 |
Bel Canto and Singing Statesmen
Saturday, November 16, 7:30 p.m. Join the University of Wyoming Choirs for Bel Canto and Singing Statesmen, with the Happy Jacks and 7720 Blues, for a combined concert. The concert will open with the Singing Statesmen, Dr. Brian C. Murray, conductor, performing works by Reginal Wright, Franz Schubert, Carl Orff, Edvard Grieg, and Laura Farnell. Guest conductors include Emily Peterson and Michael Lechner, with Alisson Garcia, piano, and Dr. Crystal Sieger, horn. The Happy Jacks will perform works by Weiss, Peretti, and Creatore, Flaherty, Billy Joel, Alan Menken, and Delugg and Stein. 7220 Blues, Brynley LaChance, student director, and Bryn Catlin, piano, will perform “Words” by Anders Edenroth. The second half of the concert will feature Bel Canto, Dr. O’Neil Jones, conductor, and Isabela Araújo, piano, performing works by Michael John Trotta, Maurice Ravel, Kim Arnesen, and Elaine Hagenberg. Emily Peterson serves as guest conductor, while soloists include Giovanna Volpi Schmeiske, violin, and Dr. Magdalena Wór, mezzo-soprano. |
|
|
|
 |
Wyoming Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble II
Monday, November 18, 7:30 p.m. The Wyoming Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble IIgive their fall concert this November 18. Under the direction of Dr. David Wharton, Jazz Ensemble II will perform “Front Burner” by Sammy Nestico, “Ima” by Anat Cohen (arr. Alex Annan), and “Work Song” by Nat Adderley. Jack MacDonald will direct the ensemble in “Tranquilli” by Doug Beach and George Shutack and “Time Check” by Don Menza. Wyoming Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Andy Wheelock, will perform “Low Down” by Thad Jones, “Everything I love” by Cole Porter (arr. Alex Annan), “Us” by Thad Jones , and “Max” by Jeff Hamilton (arr. John Clayton). |
|
|
|
 |
Opera Theatre
Tuesday, November 19, 7:30 p.m., Free Join our Opera Theatre program for its fall performance November 19! The program will include Le Colibri by Chausson, Nel Cor Piú by Paisiello, El galán incognito by Kilenyi, “Faites-lui,” from Faust by Gounod, “Non So Piu” from Le Nozze di Figaro by Mozart, “Le Papillon et la Fleur” by Fauré, “Questo amor, vergogna mia,” from Edgar by Puccini, “An Chloe,” by Mozart, “No Word From Tom,” from Rake's Progress by Igor Stravinsky, “Deh vieni alla finestra,” from Don Giovanni by Mozart, Gretchen am Spinnrade by Schubert, “Au bord de l'eau” by Fauré, “If Ever I Would Leave You,” from Camelot by Frederick Loewe, No One Else,” from The Comet of 1812 by Malloy, “At the Ball Op. 38 No. 3” by Tchaikovsky, Cantique by Boulanger, “Song of Black Max,” by Bolcom, and “Largo al factotum,” from Il Barbiere di Sivilgia by Rossini. Vocalists include Kennedy Corr, Sage Hansen, Diego Frometa-Batezini, Dakota Hansen, Grace Butler, Diego Frometa-Batezini, Rhiannon Kilduff, Jeffrey Cuevas, Haley Elliott, and Owen Adams. Pianists include Alisson Garcia, Isabela Araujo, Renato Miguel da Silva, Francine Cancian, and Augusto Barbieri. |
|
|
|
 |
Duo Mundi
Thursday, November 21, 2:00 p.m., Free Duo Mundi George & Guli, a piano duo celebrated for their thrilling, innovative, and diverse programming, will perform an exhilarating concert at Central Washington University. Renowned for their performances that “…breathe the same artistic air…with an adrenaline of communication that captivates audiences of every generation,” George & Guli bring their signature synchronicity and emotional depth to the stage. Their UW performance will feature dynamic excerpts from Leonard Bernstein’s *West Side Story*, a rare work by Belizean-born composer Errollyn Wallen, a paraphrase from Dizzy Gillespie’s “Manteca” op. 129 by Nikolai Kapustin, and a vibrant selection of pieces by Latin American composers, including Fazil Say, José Elizondo, Waldemar Henrique, and Ernst Mahle. This program showcases the duo's commitment to exploring new musical frontiers and their passion for global musical traditions. Since their inception in 2022, Duo Mundi G&G has dazzled audiences around the world, with notable performances in Mexico, China, Brazil, and Italy. Featured on Italian national TV, RAI2, they are quickly becoming a presence in the global classical music scene. Their recent performances at prestigious venues such as Steinway Hall in New York City and Santa Barbara's historic Lobero Theater have solidified their reputation as a dynamic duo. |
