Old Dominion University Libraries Honoring Allan Blank with Concert Feb. 4
January 25, 2017
Allan Blank
Old Dominion University Libraries will host a concert to celebrate the late Richmond composer Allan Blank on Saturday, Feb. 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Chandler Recital Hall in the F. Ludwig Diehn Fine & Performing Arts Center.
The concert, titled "The Lighter Side of Allan Blank" and directed by Andrey Kasparov, a professor of music, will include faculty members and students from Old Dominion's Music Department, as well as professional musicians from the area, to showcase Blank's works.
A New York native, Blank received numerous awards, grants and commissions. He won the Eric Satie Mostly Tonal Award for his string trio "Fantasy on Cantillation Motives" in 1988. Blank won the Lind Solo Competition in 1989, and he was awarded a grant from the Virginia Commission of the Arts for his "Concerto for Clarinet & String Orchestra" in 1990. Blank received three commissions from the Virginia Music Teachers Association in 1979, 1988 and 1991 and two commissions to write music for the Virginia Shakespeare Festival in Williamsburg.
Blank was one of the earliest donors to the Old Dominion University Libraries' special collections in music, in 1999. The collection, the Allan Blank Papers, contains more than 40 boxes of materials encompassing original compositions, sketches, correspondence, programs, photographs and other materials.
"One of Blank's favorite pastimes was to drive with his wife, Margot, to ODU to listen to his works played and sung by ODU music students during the annual student concert held at the Reading Room of the Diehn Composers Room," said Elizabeth Hogue, music librarian and organizer of the event. "The audience and students admired his engaging personality and wit as he discussed his works."
Blank admired the Diehn Composers Room and its mission to foster the growth of contemporary music in the University and local music communities. He remained a contributor and faithful advocate of the Diehn Composers Room's music special collections and events until his death in 2013.
Performers include:
Nancy Klein, conductor
Patti Watters, flute/piccolo
Paul Kim, violin
Oksana Lutsyshn, piano/harpsichord
Kevin Clasen, clarinet (student)
Andrew Leoboldt, oboe (student)
Hyorim Kim, flute
Andrey Kasparov, piano
Kelly Montgomery, contralto
Elizabeth Hogue, soprano
Brian Nedvin, tenor
Old Dominion University Diehn Chorale with Bobbie Kesler-Corleto, piano