{"id":13,"date":"2016-07-05T14:06:42","date_gmt":"2016-07-05T14:06:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2016\/?p=13"},"modified":"2016-10-26T17:49:02","modified_gmt":"2016-10-26T17:49:02","slug":"barnes-collaboration-with-philip-glass","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2016\/barnes-collaboration-with-philip-glass\/","title":{"rendered":"CD Celebrates Collaboration with Philip Glass"},"content":{"rendered":"

It began with a job interview, a chance encounter and a fan’s boldness.<\/p>\n

Twenty years later, the musical collaboration between UNL pianist Paul Barnes and world-famous composer Philip Glass was celebrated with a new CD titled “New Generations,” released in November 2015.<\/p>\n

“The whole concept of \u2018New Generations’ is that I wanted to really start supporting the work of younger composers,” said Barnes, Marguerite Scribante Professor of Music. Glass backed the endeavor and contributed his own pieces.<\/p>\n

\"Caption\"
Caption<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Barnes learned of Glass’ generosity years earlier. Flying home to Chicago after interviewing at UNL, he noticed the musical giant on the flight and introduced himself.<\/p>\n

Barnes not only got the job at UNL, but the encounter led to a long friendship and collaborations that have enriched his career and UNL’s music program.<\/p>\n

“New Generations” is a two-disc CD featuring several newly published Glass piano \u00e9tudes and “Dreaming Awake” (2003), as well as works by six younger composers selected from a national composers’ festival. The CD, recorded at UNL’s Kimball Recital Hall, was published by Glass’ Orange Mountain Music. The Hixson-Lied Endowment and Glenn Korff School of Music helped fund the project. Promoting the new work has sent Barnes performing across the U.S., Europe and Asia.<\/p>\n

The new CD follows years of collaborative projects, including the 2004 “Piano Concerto No. 2: After Lewis and Clark.” Barnes also has transcribed Glass’ orchestral pieces for piano and performed them worldwide.<\/p>\n

“My relationship with Glass has opened up just tremendous publishing, recording and performing avenues that I would not have otherwise,” Barnes said, adding that it also benefits his teaching. “When [students] realize there are young composers writing music that is so exciting and fun to play, it gets them involved in that creative aspect.”<\/p>\n

The duo is working on a new collaboration. It’s another opportune convergence, this one involving an archeological site in Nazareth, a generous Floridian and a Greek Orthodox chant \u2013 but that’s a story for another day.<\/p>\n

\"Caption\"
Caption<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n