Keith Buckner with music he will play at Engineering of Music Concert

Keith Buckner, a graduate composition student in the College for Fine, Performing and Communication Arts (CFPCA) will debut his new musical composition for two cellos in the Engineering Development Center’s Danto Auditorium next month.

The piece is titled “k = 0.5mv2: Can't Tell Where You're Going, Only How Fast You'll Get There.” "It's the equation for kinetic energy," Buckner explains. "It can calculate speed but not direction. It kind of describes the piece." It's a formula familiar to any mechanical engineering student.

The new piece will be part of the "Music of Engineering" concert which will feature the talents of College of Engineering staff, faculty and students. Buckner's piece will be played by Amar Basu, electrical engineering professor, and Martin Brosnan, a civil engineering student and member of the concrete canoe team.

Buckner’s musical history is extensive. In the 1980s he was one of the original members of the Detroit rock band Majesty, whose reunion album recently sold 5,000 copies. Ten years ago, Buckner shifted his attention to classical music and studied composition with James Hartway, Wayne State professor of music. He received a bachelor's degree in music composition and currently is working on a master's degree. Buckner's fans from his rock days have followed his shift to classical music, and as a classical composer, Buckner is in demand. He has accepted several commissions , including one that has already been recorded. His “Prentis Street Sonata” appears on the “Tiger Stadium Postcard”Limited Anniversary Edition” album.

The “Music of Engineering” concert is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on October 22, 2010, following three lectures on sound engineering topics at 5:00 p.m.