|
|
|
 |
UWSO: Pictures at an ExhibitionThursday, November 21, 7:30 p.m. Jiwon Han, piano soloist “Pictures at an Exhibition” – just the title excites orchestra lovers. Add “Rocky 2” and now the anticipation is overwhelming (the concerto, not the movie). Then add an overture that won a 2023 Pulitzer Prize, by the folk/pop music icon Rhiannon Giddens: can an orchestra concert be more exciting? Find out for yourself as the University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra performs on Thursday, November 21, at 7:30 in the Buchanan Center Concert Hall. Pictures, by Modest Mussorgsky, was written to celebrate an exhibition by the artist Viktor Hartmann. Each of the movements “describes” one painting in sound. From the Russian witch Baba-Yaga, to children playing in the Tuileries garden in Paris, to the mysterious Catacombs, to the monumental Great Gate of Kiev, and more, each movement is a musical gem. Mussorgsky wrote this for piano, and the French impressionist composer Ravel orchestrated it, using every possible colorful sound of the modern orchestra. Pictures at an Exhibition is one of the very most popular and powerful works for orchestra. You’ll soon hear why. Popular doesn’t begin to describe Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto (“Rocky 2”). The piano part is demanding and brilliant, while the melodies are so beautiful, even Frank Sinatra added words to one of them, and had a hit solo in Blue Moon and Empty Arms. The lush, late-Romantic harmonies add a warm richness to the mix. Of course the fast technical passages are hair-raising, especially as played by our soloist, pianist Jiwon Han. He played his first solo, with the Korea Philharmonic Orchestra, at age 10, and has gone on to successful performances throughout Europe, East Asia, and the United States. Han won major prizes from prestigious international competitions including ISANG YUN International Competition, Virginia Waring International Competition, Teresa Carreño International Competition, Weatherford International Piano Competition, and the Franz Liszt Center International Competition. He released two solo albums, ‘Debut’ and ‘Romanticism,’ and two collaborative albums, ‘Bach-Schubert’ live performance with violinist Zia Shin and ‘Works by German Composers’ with violinist Fangting Chen. He received his doctorate from Michigan State University, and is now a collaborative artist at UW. All this familiar music demands something new, and conductor Michael Griffith chose the Overture to Omar, winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in music. Omar is an opera based on the life of Omar ibn Said, a Muslim scholar from West Africa who was enslaved and transported to the United States in 1807. The composers are Grammy-winning pop/folk music star Rhiannon Giddens and Grammy- and Emmy-nominated film composer Michael Abels. The overture, with its exciting rhythms and complex layering, centers on the African tune Koromanti. It’s fascinating, unusual music that you’re sure to love. PLEASE NOTE: The UWSO’s October concert came within a few seats of selling out, so don’t wait to get your Pictures at an Exhibition tickets. |
|
|
|
 |
UW Wind Symphony
Friday, November 22, 7:30 p.m. This concert provides a musical space to consider the themes of justice, reconciliation, and virtue from several vantage points, over the course of history and among various cultures. The concert opens with “Fantasia in G,” by J.S. Bach. First composed for organ to be played at a church service, the piece was transcribed for winds and percussion and has become a wind band classic. Michael Colgrass’ piece “Bali,” inspired by his two summers living in Ubud, the arts-and-crafts center of Bali, is a study of the creative and spiritual nature of the Balinese people, as well as their resilience in dealing with tragedy. “Amazing