New Recording Release Supported by the EU

 ON RMA LABEL IN LONDON

A recording of composer Rodney Waschka's trumpet concerto, Winter Concerto, has been released on the RMA label in London. The London Schubert Players chamber orchestra recorded the work for a compact disc called "As You Like It". The recording, supported by a grant from the European Union, features Huw Morgan performing on trumpet. Pianist Anda Anastasescu founded and serves as the Artistic Director of the London Schubert Players (LSP). 

The recording is part of the Invitation to Composers Project funded by European Union Culture Fund, Programme 2007-2013. Other contributors included the London Schubert Players Trust, the Lionel Tertis Foundation of London, the Romanian Cultural Institute of Paris, and the Romanian Cultural Institute of London.

Waschka, Professor of Arts Studies at North Carolina State University, composed the piece in the winter of 2009 with the help of computer programming procedures known as genetic algorithms. The work, scored for trumpet, piano, and strings, is in three movements and makes use of the Romanian folk song, "Jiana" as transcribed by Lyuben Dossev. "I divided the folksong into three parts, and used one part in each of the three movements of my Winter Concerto," Waschka said.

Winter Concerto, written for the LSP chamber orchestra, received its world premiere in Enescu Hall in London on July 8, 2010, performed by the LSP. Other works recorded on the CD include pieces by Camille Saint-Saens and  Hans Werner Henze.

Trumpeter Morgan, Brass winner of the British Broadcasting Corporation's "Young Musician of the Year" in 2006, was the youngest ever winner of the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Solo Competition in 2005, and completed a rare double by becoming the youngest winner of the ITG Orchestra competition in 2008.  

Waschka, known for his computer music and his theatrical works including two operas, is an internationally recognized expert in computer music. He wrote the chapter on composing with genetic algorithms for the book, Evolutionary Computer Music, published by Springer. His pieces are widely performed and have been recorded on the Capstone, AUR, Centaur, and IRIDA labels in the USA, on the PeP label in Canada, and on the Ama Romanta and Plancton labels in Portugal.  His works are published by Borik Press and ACE.