Charles Staadecker '71 wanted to honor his alma mater and his 25-year marriage in a significant way, so he contacted the Seattle Symphony and commissioned a concerto dedicated to Cornell, in honor of his anniversary this month.

The 26-minute work in three movements will convey the journey of an undergraduate at Cornell, from admission to graduation.

"This concerto describes the relationship between the student and the university -- it's a dialogue, with the student's theme and the university's theme as two main voices," Staadecker said. "It relates to a person ready to embark on his life course full of optimism and passion."

The Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra, subtitled "Vita Accademica," was written by Grammy-nominated composer Samuel Jones. It will have its world premiere April 2 at Benaroya Hall in Seattle, with further performances April 4-5.

"The university theme is kind of an idealized alma mater-type theme," Jones said. "At times you will hear little hints of the Cornell alma mater, but it's not that exactly. It evokes all of the great alma maters, and in a sense speaks for the universalized college experience. Also, the third movement is very much marked by the sound of chimes, because of the famous carillon you have on your campus."

Staadecker, a Hotel School graduate, first approached the symphony in 2006 after hearing of an acquaintance's commission of a tuba concerto honoring her recently deceased husband. That inspired Staadecker to commission a piece for his 25th anniversary with his wife, Benita. (They have sent two children to Cornell -- Tess '07 and Benjamin '09.)

"The commissioning process itself is how things used to occur in the 1700s and 1800s, when families would hire an artist to do a work of art," Staadecker said. The symphony already had a new French horn concerto for 2007, he said, "and then the orchestra master said, 'You're the guy I'm waiting for -- I'm a trombone man. Wait'll you hear what a symphonic trombone sounds like, you'll be overjoyed.'"

The April performances will feature soloist Ko-ichiro Yamamoto, the symphony's principal trombonist.

"A concerto was a legacy gift to our city and to Cornell," Staadecker said. "What's important to me is that people see that they can do this in their communities. Commissioning a symphonic work is not out of the financial realm of most families.

"My hope is that it will be a lasting legacy and tribute to Cornell."