October 21, 2003

Guitar great, Princeton prof Steven Mackey featured at new music festival

Steven Mackey

2003 Festival of New American Music - Schedule of Events

Celebrated contemporary composer, electric guitar virtuoso and Princeton University professor Steven Mackey will be a featured performer and lecturer during the 26th annual Festival of New American Music at California State University, Sacramento Nov. 5 to 16.

Mackey is returning to his regional roots with his appearance at the festival. He began his professional musical career playing electric guitar in Northern California rock bands and attended UC Berkeley, where he did his undergraduate work. Advanced degrees from the University of New York and Brandeis University followed. In 1985 he joined the faculty at Princeton as a music professor.

A prolific new music composer, Mackey has created works for orchestras, chamber ensembles, dance and opera. His compositions have earned great critical acclaim and been performed worldwide. Mackey has refocused on the electric guitar while at Princeton and has toured internationally, performing his original concertos, solo and chamber compositions on the instrument.

Mackey will be among the artists kicking-off the festival, one of the oldest annual events dedicated to modern music in the nation, during its opening Gala Performance at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the Sterling Hotel in downtown Sacramento. Other Mackey events during the festival include a composer’s forum, performances and concerts based on his work by new music groups eighth blackbird and MOSAIC. A highlight will be Mackey’s keynote address “Whim and Rigor: Finding a balance between discipline and spontaneity,” noon, Monday, Nov. 10 in Capistrano Hall at CSUS.

For more information, contact the CSUS music department at (916) 278-5155. For media assistance, contact public affairs at (916) 278-6156.

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