McNair, Tahere play prominent roles in CSO events this week Composer luncheons

What are you for lunch today?

At press time, there were still seats available for a Meet the Composer Luncheon with Jonathan McNair, whose “Earthen Man” will be featured in the Sunday, Oct. 2, Chamber Series concert by the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera.

During the CSO’s 201617 season, the orchestra will perform compositions from six living composers, and five will be guests for a Thursday luncheon. Still to come are Kendra D’Ercole on Oct. 20; Douglas Hedwig on Feb. 16, James Stephenson on March 2 and Ola Gjeilo on April 27. They’ll talk about their background, inspirations, compositions and what to listen for in each concert.

Luncheons take place at noon, starting today, Sept. 29, in the Bluff View Art District’s River Room inside Renaissance Commons, 411 E. Second St.

The one- hour luncheons will grant opportunities to meet the composers and hear them talk about their works while enjoying a lunch prepared by Bluff View chefs.

“Earthen Man,” written for string quartet and baritone voice, features six songs on poetry by Wendell Berry, composed by McNair in 2009 and 2010. McNair, a University of Chattanooga Foundation professor, is coordinator of doing › › › Feb. 16: › March 2: › April 27: music theory and composition at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

“The music draws inspiration and influence from a range of sources, including bluegrass, the blues, the great art-song tradition, opera and a touch of the avant-garde,” McNair has said. “The music seeks to convey the sense of the texts through the melodic lines, rhythms and harmonic and textural colors, thus supporting the words as they are sung (by the baritone).”

Baritone David Tahere, assistant professor of music at Covenant College, will be featured in Sunday’s Chamber Series concert, which has separate admission.

Tickets are $35 for each luncheon.

For reservations, go to www. chattanoogasymphony.org; click on Events, then CSO in the Community. Or call 423-267-8583.