Stephenson/ Western Illinois University Chamber - Devil's Tale

Using Stravinsky's final percussion solo from The Soldier's Tale as inspiration, James M. Stephenson's "sequel", The Devil's Tale, picks up right where Stravinsky leaves off and, infused with clever palindromes, comes full circle by ending where the Stravinsky begins: on a "hot and dusty road." Stephenson's works have been hailed as having "straightforward, unabashedly beautiful sounds" and "deserve to be heard again and again!" (Boston Herald) Commissions for solo works have come from principal players in the symphonies of Chicago, Boston, the NY Phil, and Philadelphia Orchestra, among others. His landmark educational work, Compose Yourself! (2002), has now been performed over 250 times.