Greg Barrett with Olli Virtaperko
Greg Barrett, professor of clarinet in the NIU School of Music, recently returned from Helsinki, Finland, where he performed at the CD release concert of the ALBA label CD, “Eliangelis, Contemporary Finnish Music for Clarinet(s).”
Mikko Raasakka is the main clarinet artist on the CD, and Barrett joined him in commissioning and recording 25 minutes of new works for two clarinets, and clarinet and bass clarinet by Olli Virtaperko and Riikka Talvitie.
The new CD, ALBA 368, is in the Super Audio CD, Multichannel 5.0 format, and plays on all SACD and CD players. Barrett has previously released “The Finnish Clarinet,” ALBA CD 126 on the ALBA label.
The commissioned works were performed at the concert, and Greg and Mikko were joined by clarinetists from the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra as well as Sibelius Academy doctoral clarinet students for a performance of Steve Reich’s New York Counterpoint.
While in Helsinki, Greg met with composer Riikka Talvitie to advise her in contemporary playing techniques for the new work she is composing for clarinet and steel pan for NIU steel pan professor Liam Teague and Barrett.
