Performance
Dennis is an active performer, in addition to the numerous solo performances he has performed in various ensembles including the: Northern Illinois University Wind Ensemble and Philharmonic, The Fox Valley Brass Band, a brass quintet, and a Traditional Jazz Quintet. He can be found performing around Northern Illinois, if you are interested in attending a concert please visit our upcoming concerts page. Dennis is also an active proponent of new music, having premiered pieces, commissioned works, working closely with composers, and participating in several New Music events including a 24-Hour Concert and a live Movie Music Concert at Northern Illinois University. In the 24-Hour Concert composers and musicians were paired 48 hours before the premiere, the composers then had 24 hours to compose a piece for their performer(s) and then the performer received the piece 24 before the concert. This was fantastic to work on collaboration and communication between the performer and the composer. The Movie Music concert was a project where composers wrote new film scores for public domain films and then had a live pit perform the music while screening the film.
I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.”
John Cage
Passing Euphoria:
From Music to Art Through the Tuba Family
In Passing Euphoria I set out to engage the audience in a multifaceted performance incorporating Art and Music into a concert setting. I worked with talented composers to commission 8 new works for tuba and euphonium. The goal of this project was to promote collaboration and dialogue between composers, performers, and artists. In addition to this, we also set out to capture the atmosphere and emotion in the moment of the performance through the lens of visual art. We hoped to capture the feelings and emotions felt by the artist represented by her painting.