Composition Student Adam O'Dell Guest Composer at Oklahoma State University

Composer and second year BGSU MM candidate Adam O'Dell will be traveling to Stillwater, Oklahoma from November 9-11 to serve as the guest composer for the Oklahoma State University Symphony Orchestra's "American Landscapes" concert. His commissioned work, "To Dust," will receive its world premiere alongside works by Aaron Copland, Howard Hanson, and a world premiere from the late composer Ernst Bacon.

The piece was written to celebrate Dr. Thomas Taylor Dickey's inaugural season as conductor of the Symphony. Composed using Americana-style harmonies, O'Dell's piece derives its motivic material from cryptograms of the conductor's initials "TTD" and the ensemble "OSU." The work's title, "To Dust," is an anagram of the two sets of initials, referencing the Oklahoma Dust Bowl and honoring the resilience of the people who weathered the great droughts and storms.

O'Dell will spend time working with the orchestra, communicating with audiences about his process and inspirations, and attending the concert as a featured artist.