By Jared Morrison, Director of Performing Arts.Congratulations to Jorge Variego, this year’s Individual Artist Fellowship recipient in Music Composition. Growing up immersed in the music of Astor Piazzolla and Argentine folklore, Variego’s work resonates with characteristic rhythmic structures and harmonic colors that reflect his diverse musical upbringing. His compositions, as he describes, are “small sonic worlds” that defy categorization, seamlessly blending jazz, tango, rock, and experimental elements, creating music that exists “between the cracks” of conventional genre definitions.
Born in Rosario, Argentina, he is a former Fulbright Scholar and is currently on the Music Theory/Composition faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and is the composition program director at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival. Actively involved with technology in sound and music, Variego has been a pioneer in the field of interactive computer music, having created and performed a great deal of works for clarinet and electronics in the US, Europe and South America.
We commend Jorge Variego on this well-deserved recognition. His artistic journey continues to captivate and enrich the global music community, promising new realms of exploration and creativity in the years to come.
Celestial Virtuosity March 4, 2025 – Coca-Cola Space Science Center, Columbus, GA
Presented under the immersive dome of the planetarium, Celestial Virtuosity featured a curated program of acoustic works enhanced by live visual design by Jorge Variego. Video projections responded in real time to the music’s structure, gesture, and affect, transforming the dome into a multidimensional space for listening and seeing. Highlights included Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Fantasía para Guitarra y Piano performed by Ben Richardson and Magdalena Nikolajuk, and Schubert’s Impromptus (Op. 90, Nos. 1 and 2) interpreted by Estalla Yunying Chen and Ben Badgett. The evening concluded with Herman Beeftink’s Frequency: Celestial Meditation, performed by the CSU Flute Ensemble under Dr. Andree Martin.
Our Paris tour was a blast. We got to share concerts of all original music to full houses with extremely receptive audiences. Always a treat to play with Matías Pedrana and Ignacio Santoro. I think we will come back!
Nuestro tournée por París estuvo genial. Pudimos compartir conciertos de música original a salas llenas y con un público extremadamente receptivo. Siempre es un placer tocar con Matías Pedrana e Ignacio Santoro. Creo que vamos a volver
In a few days we will be doing a few shows in Paris. New repertoire for the Variego3 with Jorge Variego (clarinet and compositions), Matías Pedrana (bandoneon) and Ignacio Santoro (double bass). We will be performing at the Casa Argentina in Paris, the Embassy, and La Belleviloise. All during the week of March 10th. Super excited about this, if you are around, meet us there, it is going to be special! / Muy pronto estaremos presentando material nuevo en París. Repertorio inédito para esta formación del Variego3 con Jorge Variego (clarinete y composiciones), Matías Pedrana (bandoneón) e Ignacio Santoro (contrabajo). Vamos a pasar por la Casa Argentina de Paris, La embajada, y La Belleviloise. Todo durante la semana del 10 de Marzo. Muy ilusioné, ojalá nos podamos ver en la metier. A seguir metiéndole!
Resumen: Los Sonidos de la Naturaleza y la Meditación Budista
Este artículo examina la relación entre los sonidos de la naturaleza y la práctica de la meditación budista. Se centra en la integración de esos sonidos en entornos de meditación, explorando cómo contribuyen a la profundización de la experiencia meditativa y a la conexión con los principios fundamentales del budismo.
La investigación aborda la importancia histórica de los sonidos naturales en la tradición budista, destacando su papel en la creación de un ambiente propicio para la contemplación y la atención plena. Se explora cómo los sonidos de la naturaleza actúan como un elemento facilitador para alcanzar estados meditativos más profundos y la transmisión de esta práctica a lo largo de las diferentes escuelas budistas.
Asimismo, se examinan las percepciones contemporáneas y científicas de la influencia de los sonidos de la naturaleza en la mente durante la meditación. Se presentan estudios de caso y evidencia empírica que ilustran cómo la integración consciente de estos sonidos puede potenciar la concentración y mejorar la calidad general de la experiencia meditativa.
