

Tickets for the Music of Burr Van Nostrand are available through the University of Pittsburgh Stages Box Office, by calling 412-624-7529, or visiting music.pitt.edu/tickets. Tickets in advance: general admission is $15; students and seniors are $10. At the door: general admission is $20; students and seniors are $15. Pitt students are free with valid ID.