The Millsaps College Department of Performing Arts and the ACS Orpheus Alliance joined together to present an academic conference celebrating the life and work of Milton Babbitt, a central figure in history of music in the 20th century. Babbitt, a native of Jackson, Mississippi, returned home to be honored guest at the conference. The mayor of Jackson and the governor of Mississippi sent proclamations declaring November 1 to be Milton Babbitt Day in the state of Mississippi. The conference, led by Millsaps Prof. Lynn Raley, featured nine presentations including those by noted Babbitt scholars Andrew Mead (University of Michigan) and Stephen Peles (University of Alabama). In addition to the presentations, there were informal discussion sessions and two evening concerts. The October 31 concert was given by Luna Nova, the ACS new music ensemble (http://www.colleges.org/~music/ensembles.html). The program contained works by Milton Babbitt and George Crumb, as well as works by Birmingham Southern College composers Charles Mason and Dorothy Hindman and by Luna Nova conductor James Romig. William Anderson, guest guitarist from the Sarah Lawrence College, also played two Babbitt works on this program. The second concert, sponsored by the Bell Concert Series in Jackson, was given by the internationally known pianist Robert Taub, whose program included works by Beethoven, Scriabin, Chopin, Liszt, and Babbitt.
Plans for ACS participation in this event began at the ACS New Music Festival in July. The goal was to encourage undergraduate student composers to attend a professional academic conference at which they could meet a pivotal figure in the history of 20th century music as well as a number of nationally known scholars in the field. The response was excellent with a total of thirteen ACS students, eleven ACS music faculty and the Luna Nova ensemble being directly involved. The Orpheus Alliance is looking for opportunities to involved in similar events with other member institutions. Contact: Patricia Gray gray@colleges.org