The UMKC Conservatory is proud to note that 2nd year DMA composition student Dylan Findley received a Graduate Student Travel Award from UMKC through SAFC and traveled to Brazil to participate the São Paulo Contemporary Composers Festival with his piece I see men as trees, walking which was premiered by Quarteto L'Arianna on September 24, 2018. The performance was held at the Catedral de Sé, the historic cathedral in downtown São Paulo. He was one of 18 other participants from around the world to have a composition performed professionally and receive a studio recording (other participants hailed from Brazil, Israel, South Africa, Russia, South Korea, China, and the Czech Republic, in addition to the United States).
Dylan traveled to Colombia and Brazil September 29–October 13. In Medellin, Colombia, he gave a lecture-recital in Spanish on his own compositions, performing on clarinet. In Brazil, the UNICAMP Symphony Orchestra premiered I Go a Fishing, commissioned by the Sao Paulo Contemporary Composers Festival Orchestral Commissioning Project. Also, theorbist Alexandre Ribeiro premiered Findley's Courtly Dance.
Other activities during the festival were master classes by Brazilian musicians, including Flo Menezes, Daniel Murray, and Hercules Gomes, and by guest composer Justin Dello Joio, visits to cultural sites, and great food.
Congratulations, Dylan!