NWOSU Recognizes USAO Professor With Concert
 

CHICKASHA – Who says composers have to die before they get famous? Dr. Stephen Weber may not be a dead European classical composer, but he is quickly gaining a following throughout Oklahoma as a modern composer.

The associate professor of music at the University of Science and Arts recently received a tribute in the form of a concert at Northwestern Oklahoma State University. At NWOSU’s spring choir concert last month, the University Chorale and University Singers performed 20 of Weber’s original compositions.

Although Weber knew that Eddie Vandewalker, assistant professor of music and director of choral studies at NWOSU, had selected songs for his vocal groups to perform, Weber was in for a surprise.

“I thought he was just going to select a couple of works to plug in at the concert,” Weber said.

When Weber arrived at the April 29 concert in Alva, he opened the program and realized the concert was built around 20 of his original vocal and choral pieces. The concert featured all 18 works from his song cycle, “Quips, Quotes and Quibbles,” based on humorous quotes about music or by musicians. The songs were sung as solos, duets and even by the entire vocal ensemble.

“The performers did a wonderful job with these pieces, as did the piano accompanist, Dr. Ling-Yu Kan,” Weber said. “The audience clearly enjoyed the humor in the songs.”

Throughout Oklahoma’s centennial year, NWOSU is recognizing state composers by featuring their works in vocal and choral concerts. Last fall, Weber received his 12th consecutive award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) for public performances of original works he registered with them.

Weber, who has a collection of more than 60 ASCAP published works, has taught at USAO since 1995. He has received several awards, including the Board of Regents Award for Superior Teaching, the Board of Regents Award for Scholarly Activity and the Oklahoma Federation of Music Clubs’ Oklahoma Musician of the Year award. He has received several composition awards and his works have been performed across the nation.

Two of Weber’s works were given premiere performances at the concert. Weber’s new song cycle, “Vocal Vernacular: Five Songs on Englishized Foreign Language Texts,” features text written by Julie Bohannon, director of alumni development at USAO.

“The pieces utilize foreign words used so frequently that we have essentially incorporated them into our English language,” Weber said.

Students premiered solo versions of “Englishized French” and “Englishized Italian.”

At the close of the concert, Vandewalker recognized Weber and encouraged the audience to meet the composer.

“I have never been recognized by an institution in this way,” Weber said. “It was quite an enjoyable afternoon.”

In addition to Weber’s pieces, the concert featured works by Mozart, George Shearing, Stephen Chatman and C.W. Cadman.

NEWS RELEASE       May 3, 2007
UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND ARTS OF OKLAHOMA - CHICKASHA
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