Composer Jocelyn Hagen is scheduled to give a performance of her works Wednesday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. in NDSU’s Beckwith Recital Hall. The recital is free and open to the public. Hagen is artist-in-residence for the NDSU Challey School of Music.
Hagen will sing her compositions at the performance, which will include guest artists Timothy C. Takach, composer and vocalist; Cicely Parnas, cellist; and Peter John (Spearfisher), electronic musician, composer and pianist. John and Hagen will perform their new single, “Bones,” available on Spotify and iTunes.
Hagen composes music that has been described as magical, dramatic and moving. Last year, Hagen was commissioned by the International Federation of Choral Music to create a new work for the World Choral Symposium in Barcelona, Spain. The piece, “Hands,” was premiered by the Swedish Vocal Art Ensemble, under the direction of Jan Yngwe. She was the only American, and the only woman, to be commissioned by the federation for the symposium. Hagen’s music is performed by choirs all over the world, and she has been commissioned several times by NDSU to write music for their ensembles.
Takach was a founder of Cantus, the male vocal ensemble, and sang with them for 17 years. His compositions have been performed on “A Prairie Home Companion,” the Boston Pops Holiday Tour, and at venues such as the Library of Congress, Kennedy Center and Royal Opera House Muscat. Takach and Hagen perform together as a band called Nation, specializing in pop acappella duets. Their debut EP, “My Life Around You,” is available on Spotify and iTunes.
In 2012, Parnas made her Carnegie Hall concerto debut, performing the Saint-Saëns Concerto with the New York String Orchestra under the direction of Jaime Laredo. She toured France performing the Saint-Saëns Concerto with L’Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire. Other international appearances include her participation in the 2013 Young Concert Artists Festivals in Tokyo and Beijing.
John is a classically trained pianist and composer, and creates electronic music under the name “Spearfisher.” John writes a variety of music for theater, dance, film, chamber groups and concerts.
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