Dr. David Macbride To Receive 2011 Hartt Alumni Award 5/15

The Hartt School of the University of Hartford in Connecticut has announced that Dr. David Macbride will be the recipient of the 2011 Hartt Alumni Award. The Award will be conferred on Mr. Macbride, who received a Bachelor of Music degree from The Hartt School in 1973, during Commencement ceremonies on Sunday, May 15, 2011.

Of Eurasian heritage (his mother was born in Beijing), David Macbride was born in Berkeley, CA, in 1951. His principal teachers included Edward Diemente of the then Hartt School of Music, and Jack Beeson and Chou wen-chung of Columbia University, where he earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Macbride has written more than 200 works, ranging from solo, chamber, and orchestral music, to music for film, television, dance, and theatre, with particular emphasis on music for percussion. His compositions have been performed extensively in the United States and abroad. Performers of his work include the Hartford Symphony, the Arditti String Quartet, Percussive Arts Society International Convention, World Saxophone Congress, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Macbride's Percussion Park, a full length percussion ensemble installation, recently was premiered outdoors at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and will be performed by The Hartt Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Ben Toth on April 16.

Recent commissions include The Roberts Foundations New Work Initiative, Chamber Music America, Concert Artists Guild, and The Hartt School Community Division. Macbride's compositions are recorded on CONCORA, Hartt/Next Exit, Opus One, Owl, and True Media Recordings.

Macbride has been extremely active in bringing diverse music to the Greater-Hartford community, having produced numerous outdoor events in Elizabeth Park and other venues over the past twenty years. He regularly performs in schools and senior citizen homes, and received a University of Hartford Community Service Award in recognition of his contributions.

Macbride says of the award, "I am deeply honored to be recognized in this way. From the old days when Moshe (Paranov) was in charge, Hartt has always been a kind of family. When I studied composition at Hartt as an undergraduate in the early 70's, my mentor Ed Diemente (Professor Emeritus) took me under his wing and provided an ideal role model for what a composer should be. When I returned to Hartt in 1984 as a teacher, both Ed and Watson (Will) Morrison (who has taught at Hartt for more than 50 years) helped me assume my new role at the School. To be part of this tradition at Hartt is extremely gratifying. I also want to thank my own family Lisa, Jimmy, and Alma, for their continuous love and support over the years."

Macbride will be the guest speaker for The Hartt School's Paranov Performance Hour on Thursday, March 10, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, in Lincoln Theater, on the University of Hartford's main campus. This session will include Hartt's Chair of Composition Robert Carl interviewing Macbride about his experiences as an undergraduate composition major at Hartt, and what composing/teaching has meant to Macbride in terms of his career and as an artist. Macbride says, "Hartt has always had dedicated faculty who have served as role models for students. Edward Diemente, Watson Morrison, and many others were and are pillars of this institution. It is my hope that as part of the current faculty, I serve a similar role for students." "Goofing," a short percussion duo for xylophone and talking drum, will be played by Hartt students from the studio of Ben Toth. This event is free and open to the public.

The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded 90 years ago, Hartt has been an integral part of the University of Hartford since its charter merged the then Hartt School of Music, the Hartford Art School, and Hillyer College to create the University in 1957. 2010 marks Hartt's 90th year of providing world class performing arts education to students in Greater-Hartford and around the world. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, master classes, dance performances, and musical theatre productions a year, performance is central to Hartt's curriculum. For more information about The Hartt School, visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Chartered in 1957, the University of Hartford offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs in the arts, the humanities, business, engineering and technology, education, and the health professions. A "private university with a public purpose," its student body of 7,300 represents 46 states and more than 50 countries. For more information, visit www.hartford.edu.

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