Thursday, September 12, 2013

The University of Iowa Center for New Music, housed within the UI School of Music, will present a free concert by violinst Wolfgang David and Center for New Music director and UI piano faculty member David Gompper at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, in the Senate Chamber of Old Capitol.

The concert program is as follows:

  • Nuance, for solo violin by Gompper
  • Violin Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 80 by Sergei Prokofiev
  • Ikona for violin and piano by Gompper
  • Dikhthas, for violin and piano by Ianni Xenakis
wolfgang david portrait
Wolfgang David

In the space of a few short years, David has ensconced himself on the international stage, both as a recitalist, and as a guest soloist with many leading orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, and the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra. The winner of many competitions and prizes, David has performed in major halls such as Konzerthaus and Musikverein Hall in Vienna, Carnegie Hall in New York, Cerritos Center in Los Angeles, the Wigmore Hall in London, Victoria Hall in Geneva, and Philharmonie in Cologne.

david gompper portrait
David Gompper

Gompper has lived and worked professionally as a pianist, a conductor, and a composer in New York, San Diego, London, Nigeria, Michigan, Texas, and Iowa. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London with Jeremy Dale Roberts, Humphrey Searle, and pianist Phyllis Sellick. After teaching in Nigeria, he received his doctorate at the University of Michigan, taught at the University of Texas, Arlington, and since 1991 has been professor of composition and director of the Center for New Music at the University of Iowa. In 2002-03 Gompper was in Russia as a Fulbright Scholar, teaching, performing, and conducting at the Moscow Conservatory. In 2009 he received an Academy Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters in New York City.

Gompper and David met in 2000, when the latter was on a concert tour of the United States. They began to work together as a performer and composer, which resulted in 11 works composed by Gompper especially written for David, including a Violin Concerto, recently performed by David and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and recorded for the NAXOS label.

The School of Music is part of the Division of Performing Arts in the UI College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to attend this concert contact the School of Music in advance at 319-335-1603.

For a UI arts calendar and details about upcoming events visit the Arts Iowa website.