Según principios generales, el sonido en la meditación budista no es solo un estímulo externo, sino una puerta hacia la comprensión interna. A través de la escucha atenta, se busca la conexión con la realidad presente y la expansión de la conciencia. Este trabajo contribuye a la comprensión de la intersección entre la espiritualidad budista y la naturaleza, abogando por una aplicación más consciente de los sonidos naturales en entornos de meditación budista.
I am excited to announce the start of a new monographic recording project, featuring my original compositions. This collection includes works for piano, two pianos, and viola with piano, showcasing a variety of forms and textures.
Dr. Rosângela Yazbec Sebba is Professor of Piano at Mississippi State University, where she coordinates the piano area and the Community Music School. She is proud to have initiated the All-Steinway School, a 12-year initiative completed in 2024. She teaches applied lessons, piano literature, and theory. Her college and pre-college students have received numerous awards and honors for their performances and presentations in regional, national, and international competitions and conferences.
In demand as a clinician and adjudicator, she regularly presents workshops and lecture-recitals on repertoire and pedagogy throughout the country. She has also served as a guest artist and clinician for various associations in the US and abroad.
Her performances encompass solo, chamber music, one piano four-hands, and two pianos four-hands repertoire. Her CD album, Eight Sonatinas and the Sonata for Piano Solo by M. Camargo Guarnieri, was released in 2010 as the first and only recording of these works. The album has been featured on David Dubal’s classical piano programs: The Piano Matters on WWFM, Reflections from the Keyboard on WQXR, both New York City radio stations, and his lecture at the Cervantes Institute.
As a committed proponent of contemporary music, in 2017, Dr. Sebba released a chamber music CD on the Centaur Label – Millennia Musicae, featuring works by Stravinsky, Bill Douglas, and the premiere of a trio for piano, bassoon, and clarinet, as well as a quartet for piano, bassoon, clarinet, and violin by Mississippian composer Shandy Phillips. In addition to being the principal pianist of the Starkville/MSU Symphony Orchestra, she has been a soloist with other orchestras in Brazil and the United States, performing a wide repertoire from Mozart and Beethoven to Camargo Guarnieri and Saint-Saëns.
Currently, she is a reviewer for the American Music Teacher Magazineand has published arrangements of Brazilian music for various instruments.
As a sought-after chamber musician, she has collaborated in recitals and masterclasses with renowned artists and has given recitals, masterclasses, lectures, and lecture-recitals across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. She has participated in national and international conferences such as the College Music Society, International Villa-Lobos Conference, London International Piano Symposium, LIII Música en Compostela, International Double Reed Society, and National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors.
Dr. Sebba is an active member of local and state music teacher organizations, currently serving as the Golden Triangle Music Forum Secretary, District Audition Chair, and VP for Pre-College Evaluations for the Mississippi Music Teachers Association. She is also a member of several national and international associations, including the Music Teachers National Association, College Music Society, CARAVELAS – Núcleo de Estudos da História da Música Luso-Brasileira, National Federation of Music Clubs, World Piano Teachers Association, and National Association of College Wind and Percussion Instructors.
In 2013 Rosângela was recognized as a Steinway Artist, in 2022 and 2023 she received the Steinway Teacher of the Year and in 2023 she was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teachers Hall of Fame as a member of the hall’s fifth induction class. Also, in 2023 she received the Mississippi Music Teachers Association Outstanding Teacher Award and in 2024 she was nominated the Mississippi representative for the 2025 Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Teacher of the Year Award. In 2024 Dr. Sebba was named a Mississippi State John Grisham Master Teacher.
In the first recording session, Dr. Rosangela Sebba performed Zamba Después, a solo piano piece. The recording engineer at Mississippi State University was Dr. Richard Human, also from MSU!
