Assistant Professor of Music Theory to Premiere Piece at Symposium

Texas A&M University-Commerce Assistant Professor of Music Theory Dr. David Davies is one of 13 composers selected nationally to participate in a New Works Symposium put on by Soprani Compagni.

The two-day symposium is funded through a grant from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. It will be held on November 13-14 at Indiana Wesleyan University. The symposium is called Portraits of Women in Contemporary Soprano Duet.

“It's an honor to be included in this group of 13 composers from across the United States, and to be asked to write music for this gifted ensemble,” said Davies. “It's so exciting to be a part of this innovative project.”

Davies joined the faculty of A&M-Commerce in Fall 2014. He studied composition, conducting, and piano at the Greatbatch School of Music, Houghton College, and earned his D.M.A. in composition from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. At A&M-Commerce, he teaches courses such as music theory, ear training, counterpoint, and orchestration.

Davies' piece By Night While Others Soundly Slept is a new work commissioned for Soprani Compagni. The work is for two sopranos and piano, and the text is from early American poet Anne Bradstreet. Bradstreet's poem is written as a mid-night prayer for her sleeping family.

“In choosing this particular poem by her, I was inspired by the experiences of my mother and my mother-in-law, who, like Bradstreet, often find themselves awake at night and engaged in prayer over concerns for their children and family,” Davies said.

The piece will be performed by Lisa Dawson and Tammie Huntington, both sopranos, and pianist Phoenix Park-Kim, who started Soprani Campagni to encourage composers to choose themes that deal with issues and themes related to the experience of women in America. Davies will also be participating in a special session for attending composers about career opportunities in music composition.

For more information about Dr. Davies, visit his website at www.davidhoracedavies.com.