Student Composers Forum

Program

PART ONE

This Place Holds Space, 2026  |  Will Hermanowski (2000)  

Bird Birmingham (horn), Dean Kyle Johnston (percussion), Will Hermanowski (melodica)

Program note: Give those ears a break and exist in this space.

 Jabberwocky (2025)  |  Nicholas J. Trevino (2006) 

Nicholas J. Trevino (Voice) & Eleanor Margraf (Bassoon)

Program note: A setting of “Jabberwocky” by Lewis Carroll

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

      And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

      The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;

      Long time the manxome foe he sought—

So rested he by the Tumtum tree

      And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,

      The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,

      And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through

      The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!

He left it dead, and with its head

      He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?

      Come to my arms, my beamish boy!

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”

      He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

      And the mome raths outgrabe.

— Lewis Carroll, 1871

Fairy Footprints (2026)   |  Szu-An Chen (2001) 

Liam Battle, cello

Program note: Fairy footprints can only be found if you look closely.·.˙⋆.˚ ⊂⌹ ส̖ ˖.𑖔 ށ ˖𓓃. ށ˖⬒˚.⋆. ށ

Todestrieb (2023)  |  Lukas James Bass (2003)  

Rachel Moeller (Flute)

Skratch! (2026)  |   E.M. Gaspar (2002) 

Jake Loitz - Baritone Saxophone

Program note: Skratch! is a bombastic piece that mixes the style and sounds of DJ record scratching with classical ideas and development, all within one short piece.

Small Forest in the City (2026)  |  Gabe Manisco (2001)  

Saxophone Quartet: Jake Loitz, Chandler Creedon, Hannah Huddle, Helen Kangas

Program note: Portrays the feelings one might get when entering a patch of greenery surrounded by an overwhelming concrete jungle.

Four on the Floor (2026) | Peyton Gray (2001)

Helen Kangas, soprano saxophone; Chandler Creedon, alto saxophone; Alex Dale, tenor saxophone; Jake Loitz; baritone saxophone 

Program note: Four on the Floor takes inspiration from EDM and house music by emulating certain techniques commonly used in those genres, such as key clicks and slap tonguing to represent drum beats, and repeated sets of notes and phrases to represent sampling. The result is a piece reminiscent of the music of Daft Punk and Justice. The title has a dual meaning — this piece is written for four players, and the term four on the floor refers to a steady rhythm in 4/4 with bass drum hits on every beat, frequently used in EDM, house, disco, and other genres.

Werkin (2026)  |  Christian Glascock (2000) 

Jordan Weir, bassoon and fixed media

Program note: "Werkin" uses audio from a Nelson Sullivan video from 1984 that outlines the struggles of the life of Drag Queens at that time. The audio features the voice of a young Ru Paul after a performance one night in New York City. This piece amplifies the struggle of queer people at this time in history, and gives the opportunity to highlight these queer artists whos own struggles challenged rigid norms around gender and identity that have greatly influenced the lives of queer people almost 50 years later. 

INTERMISSION

I only know one chord on guitar (2026)  |  Collin McEneaney (2000) 

Collin McEneaney, guitar, no-input mixer

Program note: It's D Major

Aria (2026), for voice and baroque ensemble  |  Eleanor Margraf (b.2006) 

Nicholas J. Trevino - voice, Eleanor Margraf - alto recorder, Noah Simon - harpsichord, Dominic Gomez, cello

Program note: I baroque it...

Text by Eleanor Margraf

I Step Into Infinity (2026)  |  Lucas Sparrow (2003)

Violin - Gabe Manisco; Piano - Shawn Muench

Accepted: I. Shock, II. Lost, III. Acceptance  |  Bradlee Keaffaber (2001)  

Emily Dyko: Flute, Shawn Muench: Piano, Peyton Gray: Trombone

Program note: Accepted is a journey through processing my emotions in multiple mediums as I navigated through certain events in my past. This piece represents a reflection and also a testament to what I’ve gone through and how it had made me who I am today. I can say now that I am thankful for this journey and am now able to see the goodness of these particular emotional struggles.

$VP3RP|-|411V$, (2026)  |  Orson Abram (2002) 

The Big Su Saxophone Quartet: Garrett Evans, Jake Loitz, Sam Valancy, Adam Hanna, Saxophone Quartet

Program note: saxophone as orifice. saxophone as vessel. saxophone as body. saxophone as prosthetic. saxophone as sonic warfare. saxophone as interface. saxophone as technological device. saxophone as engineered tool. saxophone as disembodied being. saxophone as iconography. saxophone as ritual. saxophone as artifice. saxophone as representational object. saxophone as resonator.

where am i? (2026)  |  Ezra Simmons (2003)  

Ezra Simmons (synths)

Program note: A glimpse into my upcoming drum and bass album, "Ego Must Die"