Grace” by John Newton (arr. William Himes), is a one of the best-known American spirituals, with a complex origin. A notorious and vulgar slave ship captain, Newton experienced a profound transformation after his ship nearly capsized during a storm in the Atlantic, eventually leading him to become a priest in the Church of England. His hymn about redemption and second chances became an emblematic spiritual throughout the South, and now the world. Leonard Bernstein’s “Overture to Candide” is a satirical opera based on a book by the French philosopher Voltaire, which poked fun at the idea that tragedy can be good. Through ridiculous adventures and romance, Voltaire and Bernstein review humanity’s struggle to weigh and judge virtue. “Negative Split,” by Roshanne Etezady draws an analogy between female competitive swimmers and musicians, who are both driven by competition as well as by joy, and who also strive to exceed their own limitations, while historically existing on the periphery of their chosen pursuits. The title refers to the act of swimming the first half of a long-distance race deliberately and the second half quickly, which also reflects the musical activity of the piece. “Negative Split” features soloist Carrie Koffman, alto saxophone, who teaches at The Hartt School of Music, Dance and Theater at the University of Hartford and at the Yale School of Music, and whose playing has been called “suave, subtly nuanced, and technically secure in its every gesture” (Fanfare Magazine). The concert closes with the titular work, “Angels in the Archicteture,” composed by Frank Ticheli and inspired by the Sydney Opera House, with its halo-shaped acoustical ornaments hanging directly above the performance stage. The piece unfolds as a dramatic conflict between the two extremes of human existence, one divine and the other evil, and is bookended by a single singer—the “angel”—singing a 19th century Shaker song. |
|
|
|
 |
Faculty Recital Series: Glêsse Collet, viola, Theresa Bogard, piano
Bringing Compositions to Life: A Program of Works by Famous Composers in Our Lives Friday, November 22, 7:30 p.m., Free The program will feature works by Francisco Mignone, Ricardo Vasconcelles, Francisca Aquino, Libby Larsen and Marlos Nobre. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian violist Glêsse Collet immigrated to the U. S. in 2016. She studied violin and viola and holds degrees from the University of Brasilia, the Musik Hochschule in Detmold, and the Federal University of Bahia. In 1974 she was a top-prize winner at the "Jovens Solistas" competition in Piracicaba, São Paulo. In 1983 she won the position of principal viola in the Symphony Orchestra of Teatro Nacional de Brasília (Brazil) where she played for 5 years. She has played as viola soloist with conductors Claudio Santoro, Oswaldo Colasso, Gerald Kegelmann, Piero Bastianelli, Elena Herrera and Claudio Cohen. As a member of the Quarteto de Brasília, she has performed throughout Brazil and all over the world. Critically acclaimed recordings by the Quarteto de Brasilia have received the Sharp Prize for the “best classical music CD” in 1993, the OK Prize in 1995, the Federal District Cultural Merit Order Award in 2001 and the 9th Carlos Gomes Prize for Classical Music in the category “Best Chamber Music Ensemble of the Year”, in 2004. Collet is also featured on a solo disc of works by Brazilian composers. American pianist Theresa Bogard is a dynamic, versatile performer dedicated to expanding the canon of traditional piano repertoire. Her early career focused on performances of music by women composers, and she continues to include works by other lesser-known composers in her varied programs. As a recipient of a coveted Fulbright grant, Bogard was able to explore her interest in historical performance practice and fortepiano studying at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague in the Netherlands. That same year she was a top-prize winner in the International Mozart Fortepiano Competition in Bruges, Belgium. A world traveler with a passion for other cultures, Bogard has performed on five continents. Her extensive discography includes a recordings ranging from solo piano to chamber music collaborations, from music of living composers to her specialty in fortepiano and historical performance practice. |
