Wabash alumnus Allen Schulz ’87 will premier his new opera "Gargoyle Garden" on Sunday, October 29, 2006 Queens, New York. His composition, with libretto by award-winning playwright Jeff LaGreca, will be performed in workshop style and later move to Manhattan for a full-scale production at Symphony Space next season.
The Astoria Symphony and the singers of the Opera Company of Astoria will be performing the first production, under the baton of Astoria Symphony's Music Director, Silas Huff. The concert begins at 6:00 p.m. at the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at 43-19 30th Avenue in Astoria.
Schulz, the executive director of the Astoria Symphony, says, "This opera was commissioned as part of a children's arts and culture project, so the opera is aimed at children (although is suitable for adults, too)."
Also on the concert that evening, dubbed "A World of Fantasy," will be Camille Saint-Saens' "Carnival of the Animals." The concert is part of the symphony’s popular education series. The Halloween-themed evening includes a costume contest, a scary scream contest, giveaways, games and more.
Schulz, a philosophy major at Wabash and member of Lambda Chi Alpha, has worked to develop the Astoria Symphony, a newly established professional symphony in Queens now in its fourth year. His work involves composing music, writing grants, and "I also get to move the piano and haul music stands from our offices to our performance venues!"
Schulz also runs a composers’ consortium called Random Access Music, which presents three or more concerts each year of its members’ music. Random Access Music allows Schulz to premier three or four new compositions each year.
When not composing or developing the Astoria Symphony, Schulz also serve as a consulting editor for G. Schirmer Music Publishing in their new works and premieres department.