School of Fine Arts Presents Five Musical Events
The Fairmont State University School of Fine Arts is presenting a variety of upcoming musical events, which are free and open to the public.
Guitar Ensemble
The Guitar Department, under the direction of Dr. Patrick Joyce, will perform a concert of ensemble guitar music at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 30, in Room 229 of Wallman Hall.
Music selections will be diverse, ranging from Bach to Scott Joplin, and from the 16th to the 20th centuries. The performing guitarists are Matthew Bradley, Gregory Hayhurst, Sean Lee, Joshua Lucas, Tristram Salisbury and Logan Sindledecker.
Jazz Ensemble
The Department of Music will present a concert by the FSU Jazz Ensemble at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, in Wallman Hall Theatre.
The following jazz pieces will be performed: “April in Paris” by Harburg & Duke (arranged by Rick Stitzel); “El Conquistador” by Mike Carubia; “Haven’t Met You Yet” by Bublé, Chang & Gillies (arranged by Cy Payne) with guest vocalist Greg DeVito; “Wind Dancer” by Jon Phelps; “Absolutely Awesome” by Lennie Niehaus; “Wizard Wheezes” by Nicholas Hooper (arranged by Victor Lopez); “Mambo Italiano” by Bob Merrill (arranged by Cy Payne), with guest vocalist Dani DeVito; “Pure Imagination” by Bricusse & Newley (arranged by Craig Skeffington); “Pure & Simple” by Jeff Jarvis; “On a Slow Boat to China” by Loesser & Kyser (transcribed by Myles Collins) with guest vocalists Dani and Greg DeVito; “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” by Perry, Schon & Cain (arranged by Paul Murtha); and, finally, “Santa Baby” by Javits, Springer & Springer (arranged by John Berry).
Performing on saxophone will be Mike Lopez, alto; Trey Hefner, alto; Jay Leeper, tenor; Greg DeVito, tenor; and Rachel McIntire, baritone. Performing on trumpet will be Adam King, Jess McIntyre, Jennifer Adams and Jess Andrews. Performing on trombone will be Val Huffman. The rhythm section performers will be Justin Henry, piano; Logan Sindledecker, bass; Dave Allen, drums; Michael Robinson, drums and vibes; and Robert Vingle, drums.
Saxophone Quartet
The Department of Music presents for the first time a full musical program by the FSU Saxophone Quartet at 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 6, in Wallman Hall Theatre.
“The introduction of the unique ensemble is another positive step by the Music Department to create a greater variety of musical venues for the listening public,” said Randall Hall, faculty advisor for the quartet and an adjunct faculty member.
The quartet will perform in a variety of musical styles. Works to be featured on the program range from J.S. Bach to “Looney Tunes” and West Coast jazz to contemporary gospel to movie and television themes.
Members of the quartet are Jay Leeper, soprano and alto saxophones; Trey Hefner, alto saxophone; Mike Lopez, tenor saxophone; and Rachel McIntire, baritone saxophone.
Collegiate Singers and Chamber Choir
The Collegiate Singers and Chamber Choir will offer a concert of holiday choral music at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, in the Turley Center Ballroom, with Dr. Sam Spears directing and John Morrison accompanying on piano. In addition, the choirs will share the stage with guest musicians Dorothy Skidmore, flute; Anne Hamilton, viola; Matt Schoonmaker and Michael Robinson, percussion.
The musicians will open with a movement from one of Mozart’s flute quartets, then will join the Collegiate Singers in performing the “Alleluia” from Johann Kuhnau’s cantata for Christmas Day, “Uns ist ein Kind geboren” (To Us a Child Is Born).
Next, the Collegiate Singers will perform a 14th century cantio, “Puer natus in Bethlehem,” harmonized by the 19th century German hymnologist Friedrich Layriz. This will be followed by “Estampie Natalis” by Vaclav Nelhybel, a 20th century setting of the same text.
At this point the Chamber Choir will take the stage with another composition that puts a modern spin on an ancient text. “Nova! Nova!,” an English carol from the 15th century. They will then perform two motets from the Renaissance period. “Hodie Christus natus est” by Giovanni Paolo Cima of Milan, and “O magnum mysterium” by the Spanish composer Tomas Luis de Victoria. The Chamber Choir will close with contemporary arrangements of “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful,” the German carol “Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming” and the 1934 holiday classic “Winter Wonderland.”
The Collegiate Singers will return for the final portion of the concert with “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen;” “There Is No Rose,” a 14th century carol text set to new music; and “The Apple Tree,” an 18th century American poem set to a Scottish folk tune.
The Singers will close with three seasonal favorites: “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!,” “Oh Holy Night” and the 16th century “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
Wind, Percussion and African Ensembles
The Wind, Percussion and African Ensembles, under the direction of Valarie Huffman and Matthew Schoonmaker, will present a holiday concert at 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, in Wallman Hall Theatre.
The Wind Ensemble, which includes members of the Fairmont State Marching Band, will perform selections including "Holiday Piece" by David Foster; the Chip Davis arrangements of "Veni, Veni" and "Deck the Halls"; "Merry Christmas Darling" by Richard Carpenter; and Leroy Anderson's galloping "Sleigh Ride."
The Percussion Ensemble will perform selections including "The Galloping Comedians" by Kabalevsky and "Christmas Time Is Here" by Guaraldi & Mendelson, ARR. Brooks & Madill.
Finally, the African Ensemble will perform three traditional African drumming songs: "Cou Cou", "Macrou" and "Sofa."
MusicWind EnsembleCollegiate SingersChamber ChoirJazzSaxophone QuartetGuitar EnsembleSchool of Fine Arts
