Composers Showcase

Our Composers Showcase is a new MOMF event that explores the art of composing from the perspective of the composer. This year’s event features Larry McDonough and the Larry McDonough Quartet.

The Quartet will present original pieces from the project SpecAbilities, in which children with disabilities write melody fragments and we write pieces based on the melodies. Larry has composed several pieces based on melody fragments written by the children. He created harmonies and rhythmic patterns to fit the melodies. Since the children wrote melodies unrestricted by conventional music training, they pushed him to use unconventional harmonies, rhythms and meters. An example is Funkabilty, where Lucas Jacobson and Jack Thuleen wrote angular melody fragments which Larry used as long tones over a ostinato funk bass line. It was performed by the Larry McDonough Quartet on the CD Alice in Stonehenge and other AcoustElectric Adventures, give it a listen HERE.

The event will be at the Arts Center of Saint Peter, following our “Songwriters in the Round” segment, Thursday, July 18, 2024, 8:00 pm. The Composers Showcase is co-produced, streamed and recorded by Triple Falls Productions of Mankato. The Larry McDonough Quartet includes Larry on piano and keys, Richard Terrill on saxes and poetry, Craig Matarrese on bass, and Dean White on drums.