Tonight's concert at the University of Southern California (USC)
in Los Angeles will present 23 compositions specially written for
the player piano.  Here are a few highlights of the article that
was published today in the Los Angeles Times:

  'Player Piano Project' features new works on an old instrument
  The USC concert will roll out 23 specially written compositions

  By Chris Pasles, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
  February 12, 2008

  'The Player Piano Project'
  Where: Alfred Newman Recital Hall, USC
  When: 7:30 Tuesday (Feb. 12)
  Price: Free
  Contact: (213) 740-2584

  "The Player Piano Project," featuring 23 works by composers from
  five countries, is the brainchild of USC composer Veronika Krausas,
  who was inspired after her landlords gave her a player piano a few
  years ago for Christmas.  They had tried to sell it, but nobody
  wanted to buy.

  "It was a beautiful instrument, and it seemed a shame to have it as
  just a piece of furniture," says Krausas.  "So I got the idea, why
  not ask all my friends who are composers to write some music for it?
  It was a wacky, far-out thing to do."

  The composers, it turned out, agreed. ...

MMDers Bob Billings and Dave Saul helped with editing and perforating
the music rolls.  Read the complete L.A. Times story at

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-et-pianola12feb12,1,7643943,full.story

Robbie Rhodes, MMDigest