West Fork New Music Festival Planned for September

The Fairmont State University School of Fine Arts is proud to host the second annual West Fork New Music Festival on the University campus on Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26.  Guest composers and performers from West Virginia, Ohio and Virginia will be in attendance.

Featured musicians at the festival are saxophonist Michael Ibrahim from West Virginia University and composer and tubist Tony Zilincik from Capital University. Zilincik will impress with music for tuba Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. accompanied by live computer-sound manipulation. Ibrahim will showcase his technical artistry at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday evening with exciting new works for the saxophone, assisted by pianist Ron Stabinski. 

Both performances, along with the West Fork New Music Festival, will take place in Fairmont State’s Wallman Hall Theatre and Ruth Ann Musick Library Multi-media Room A. Admission is free and open to the public. A complete schedule of events and additional information may be found online at www.danieleichenbaum.com/west_fork. 

“This is a special event for lovers of contemporary music,” said Dr. Daniel Eichenbaum, Assistant Professor of Music at Fairmont State and event organizer. “This is your chance to hear an incredible diversity of musical styles from the composers and performers living in our area and then meet them afterward.” 

Ibrahim’s playing has garnered him rave reviews: “The listener is in for an exciting ride,” said reviewer Paul Wagner for the Saxophone Journal. “Ibrahim completely captivated the audience through the sheer virtuosity and musical intensity of his playing,” wrote Kenneth DeLong for the Calgary Herald. 

“Michael Ibrahim is one of the top saxophonists of his generation.  For music-lovers, this event is a must see,” Eichenbaum said. 

Ibrahim is currently Associate Professor of Saxophone at West Virginia University. He will be performing works by Berio, Mincek, Heap, Wubbels and a work by Eichenbaum.

Zilincik is a published composer, tubist and Associate Professor of Music at Capital University. His concert will feature his own original works for tuba and electronics along with works by festival composers Mark Snyder and Mark Zanter. According to Zilincik, his concert will explore “a wide variety of moods and colors.” 

“If you’ve never heard a tuba perform along with computer-synthesized sound then you’re in for a real treat,” Eichenbaum said. 

In addition to his performance, Zilincik will be giving a tuba and electronic music improvisation workshop on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 1 p.m. 

More information about Michael Ibrahim may be found at www.michaelibrahim.com and more information about Tony Zilincik at: www.capital.edu/Academics/Faculty/Tony-Zilincik/.

Other featured composers include Matthew Harder from West Liberty University, Matthew Jackfert from NPR, Mark Phillips and Ciro Scotto from Ohio University, Mark Snyder from the University of Mary Washington, David Taddie from West Virginia University and Mark Zanter from Marshall University. One of festival organizer Eichenbaum’s compositions will also be performed at the festival. In addition to the musical performances, several of the composers and performers will be offering workshops on a variety of musical topics. 

All performances are at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25 and 26 in Fairmont State's Wallman Hall Auditorium. The workshops will take place in the Ruth Ann Musick Library Multi-media Room A. For more information, contact event organizer Dr. Daniel Eichenbaum at (304) 367-4169.

School of Fine ArtsMusicDaniel EichenbaumWest Fork New Music Festival