THE OLDFATHER-WYMAN DUO
Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at Rockland Conservatory of Music - 10:15 AM
present:

"BESIDE MYSELF" or
"Not In Your Grandmother's Duet Bench"

Playing Piano duets into the 21st Century
 
 
Fredrica Wyman and Christopher Oldfather will offer up a program of duets from the 20th and 21st centuries, along with some modern pedagogic duets. They will discuss the value of instrumental duets not only for the fun of music-making but also to help in learning complex rhythms, in learning to listen and also in improving sight-reading skills.
 
The program will include:
 
7 Duets (2005) and Etude-Fantasies (2009) by Brandeis composer David Rakowski
Selections from Musical Alphabet (1973) by Soulima Stravinsky (son of Igor Stravinsky)
8 Waltzes - "Drei Wundershöne Mädchen Im Schwartzwald"(Op.6, 1916) - by Paul Hindemith
"Plural of Blue" and "Unsubscribe"(2009) by NYC composer Dan Cooper
 
 
 
The Oldfather-Wyman Duo has been performing together since the 1970's, when they met at Macalester College as students of pianist Donald Betts. They have been married since 1973. They have two daughters, two wonderful sons-in-law and are also grandparents of Raquel and Caroline.
 
Chris has a career performing new music and more traditional music as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician with various ensembles including: Collage New Music, NY Philomusica, Speculum Musicae, American Composer's Orchestra, New York New Music, and Riverside Symphony. He is also sought after for his skills as a vocal accompanist and coach. He has made numerous recordings, most notably music of Elliot Carter with the Juilliard String Quartet, which was nominated for a Grammy. He has premiered many new compositions, working in close collaboration with living composers. He teaches at the Manhattan School of Music in their CP Program for the Performance of Contemporary Music as well as coaching and performing as part of the Composers Conference at Brandeis University each summer.
 
 
Tedo (Fredrica) has a career as a piano teacher and as a collaborative pianist locally. She was Artistic Director of GraceMusic from 2006-2013 and President of RCMTG from 2011-2017. Duet playing began from a very early age with her dad, John Wyman, a fine pianist and composer. Her work with RCMTG continues to be a source of interest and engagement. Being a grandma, gardener and poet consume whatever other time she has when she isn't practicing. She counts herself lucky to have at home a partner who finds great weird music to learn and play!