Live version of Tango Blues by Jorge Variego
Recorded at the Bijou Theatre, in Knoxville, TN on September 26 2024. Audio engineer: Mischa Goldman.
Variego3
Jorge Variego (clarinet and composition)
Matías Pedrana (bandoneón)
Taber Gable (piano)
Rob Linton (bass)
Action shot of the UT Electroacoustic Ensemble at the CMS/ATMI National Conference last week in DC. Our topic was around Cornelius Cardew Treatise where each of the ensemble members is empowered to contribute to the sonic landscape, fostering an environment of mutual respect and creative autonomy. Music with students is better music! R to L Amanuel Day, Carrie Bass-Callahan, SIena Fulton, and yours truly. / Una foteli del Ensamble Electroacústico de UT en la Conferencia Nacional CMS/ATMI la semana pasada en DC. Nuestro tema fue el “Treatise” de Cornelius Cardew, donde cada uno de los miembros del ensamble contribuye al paisaje sonoro en un entorno de respeto mutuo y autonomía creativa. Música con alumnos es mucho mejor música! A seguir metiéndole.
Knoxville, TN. The Variego3 concert at the Bijou Theatre on September 26th was a notable performance blending jazz, tango, and contemporary chamber music. Jorge Variego (clarinet and compositions), Taber Gable (piano), Matías Pedrana (bandoneón), and Rob Linton (bass) delivered a compelling program inspired by the music of the Río de la Plata. The ensemble’s sound fused traditional tango elements with modern jazz harmonies, creating a unique blend that resonated with the audience.
The concert featured intricate improvisations and harmonic textures, showcasing the virtuosity of each musician while maintaining a cohesive group dynamic. The addition of the bandoneón brought an authentic Argentine flavor, further enhancing the concert’s thematic focus. One audience member described the performance as “a warm and organic experience with a modern edge,” reflecting the group’s ability to bridge past and present styles.
This concert, a collaboration with the Knoxville Chamber Music Society, was praised for its innovative approach to chamber music, combining classical, jazz, and folk traditions in a fresh, engaging way. – Nathan Greene
Join us this Thursday at the Bijou Theatre – 7PM for our first collaboration with the Knoxville Chamber Music Society. “Music from el Rio de la Plata” will include works by Astor Piazzolla, Gustavo Beitelmann, Miguel Del Aguila, Ariel Ramirez and Jorge Variego.An outstanding string quartet featuring Evie Chen and Sarah Ringer (violins), Hillary Herndon (viola), and Max Geissler (cello) will open the concert. The second part will include new music by the Variego3 with Jorge Variego (clarinet and compositions), Matías Pedrana (bandoneón). Taber Gable (piano) and Rob Linton bass.
Venite este jueves al Bijou Theatre a las 7:00 p. m. a nuestra primera colaboración con la Sociedad de Música de Cámara de Knoxville.“Música del Río de la Plata” incluirá obras de Astor Piazzolla, Gustavo Beitelmann, Miguel Del Aguila, Ariel Ramírez y Jorge Variego.Un cuarteto de cuerdas (que la rompe) con Evie Chen y Sarah Ringer (violines), Hillary Herndon (viola) y Max Geissler (cello) abrirá el show – entre otras cosas, van a tocar Four for Tango de Astor! La segunda parte incluirá música nueva de Variego3 con Jorge Variego (clarinete y composiciones), Matías Pedrana (bandoneón), Taber Gable (piano) y Rob Linton (bajo).
🎶 The Sewanee Summer Music Festival’s composition program has wrapped up with an impressive finale! We celebrated over 15 premieres, 3 orchestral miniatures, inspiring composition seminars, and much more. Our young composers thrived at the University of the South. 🌟
(only a selection of images here!)
Kudos to Sayer Gage, Wallace Vaughan, Kat Carpenter, James Gaudi, Luca Terrasi, Jacob de Roode, Claire Kwon, and Riley Hylkema for their amazing work!
