The annual Spring Festival of New Music, presented by The University of Toledo Department of Music, showcases a range of genres of new works of music. This year’s festival celebrates new music for chamber ensembles and electronic music media. Highlights of this year’s Festival include the announcement of the winners of the 25^th Annual Craig’s Keyboards/UT Young Composers Contest, and will conclude with a performance from guest blues artists, Martin and Marshall.

 

The concert schedule:  (The following concerts are at 7 p.m. in the UT Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall. Each of these events is free.)

Friends and fellow blues musicians, Mary Martin and Betsy Marshall, frequently perform together when they are not playing their regular gigs. Both are also frequent, popular players on college campus stages across the country. While living in Austin, Texas, Betsy became the back up guitarist for Mance Lipscomb and also performed as a solo artist on Austin stages.  In Cleveland, Betsy was a frequent performer at the Smiling Dog Saloon, warming up for some of the nations finest jazz and blues players. She later lived in Boston where she did solo and studio work along the east coast.

Mary tours often with her band The Ninth Street Tuna Band, spending much of her time between Chicago and Cleveland.  She has had the opportunity to work closely with many great legends of the blues, including Koko Taylor and Hubert Sumlin.  Mary has released 2 CD’s on the Tuna Music Label. Her music has received glowing national and international airplay.

For more information about Martin and Marshall, visit http://martinandmarshall.com/index.html