UNA Faculty Composer’s Music Premiers with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Soloist

Oct. 27, 2026

Michelle R. Eubanks , UNA, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392

FLORENCE, AL – A new composition by University of North Alabama faculty member Dr. Martin Hebel premiered during violinist Alexandra Conunova’s solo debut with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra earlier this month at Cincinnati’s Music Hall.

Dr. Hebel, a composition and music theory lecturer in UNA’s Department of Music, composed For Common Purpose, which Conunova performed as a surprise encore. Commissioned specifically for the occasion, the piece builds on Aaron Copeland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, celebrating shared humanity while encouraging international understanding and cooperation.

“Receiving a commission to compose for this special occasion was a joy and privilege,” said Dr. Hebel. “I am honored to compose for the inspiring violinist Alexandra Conunova, especially for her solo debut with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in celebration with Cincinnati’s musical heritage. It was the thrill of a lifetime to return to Cincinnati to witness her exhilarating performance firsthand.”

An award-winning composer, Hebel has received the Zemlinsky Prize and won The American Prize eight times. He was also inducted as an Honored Artist of The American Prize in 2025. His music has been performed by prominent ensembles throughout the United States and Europe, including the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Columbus Symphony, Riverside Symphony, and Filharmonie Brno.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; the Spencer College of Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I and United Athletic conference. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: www.una.edu and www.una.edu/unaworks/.