NEWS

Gryc's Masquerade Variations on a Theme of Sergei Prokofiev was performed by the United
States Marine Band during its national tour in October and November of 2004. The work was
heard in the states of Maryland, Kentucky, Illinois, Kansas, Utah, Idaho, and Washington.
Assistant Director Michelle Rakers, who conducted the performances, said that it was good to be
able to tour with "a work of such depth and quality" and that the piece "kept us on our toes." US
Marine Band Director Michael Colburn said that the piece was enthusiastically received by the sell-
out audiences even though it was much different than most of the other music on the program. The
Masquerade Variations is one of Gryc's most frequently performed works with recent
performances at Northwestern University, Illinois State University, and at the northeast regional
conference of the College Band Directors National Association in a performance by the University
of Hartford Wind Ensemble. The score to Masquerade Variations was published by Carl Fischer
in November of 2004.

A new compact disc by the Duo Essence, flutist Helen Richman and pianist Jenny Mitchell,
features an outstanding performance of Gryc's Shadowdance. The CD is on the Capstone label
(CPS-8738) and features ten works from various eras that all invoke the dance. Duo Essence, a
New York based ensemble, performed Shadowdance in March of 2004 at St. Paul's Chapel in
Manhattan. Helen and Jenny adopted the name of Gryc's piece as the title for their CD. (View the
recordings cover and find a link to Capstone Records in the CD Gallery.)

Gryc was the featured composer at the 2004 Festival of Contemporary Art Music held at
Washington State University in Pullman. The festival concluded on February 21 with an all-Gryc
concert in which the faculty and students of WSU performed five works: Shadowdance for flute
and piano, Dream Vegetables for voice, clarinet, violin and marimba, Fantasy Variations on a
Theme of Bela Bartok for oboe and string quartet, Evensong for trumpet and wind ensemble, and
Masquerade Variations on a Theme of Sergei Prokofiev for wind ensemble. The concert was
preceded by a reception in Gryc's honor attended by President Lane Rawlins and other
university officials. During his stay in Pullman, Gryc also presented two lectures about his music and
met individually with WSU composition students.

Stephen Gryc talks with Washington State University President Lane Rawlins.

The Avalon String Quartet performed the premiere of Gryc's String Quartet at the Leo Rich
Theatre in Tucson on February 18, 2004. The work was commissioned by the Arizona Friends of
Chamber Music. The Avalon String Quartet is currently in residence at Indiana University at South
Bend and has won numerous honors including the top prize at the 2000 International Music
Competition of the ARD in Germany and the Grand Prized at the 1998 Fischoff Chamber Music
Competition. During 2004 the Avalon String Quartet also performed Gryc's work in South
Windsor, Connecticut and at a benefit concert for the Goddard Riverside Community Center in
New York City.