Dr.Robert Young McMahan will present the World Premiere of his new composition for accordion and piano, “Romp III” at the Greater Princeton Steinway Society on Sunday, November 13th, 3 PM. The concert takes place at Jacobs Music, 2540 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville, NJ. Admission $18 individual nonmembers, $10 full time students. Founded in 1989, the Greater Princton Society is dedicated to developing the talent of young piano students.

Taiwan-born pianist Joanna Chao’s performances have been described by the New Britain Herald “stunning exhibition of virtuosity and style”. A strong advocate for new music, she is a member of the critically acclaimed Argento Chamber Ensemble. Robert Young McMahan is an award-winning composer, noted and recorded classical accordionist. The program will include works by Schӧnberg, Bach, Lerdahl, Bartok, McMahan (world premiere of a work for accordion and piano), Liang, and Liszt.

Besides his numerous published articles, Dr. McMahan has been featured in articles by others in Keyboard Magazine, The Music Connoisseur, High Fidelity, Who’s Who in American Composers:  Classical, and several other highly regarded publications

“Romp I” was composed in 2005 for violin, accordion, and piano.  It was premiered at the 2005 AAA Master Class and Concert Series, at the Tenri Institute, by violinist Ruotao Mao, pianist Tomoko Kanamaru, and the composer on accordion. 

Dr.Robert Young McMahan and Dr. Paul Cohen (Soprano Saxophone) presented the World Premier of Dr. McMahan’s composition, “Romp II” at the Tenri Cultural Center. The premiere was held during the 17th Annual 2011 AAA Master Class and Workshop Series organized and hosted by AAA Board member, Dr. William Schimmel. The composition was very enthusiastically received by the audience.

A native of Washington, DC, Robert McMahan began his musical career at age twelve when he became an accordion student of Louis Coppola. He later won many first place awards in the Amecian Accordionists’ Association national competitions in classiscal and contemporary original music divisions in the 1960s. In addition, he earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in composition from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with Robert Hall Lewis, Jean Eichelberger Ivey, and Stefan Grove. He also holds a master’s degree in the Great Books program at St. John’s College.

He joined the music faculty of the College of New Jersey in 1991, where he is Professor of Music and coordinator of theory and composition studies and classical accordion. As a noted classical accordionist, he has tirelessly promoted the instrument in serious contemporary music across his entire career.

Robert McMahan has recorded on the CRS and Orion labels and was accordionist for the Baltimore Symphony during his years of residence in that region. Presently, he is an officer of the Board of Governors of the American Accordionists’ Association and is the chair of its Composers Commissioning Committee.

Robert McMahan will also play in The Flexible Orchestra which will perform Guy Klucevsek’s “Suite for Accordion and Orchestra” on November 9th at 8:PM. at 509 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, NY. $15 General Admission,$10 Members/Students/Seniors

For further information: grillmyr@gmail.com