(bright music) (energetic music) - [Narrator] Performing this week on "Expressions," the Manhattan Contemporary Chamber Ensemble.

(energetic music continues) (gentle music) "Expressions" is made possible by the support of viewers like you.

Thank you.

(audience clapping) - Welcome to "Expressions."

I'm your host, Adara Alston.

We have a classical treat for you tonight, as Richard Auldon Clark returns to the Southern Tier with a performance from his Manhattan Contemporary Chamber Ensemble.

Over the last 30 years, Richard has led the group as artistic director, Richard actually performed in this very building when it was Willow Point Elementary School, back in the 1970s.

- So, my first musical experience memory was being a kid at Tioga Hills Elementary School right up here in the Vestal School District.

And they brought around musical instruments to the kids in beginning of fourth grade.

And I went crazy for the violin.

And the teacher was Enrico Zizzi, who owned the old Guitar Center on the Vestal Parkway.

And he became a major, major, major influence in my life, and one of my most favorite teachers of all time.

In fact, right here with WSKG is I played several times at Willow Point Elementary School with the string program 'cause Mr. Zizzi took me all over to play.

And it was just, it just became, you know, that moment in your life when you know this is what I'm gonna do for the rest of my life.

And for someone to only be nine years old and know that, that's incredible.

And that's because of one teacher, one great teacher.

(energetic music) (playful music) (lyrical music) (gentle upbeat music) (energetic music) (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gently moving music) (gentle flute music) (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (poignant music) (playful music) (playful music continues) (playful music continues) (poignant music) (poignant music continues) (gently moving music) (gently moving music continues) (lyrical music) (lyrical music continues) (quiet agitated music) (gentle flute music) (agitated music) (agitated music continues) (agitated music continues) (gentle music) (energetic music) (audience clapping) - You are watching the Manhattan Contemporary Chamber Ensemble on "Expressions."

And we have more from the group coming right up.

A reminder that you can visit wskg.org/expressions to access bonus content for this episode, including a complete version of the song you are about to see now.

Here is Richard Auldon Clark, Christine Moulton, and Urara Mogi performing "Bookends."

(energetic music) (mysterious music) (energetic music) (energetic music continues) (playful music) (energetic music) (mysterious music) (energetic music) (energetic music continues) (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle upbeat music) (gentle upbeat music continues) (gentle music) (gentle music continues) (gentle upbeat music) (gentle upbeat music continues) (gentle music) (gentle upbeat music) (gentle music) (agitated music) (energetic music) (gentle music) (gentle flute music) (agitated music) (agitated rhythmic music) (ominous music) (agitated music) (energetic music) (gentle music) (agitated music) (Richard laughs) (audience clapping) Our final piece of the evening is truly unique as it springs from an unlikely friendship.

In the early 1990s, Richard Auldon Clark met acclaimed author, Kurt Vonnegut, and over the next 15 years, the two got along so well that he was asked to write an opera based on one of Vonnegut's final works.

Here is Richard discussing how much writing the piece meant to him.

- And the piece is so personal and so directly connected to things in his life.

And that's what makes the piece.

It's not, oh, it's a great composition, or, well, you really understand composition.

No, it's a personal, this is a person I revered and adored, and this is how I honor him.

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