BT天堂

PRESS RELEASE
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS
COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS AND COMMUNICATION
April 5, 2011
CONTACT: Kelly Johnson, (501) 450-5758; kjohnson@uca.edu

ASO PRINCIPAL CLARINETIST, BT天堂PROFESSOR RELEASES CD

By Chelsea Stockdale
College of Fine Arts and Communications Media Office

CONWAY 鈥� Kelly Johnson, principal clarinetist for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and associate professor of clarinet at the University of Central Arkansas, has released a new CD titled 鈥淐hild鈥檚 Play鈥�.

The CD is full of music she has commissioned and has enjoyed throughout her career and most importantly was inspired by her young son, Aaron, 8.

鈥淎ll of the pieces have something to do with a story, song or dance.鈥� Johnson said.

Several of the pieces were written for the CD.

Songs on the CD include pieces by Eric Mandat (鈥淭he Moon in My Window鈥�), Rodney Rogers (鈥淒ance Duo鈥�), J.M. David (鈥淒istrocto鈥�), Philip Parker (鈥淢erry Music鈥�, 鈥淕rooves鈥�, 鈥淪tory Hour鈥�), and Dejan Despic (鈥�9 Dances鈥�).

鈥淥ne of the pieces, 鈥楳oon in My Window,鈥� was written for my son.鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t takes you through a day in the life of a child.鈥�

The piece was inspired by the children鈥檚 book by Crocket Johnson titled Harold and the Purple Crayon.

鈥淭he song titled 鈥楧istrocto鈥� was written for the CD and is based on a student鈥檚 drawings,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淭he composer was teaching at a public elementary school at the time and there was a student there that did these really interesting graphic drawings, and it inspired the piece.鈥�

The idea for the CD came after an international performance by Johnson.

鈥淚 had just performed 鈥楪rooves,鈥� one of the pieces on the CD, in Japan, and it was well received,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淚t occurred to me that it would be fun to put together several pieces that had something to do with a story, song or a dance. As a mother of a young child, the idea appealed to me.鈥�

For more information, visit www.justforwinds.com/clarinet to hear clips of the pieces. The CD may be bought there for $16.95. Johnson also has copies for sale; contact her at (501) 450-5758 or kjohnson@uca.edu.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very personal project and special to me because my son was the inspiration,鈥� she said.