The Wister Quartet, a nationally-renowned and Grammy-nominated chamber ensemble, opened their 2016-2017 season with a premiere performance of a song composed by students from MMI Preparatory School.
The Wister Quartet, along with guitarist Allen Krantz, performed “Song for Peace,” which MMI students composed last fall, on October 17 for the 1807 & Friends Concert series at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. The concert featured music of famous composers such as Boccherini, Barrios and Brahms, as well as a world premiere from Frank James Staneck, in addition to the professional premiere of “Song for Peace.”
During a Young Composers Workshop in November 2015, the students worked with Wister Quartet cellist Lloyd Smith to create a musical composition. Together they worked out the melody, harmony, rhythm, mood and the story behind the music. The workshop was held just after the tragic San Bernardino shootings. In the concert program, Smith wrote, “Students wanted to bring people together for healing from this horror through their music. The musical ideas which sprang from this workshop were powerful and moving. Out of these ideas, I arranged a piece for the school orchestra, directed by Christine Lizbinski, to play sided by side with the Wister Quartet and guitarist, Allen Krantz. “Song for Peace” was one of three student compositions created at our workshops, and featured at this concert, for their orchestra to play with our ensemble in April 2016.”
Smith described Song for Peace as “a most extraordinary piece of music created by sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students at MMI Preparatory School. He explained that “the music opens with anxiety, then replays the memories of violence. After the violence comes healing, and a measure of tranquility is restored.” While real life is more complex than envisioning the possibilities of community and healing, Smith stated that the Wister Quartet was so moved by the yearning qualities of this composition that they wanted to perform it professionally.
MMI’s Orchestra Director, Christine Lizbinski, was honored to attend the professional premiere of “Song for Peace” and was introduced to the audience during the concert. “It is not every day that a professional music group performs a musical composition created by students from MMI Preparatory School. This is a tremendous honor for our school, our students and the MMI music program,” Lizbinski stated. “As the string teacher and orchestra director, I am honored and humbled by these accolades for our school. This truly shows how having a performance music program at our school benefits our students’ growth and appreciation of the arts.”
The Wister Quarter, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, made its 13th consecutive visit to MMI this year. The performance is made possible through the support of Dr. James W. Feussner ’65 in memory of Elizabeth Feussner. The school and students are anticipating the 2016-2017 Young Composer workshop as well as the Wister Concert Performance in March 2017.
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