|
|
|
 |
Gala Holiday Concert
Saturday, December 7, 7:30 p.m. The UW Department of Music’s annual celebration of holiday music, ieaturing the University of Wyoming Choirs, Symphony Orchestra, & Wind Symphony. The orchestra’s selections will include Williams, Santa at the Symphony Vaughan Williams, Fantasia on Greensleeves Haydn, Toy Symphony. Conducted by O'Neil Jones, Brian C. Murray, Michael Griffith, & Matthew Schlomer. Pre-concert music by Wyoming Jazz Combo 1, conducted by Andrew Wheelock. Narrated by Christie Zimmerman. |
|
|
|
Past Fall 2024 Performances |
|
 |
Guest Artist Recital: Horizon Duo
Thursday, September 26, 7:30 p.m., FREE UW Music presents special guests Horizon Duo, Thursday, September 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Recital Hall. The recital is free and open to all. United by a shared love of ambitious projects and theatrical storytelling, HORIZON DUO, Claire McCahan, mezzo soprano, and Barbie Noyes, piano, first began performing together during their years at the University of Colorado Boulder. The Duo looks to pursue creative programming focusing American art song and other contemporary programmatic contemplations. The program features music by Jean Sibelius, Erich Korngold, and Florence Price |
|
|
|
 |
Faculty Recital Series: Alan Harvey
with Jiwon Han
Sunday, September 29, 7:30 p.m., FREE The UW Faculty Recital Series presents Alan J Harvey, tuba, with Dr. Jiwon Han, piano, Sunday, September 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Recital Hall. The program will feature old and new works for tuba and piano by Benedetto Marcello, Robert Muczynski, J.E. Barat, and Benjamin Dean Taylor. Harvey is Principal Tuba with Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra, Wyoming Symphony Orchestra (Casper), and Steamboat Symphony Orchestra (Colorado), and is enthusiastic about music-making in brass quintets with colleagues throughout the region. Award-winning pianist Han performs as a chamber musician, orchestral pianist, and collaborative pianist widely, and teaches and conducts regularly. He has released two solo albums, “Debut” and “Romanticism,” and two collaborative albums, “Bach-Schubert” and “Works by German Composers.” |
|
|
|
 |
UW Wind Symphony: "Introductions"
Featuring Sara Han and Blake McGee, clarinetists
Thursday, October 3, 7:30 p.m. Join the UW Wind Symphony for its fall opener, "Introductions!" The concert will feature soloists Sara Han, clarinet (National Opera Orchestra at the Kennedy Center) and Blake McGee, clarinet (faculty, UW), and a repertoire including works by Gustav Holst, Aaron Copland, Shuying Li, Amilcare Ponchiellie, and David Maslanka. This performance marks new Director of Bands Dr. Matt Scholmer’s first appearance conducting the UW Wind Symphony, the premiere concert band on the UW campus. Formerly a conductor and instructor of saxophone at the renowned Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, Dr. Schlomer is an international artist whose creativity flourishes across many genres.
|
|
|
|
 |
UW Choirs: WyoSING!
Friday, October 4, 7:30 p.m. The University of Wyoming Choirs, conducted by Brian Murray and O’Neil Jones, present “WyoSING!” featuring the UW Collegiate Chorale, Bel Canto, The Singing Statesmen, Laramie Civic Chorus, 7220 Blues, the Happy Jacks, and the Laramie Children’s Chorus. Musicals selections range from the pop classic "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to the anthem "My Country 'Tis of Thee" sund by the children's chorus to Ravel's “Trois Beaux Oiseaux Du Paradis," featuring Music facult member Magdalena Wór, mezzo-soprano, to Carol Orff's stirring "O Fortuna" from Carmina Barana, featuring the combined choirs. UW Choirs are conducted by Dr. Brian Murray, Dr. O'Neil Jones, and graduate conductors Emily Peterson and Michael Lechner. The choirs are accompanied by pianists Francine Cancian, Michael Lechner, Isabela Araújo, and Alisson Garcia.
