Press release for Immediate release

Admission is free.

On Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 7:30pm, Conservatory of Music of Brooklyn College, the Department of TV and Radio, and HISAM will present a memorial concert of the music of Terry Winter Owens. An award-winning internationally published composer, Terry's primary focus was on chamber music and it is these timeless works that are featured in the program. Her music has been performed all over the world – on every continent, primarily in the US and Western Europe. Terry suffered from leukemia for many years; she passed away in July 2007. She finished her last work just one month before she died.

The program features a stellar cast of performers, including: Morris “Arnie” Lang, Richard O'Donnell, the Reizen Ensemble, the Duo Gastesi-Bezerra, Scott Mayfield, Josh Frank, Isabelle O'Connell, David Gould, Christine Perea, and actress Sylvia Rhyns. Works for solo piano, two pianos, piano trio, percussion ensemble and solo instruments will be presented.

Introductory remarks by Dr. Brian Willson and Joseph Pehrson.

There will be a reception following the concert.

For further information, please visit http://www.terrywinterowens.com, http://www.gc.cuny.edu/events/ or call 718-951-5792.

Owens’ long time interest in astronomy, astrophysics and the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke inspired her to include narration with many of her works. Her works are not program music in the sense of 19^th century instrumental program music that was intended to arouse mental images or create a mood. Owens said “the music does not attempt to describe any process or phenomena. Rather, the titles, the narration and the music itself may convey some of the feelings that were generated in me as I studied various astrophysical concepts. These concepts inspired the music and the text.” Some of the text also includes her English translations of Rilke’s poetry.

Owens won numerous awards, including two First Prizes in the IAWM’s Miriam Gideon contest; Second prize in the 1^st annual CJAM (Contemporary Japanese and American Music); Finalist in the Whitney Museum Duo Piano Festival competition; Third place at the Concorso Internazionale Ennio Porrino; Semi-Finalist at the Omaha Symphony Competition. Her collection of children’s music, “Confetti” was selected best of the year by Piano Quarterly in 1969.

Owens’ works are featured on seven CDs, two of which consist entirely of her music. Two more CDs of her music are in production.

Her publishers include Universal Edition, Doblinger, Carl Fischer and E.C. Schirmer.