ForrestWorks

Fall Events

Dan’s fall schedule includes:

• A trip to Osaka, Japan with Charles Anthony Silvestri for the premiere of Himenami by the Tenjo Hanabi Choir, September 15, 2013, in the acclaimed Izumi Hall. In a beautiful gesture of musical collaboration between nationalities, the piece will be performed in Japanese with the Tenjo Hanabi accompanist at the piano, and also in English with Dan accompanying.
• A Composer Festival at First UMC of Birmingham, Michigan, which will include several of Dan’s choral anthems, some brand-new published anthems, and two movements of Dan’s acclaimed Requiem for the Living, all with Dan accompanying.
• The premiere of a new setting of Hark The Herald Angels Sing by the combined choirs of Westminster Choir College at their annual Readings and Carols service at Princeton Chapel, in December 2013.

New Piano Collection- “Illuminations”

Dan’s first piano book in several years, Illuminations, is now in print with Beckenhorst Press. Click here for ordering. These hymn settings, (listed below), arranged with rich colors and sonorities, are designed not only to be musically satisfying, but also to highlight the texts of the hymns, bringing new dimensions of life to their meaning (hence, the title of the collection). The book contains several transcriptions of existing (best-selling) choral anthems, as well as new arrangements.

How Great Thou Art (transcription)
The King of Love My Shepherd Is (transcription)
Morning Has Broken (new arrangement)
My Jesus I Love Thee (transcription)
Nearer Still Nearer (transcription)
Rejoice the Lord is King (new arrangement)
When I Survey (transcription)
Nearer, My God To Thee (transcription of a new choral anthem)
Arise My Soul Arise (transcription)

Summer Premieres

Four of Dan’s new pieces will be premiered this summer:

• Who Can Sail Without a Wind?, the newest piece in Dan’s Folk Songs of America series, will be premiered by the Hopkins High School Choir, conducted by Philip Brown, May 28, in Minnetonka, MN. The piece is an arrangement of an old Swedish folk song (for SATB chorus and piano, four-hands) that would have been sung by Scandinavian immigrants in Minnesota, in early settling days.
• Jesus, Lord, We Look To Thee will be conducted by Anton Armstrong at the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts Convocation in Pittsburg, Thursday July 18. This anthem (a new setting of a Charles Wesley text) was commissioned to be premiered at this national convocation.
• Cantate Canticum Novum will be premiered in Dublin, Ireland, the last week of July, at the World Choral Festival. Both Dan and Charles Anthony Silvestri (who wrote the new text for the piece) will be in residence, with Dan accompanying and Tony singing in the choir. The piece will be performed (along with others of Dan and Tony’s works) at the National Concert Hall of Ireland, Christ Church Cathedral, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral (pictured).
• The chamber version of Requiem For the Living will be premiered by Bel Canto at the Hinshaw Celebration Gala Concert in Raleigh, NC, on August 2. For information on attending, click here.

Requiem UPDATES, as of July 9

Dan’s Requiem for the Living, a 45-minute work for chorus and orchestra, was premiered this spring by the  Hickory Choral Society (pictured, in rehearsal), to critical acclaim. (The review can be read here.)

Video of two of the five movements is available on the Media page, or on Dan’s Youtube channel (click the Youtube icon over on the right, under “Connect”).

The Requiem will now be published by late July/early August by Hinshaw Music, and will be featured at the Perspectives Workshop in Santa Fe, NM, in July, and the Hinshaw Celebration in Raleigh, NC, August 2-3. Several performances are already scheduled:

• The Hinshaw Celebration, where Dan will be a featured clinician, will feature the premiere of the chamber-instrumentation version, by the Bel Canto company, August 2. For information on attending, click here.
• October 12- Festival Singers of Florida (Dr. Kevin Fenton) concert features the Requiem, at Winter Park Presbyterian Church.
• The New York premiere of the Requiem will be in Carnegie Hall, January 19, 2014, through DCINY, conducted by Dr. Jamie Meaders (Mississippi College).
• Additionally, the Requiem will be performed in Alice Tully Hall April 26, 2014, conducted by Dr. Gary Schwarzhoff (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire).
• Other performances are being planned; further details will be available as they are confirmed. For more information on the Requiem, please contact Dan.

World Choral Fest, July 2013: Dublin, Ireland

Dan will be composer-in-residence at the 2013 World Choral Fest in Dublin, Ireland, July 21-27. The festival attendees will be staying at Trinity College and will be preparing a concert of music which will be performed at the historic Christ Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and the National Concert Hall. The concerts will include three of Dan’s pieces- one of which will be the world premiere of a new collaboration between Dan and Charles Anthony Silvestri (who will also be there for the week, singing in the choir). For more information, visit the World Choral Fest site.

Four Performances at National ACDA in Dallas

Dan will have four pieces performed at the national ACDA convention in Dallas, in March, including two commissioned premieres:

• Dance of Exultation, premiered by the Indianapolis Youth Chorale (Cheryl West) (Wed 8:00 PM, Thurs 4:30 PM)
• The Music of Living (new version for TTBB with additional instrumentation), premiered by the Arlington High School Varsity Men’s Chorus (Dinah Menger) (Wed 8:00 PM, Thurs 4:30 PM)
• University of North Texas A Cappella Choir (Dr. Jerry McCoy) will perform Entreat Me Not To Leave You (Wed 12:00 PM, Thurs 12:00 PM)
• National High School Honors Choir will perform The Nightingale from Two Colonial Folksongs on their concert, Saturday at 2:45 in the Hyatt Regency- Landmark Ballroom.

Spring 2013 Residencies

Dan will visit three universities this spring as guest composer:

• Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) Jan 21-22. Dan will work with the University Singers on their commissioned piece, Long Long Ago, and meet with graduate music students as well as undergraduate conducting students.
• Northland International University (Dunbar, WI) April 1-2. Dan will speak in various classes, rehearse with choirs, and accompany a concert of his music.
• Westminster Choir College (Princeton, NJ) April 9. Dan will be the guest speaker for the Sacred Music Lab.

Dan will also be a guest artist at Westminster Choir College for their new Summer Worship Institute at Westminster Choir College, August 1.

For more information, visit Dan’s Calendar page.

Spring 2013 Premieres

Upcoming premieres, spring 2013:

• Feb 3 “Eternal Father, Strong To Save (The Navy Hymn)” premieres at the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC.
• March 13-16 Three premieres at national ACDA in Dallas, TX: “The Music Of Living” (new TTBB version with additional instrumentation), “Long, Long Ago” (Florida State University), and “Dance of Exultation” (Indianapolis Youth Choir).
• March 24 “Requiem for the Living”, premiered by the Hickory Choral Society and orchestra, Hickory, NC.

For more information, and more events on Dan’s calendar including residencies, appearances, workshops, etc, visit the Calendar page.

Southern California Residency

Dan will be in residence in the Los Angeles area, at The Masters College and Vanguard University, in late September. Masters College events include teaching various classes and private lessons Sept 20-21, a large all-Forrest concert with massed choirs, wind ensemble, and orchestra the evening of Sept 21, and reading sessions the morning of Sept 22. Dan will minister at Grace Community Church and Santa Clarita Baptist Church, Sept 23. Vanguard University events include speaking in classes, seminars, and rehearsals Sept 26-28, as well as ministry at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church Sept 30. More info here and here.