NSU Professor's Composition Performed by Saint
Louis Symphony Orchestra
Norfolk, Va.-Norfolk State University's
Composer-In-Residence Nkeiru Okoye's (pronounced N-kear-roo O-koy-a)
original composition titled The Genesis will be performed by the Saint
Louis Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, April 1. The composition will be
played as part of the finale of the orchestra's annual Festival of African
and African-American Music. Special soloist playing the marimba on The
Genesis composition will be former Miss USA Debby Turner.
Professor Okoye wrote The Genesis in 1995 while she was a student at
Rutgers University. The work, which as been described as an "African
soundscape", won the Rutgers graduate student composer composition competition
in 1995. Professor Okoye also received the American Society of Composers,
Arrangers and Publicists grant (ASCAP) for young composers for this
body of work.
She came to Norfolk State University in August 2000. She will receive
the doctorate in music theory and composition from Rutgers University
in May. Prior to service at Norfolk State University, Okoye served as
an adjunct professor of music technology at Bloomfield College in New
Jersey, composer-in-residence at Washington Academy of Music in East
Orange, N.J. and a Ford-Mellon Grant Researcher at Oberlin College in
Ohio.
The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Maestro Julius
Karr-Bertoli and will feature the works of several composers from around
the country and the University of Arkansas Inspirational Singers.
For more information, call the office of News and Media Relations at
823-8373.
Norfolk State University
700 Park Avenue
Norfolk, VA 23504 USA
University Operator: 757-823-8600
