Livestream: fredonia.edu/music/live

“The Music of Donald Bohlen: 90th Birthday Celebration,” a retrospective concert encapsulating the musical career of the SUNY Fredonia School of Music Professor Emeritus, will be presented on Saturday, March 23, 2024. The performance will begin at 4:30 p.m. in Rosch Recital Hall. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Dr. Bohlen joined the SUNY Fredonia School of Music faculty in 1974, retiring in 2007. During his tenure, he helped to establish a nationally recognized program for the training of young composers at the university. Dr. Bohlen served as founding faculty advisor for the Ethos New Music Society since its inception in 1978 and guided countless SUNY Fredonia students to a greater understanding and appreciation of contemporary music. Through the Ethos New Music Society, Dr. Bohlen also assisted in the organization of various festivals, master classes in composition and campus visits by internationally acclaimed composers, performers and scholars.

The writing of Dr. Bohlen includes a wide variety of choral works, chamber music selections, compositions for solo piano, opera and music for film. He is currently completing a Song Cycle titled Künstler’s Abenlied for Soprano, Cello and Piano, of which 2 songs will be performed on the concert. The trio performing that work will include Assistant Professor and Soprano Angela Haas, Cellist Dr. Jennifer Carpenter (Rochester), and Pianist Dr. Anne Kissel. The Premiere of Adagio Variations will feature Assistant Professor Dr. Andrew Seigal on Clarinet and Bassoonist Ellen Barnum, of the Buffalo Chamber Players. Dr. Anne Kissel will premiere a new piano solo titled Sources.

Other works to be performed will include selections from Prelude, Arioso and Variants, (performed by violin professor Jessica Tong), the last movement from Songs and Doubles, for Soprano, Clarinet and Cello (student trio), selections from Exordium, played by guest pianist Stephanie Titus. A work for Men’s Chorus titled Night Songs will be directed by Dr. Joe Dan Harper, and sung by a student ensemble.

“For a composer, life is composing,” Bohlen said. “Composition is my life…(and) I feel there is a constant personal growth that continues to make it worthwhile.”