Lincoln (Neb.) - Nov. 27, 2000 - "Music of the spheres" means a little more to University of Nebraska-Lincoln astronomer Martin Gaskell than just contemplating the workings of the heavens.
One of his hobbies is composing classical music and on Nov. 28 a group from the UNL School of Music will give the world premiere of a woodwind quartet composed by Gaskell. The concert is free and open to the public and begins at 6:30 p.m. in the recital hall of Westbrook Music Building, 12th and R streets.
"Although when people think of me they seem to think of astronomy, there really isn't much astronomical about this particular composition," said Gaskell, who admits that some of the quartet was sketched on a cloudy mountaintop when he was waiting to use one of the world's largest telescopes to study giant black holes. He said the quartet is in what would be called a lyrical style, rather than the harsh dissonant style of some contemporary classical music.
Although he has been an astronomer all his life, Gaskell plays several instruments and he said that during high school he gave some serious thought to a possible career in music. "I decided that I was not a good enough performer so I went into astronomy, but music remains one of my big passions," he said. "I consider myself very fortunate to teach now at a university with such a good music school."
Performers in the concert, all from the UNL School of Music, are Jenny
Englin (flute), Beth Murphy (oboe), Gretchen Anderson (clarinet), and
Dave Baker (bassoon). The program also features a prelude and fugue by J.
S. Bach and four contradances by W. A. Mozart.
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