KEARNEY – A unique auditory experience awaits audience members at the University of Nebraska at Kearney as music professor Anthony Donofrio and celebrated pianist Ashlee Mack present “Altars,” an experimental work designed to inspire deep reflection.
The performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12 in the Fine Arts Recital Hall on campus. It’s free and open to the public.
Commissioned by Mack in December 2021 and reworked over the past two-plus years, “Altars” is a 75-minute composition for piano and percussion.
The piece draws from the enigmatic structure of the Square of Saturn, a 3-by-3 magic square in which every vertical, horizontal and diagonal line adds up to 15. This mathematical foundation is echoed in the music’s design, with repeated patterns and sounds forming a framework for introspection.
“‘Altars’ is a very slow, quiet and meditative piece – slightly different than your standard recital hall fare,” Donofrio said. “Listeners are invited to sit in mediation or contemplation throughout the performance, as the piece is meant to be a very introspective and solitary experience.”
The composition is divided into nine main sections, each tied to one of five natural elements: air, water, fire, earth and ether. With the exception of ether (section 8), each element has a corresponding pair of sections that sound similar. For example, the second and seventh sections, both representing water, are seven minutes long and feature uncoordinated phrases performed individually by each musician.
After premiering “Altars” in 2023, Donofrio spent six months revising the work into its current form. The result is a composition that reflects Donofrio’s musical philosophy – one that explores the fragile interplay between time and gesture while drawing inspiration from experimental literature and nonlinear narratives.
Donofrio’s music has been featured at prestigious festivals and performed by renowned contemporary music ensembles such as the International Contemporary Ensemble, Quince Ensemble, Longleash and many others. At UNK, Donofrio teaches composition, music theory and 20th century music history and directs the New Music Ensemble and New Music Series and Festival, which brings contemporary music specialists to central Nebraska for performances and workshops.
A contemporary music specialist, Mack has been performing and teaching for more than 20 years. She’s premiered numerous works and performed internationally in Germany, Italy and the Czech Republic.
Mack serves as the director of piano studies at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, and she co-founded the Khasma Piano Duo, an ensemble dedicated to performing and recording music by living composers. She’s been an artist-in-residence at several national parks, including the Grand Canyon and Everglades.
