To help the Lesbian and Gay Band Association (LGBA) celebrate its 30th Anniversary in style, their Board decided to commission a new piece of music to have its world premiere during a September 15 concert in Dallas as part of its annual Conference. In addition to soliciting funds from loyal individual donors, LGBA applied for a grant from the Jon Sims Endowment Fund for the Performing Arts.
Said LGBA President Adam Derosa, “Over a year ago, the LGBA Board committed to commissioning an
original piece of music to celebrate our organization’s 30th Anniversary and to premiere this piece during the Dallas conference. In December 2011, we were excited to announce the selection of Michael Markowski to compose this work. In addition, we invited Jadine Louie, Artistic Director of the SF Lesbian/Gay Freedom Band to conduct the world premiere of this exciting piece at the Majestic Theater on September 15. Jadine (photo below) is one of LGBA’s most experienced and beloved conductors, and she jumped at the chance to lead this piece in its first performance.”
At age 26, composer Michael Markowski (photo above) has accomplished quite a lot! In 2010, he successfully graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film from Arizona State University. In 2006, his work for concert band, Shadow Rituals, was honored with first prize in the first Frank Ticheli Composition Contest, sponsored by Manhattan Beach Music. He has received commissions for new works from a number of organizations including CBDNA, The Consortium for the Advancement of Wind Band Literature, The Lesbian and Gay Band Association, Arrowhead Union High School and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Youth Wind Ensembles, Bethel High School, and other consortiums of schools.
The piece he has written for LGBA is entitled “City Trees” and here is what Mr. Markowski had to say about it: “This piece ‘City Trees’ is partly about my own recent Eastern migration from Arizona to New York City. Above all, it’s a lyrical reflection of the bravery that it often takes to venture into new worlds, embrace other cultures, and lovingly encourage new ideas.”
For more information about the composer, visit http://www.michaelmarkowski.com/. For more information about the 2012 LGBA conference in Dallas, visit http://oaklawnband.org/2012-lgba-conference/