NEXTET, the contemporary music series at the UNLV School of Music features twentieth and twenty-first-century concert music performed by faculty, students, and guest artists. Directed by Jennifer Bellor, NEXTET’s September concert will feature music by Jennifer Bellor, Viet Cuong, Timothy Hoft, Tasos Peltekis, Steve Reich, and Jenni Watson. Some of these pieces will involve delay pedals and other electronics, some will blend improvisation sections within the composition, and others will showcase the process of phase shifting.

Opening the concert is Viet Cuong’s Naica for bass clarinet and delay pedal performed by Robert Mitchell (MM’21).  The next two piece on the program will feature performances by UNLV faculty. Saxophonist Shawna Pennock will play Open Tower by Jenni Watson, and pianist/composer Timothy Hoft will give the world premiere of his Three Inventions for piano and electronics.  

The program will continue with two works including electric guitar, blending improvisation in sections of the composition. Jennifer Bellor’s A Smile and a Sigh for soprano and electric guitar will be premiered by graduate students Olivia Yokers (soprano) and Tasos Peltekis (electric guitar). Closing the first half of the program is the premiere of Tasos Peltekis’ Mirrors for string quartet, electric guitar and piano performed by faculty and students including Peltekis (electric guitar), Evyn Joseph and Leanna Oliver (violins), Andrew Vasquez (viola), Jeayoung Jo (cello), and Jennifer Bellor (piano). Tim Warren is the conductor.

UNLV faculty Jonathan Rhodes Lee and Timothy Hoft will close the Nextet concert with an exciting performance of Steve Reich’s Piano Phase on two harpsichords. 

This event is free and open to the public. For any questions, please email Dr. Jennifer Bellor.