New music takes the stage

This Thursday and Friday, April 26 and 27, the Third Angle Music Ensemble will present its New Ideas in Music Concert at Lincoln Hall. The concert will feature the six winning compositions of the New Ideas in Music competition.

The competition was put on by the Third Angle Ensemble, a contemporary musical group with a revolving roster of guest artists, including players from the Oregon Symphony and Portland Opera. The ensemble is led by Ron Blessinger, a member of the Oregon Symphony.

“There’s more people writing music today than ever before. There’s this wealth of music from the past that we can draw on, but there’s very talented composers that are doing great work now,” said regional winner Justin Ralls. “I think that the composers of the past would be disappointed in us for not focusing on new music.”

The competition was split into three categories: regional, national and international. The first place winners and runners-up in each category will be performed. All the compositions are previously unperformed, so this will be the world premiere of the pieces. But only the regional artists—Ralls and the regional runner up, Dr. Greg Steinke—can make it to the premiere.

Ralls’ own piece, “Anthrophony,” is inspired by nature. In fact, it includes a soundscape track that was recorded at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.

“My piece is inspired by how the environment creates its sound, and how it’s a very musical and wonderful sound, and I think we should listen to it,” Ralls said. “It’s not just contemporary music; it’s also environmental music.”

Ralls hopes that students who attend the concert will keep in mind that “music is just music.”

“These days we’re so badgered into having a context forced upon our listening experience. Some people would think about something differently if they knew it was by a certain artist or a certain kind of performance,” Ralls said. “But I think about the music that I write the same way I think about anything I listen to. People should have that kind of attitude; there’s showing up to hear music, and that’s it.”