|
|
|
|
 |
Faculty Recital Series: "Passing the Torch"
ft. Brock Tjosvold and Dr. Theresa BogardSunday, October 6, 3:00 p.m., FREE Join UW Music for a duo piano recital with faculty pianist Dr. Theresa Bogard and her former student and UW alumnus, Brock Tjosvold. The program will feature Brazilian and French works for two pianos and piano four-hands by Zequinha Abre, Germaine Tailleferre, Hercules Gomes, Darius Milhaud, Henrique Rabelo, Francis Poulenc, and Ronaldo Miranda. American pianist and Steinway artist Theresa Bogard is a dynamic, versatile performer and pedagogue dedicated to expanding the canon of traditional piano repertoire. She is thrilled to be performing with her former student, pianist, vocal coach, and conductor Brock Tjosvold, for this concert. Tjosvold currently serves as Assistant Professor of Vocal Coaching at the Eastman School of Music. |
|
|
|
 |
UWSO: Opening Night
Courtney Hershey Bress, Harp Soloist Conducted by Dr. Michael Griffith Thursday, October 10, 7:30 p.m. The opening of a new symphony season is so exciting. “What music did the conductor choose for the year? Are there good new players?” And most important, “It’s been too long since the last concert!” October 10 is the day all will be solved, as the University of Wyoming Symphony Orchestra starts anew, at 7:30 in the Buchanan Center Concert Hall. UWSO Music Director Michael Griffith will be on the podium once again. About a year and a half ago, Dr. Griffith got an interesting email from Courtney Hershey Bress, Principal Harpist of the Colorado Symphony. She was inviting him to attend the premiere of a new harp concerto, written just for her and the CSO. Of course he attended, and listened two ways: as an audience member enjoying something unusual, and as the UWSO conductor, thinking, could the UW Symphony do this? Answer: a resounding YES! So Ms. Bress will be the soloist as Harp of Ages, by Michael Daugherty, makes its way to Laramie. It includes everything from contemporary techniques to an Irish gig to the Star Trek theme, and will frequently make you say, I didn’t know a harp could DO that. The concert will open with a favorite Mozart overture, The Magic Flute. It alternates deep solemnity with the lightest music you can imagine, so it’s popularity is no wonder. It’s Mozart at his very best, and the best of Mozart is truly magnificent. Presto: the overture and the concerto are set. What about the “big piece” for after intermission? The UWSO needed a lovely closer, something with lots of variety, and something to fit the orchestra’s Orchestral Power theme. That means something that would feature their great violin recruiting year (33 violins this fall!) and use the excellent returning brass section as well. They needed something not too difficult, so as not to overwhelm the freshmen who are new to the demands of a great college orchestra, and something that would set them up for Pictures at an Exhibition in November. Powerful…accessible…colorful…uses all the orchestra…ah HA: Borodin’s Second Symphony fits perfectly. It has luscious melodies for all those violins, powerful brass writing, especially down low, and is Russian, like Pictures. What a perfect fit. This Opening Night concert will be October 10 at 7:30. That’s part of Family Weekend, which has already reserved 100 tickets. Since the orchestra sold out half their concerts last year, plus this is Opening Night and Family Weekend, it’s suggested you get your tickets as soon as you can. Don’t wait and be disappointed if it’s another sellout. There will be a reception in the lobby afterwards, so you can munch and enjoy the company of many other symphony lovers. Tickets are at 766-6666, at the Buchanan Center Box Office, or online here:
|
|
|
|
 |
Guest Artist Recital: Byrne:Kosar:Duo
Tuesday, October 15, 5:00 p.m., FREE Created by New York City and Boston based soprano Corrine Byrne and trumpeter Andy Kozar, the Byrne: Kozar: Duo presents historically-informed performances of Baroque music for natural trumpet and soprano in addition to commissioning new works for modern trumpet and soprano. The recital program will include music by Chen Yi, Christina George, Beth Weimann, Qi Li, Marti Epstein, and Alexandre Lunsqui Byrne:Kozar:Duo is noted for its "arresting symbiosis in their melding of voice and trumpet timbres" (Textura) and for the "trumpet and voice seem to take on one another's qualities" (Bandcamp Daily). As individuals, Corrine has been called a "celebrated singer" (Broadway World) and "a rising star" (Arts Westchester) while Andy has been called a "star soloist" (TimeOutNY) and "polished and dynamic, with very impressive playing" (Baltimore Sun). Combining their strengths as performers and interpreters of both early and modern music, the Byrne:Kozar:Duo has commissioned new works by composers including Reiko Futing, Paula Matthusen, David Smooke, Scott Worthington and Scott Wollschleger. As recording artists, they can be heard on a recent release of the music of Scott Wollshleger on New Focus Recordings which was named a Notable Recording of 2017 in The New Yorker. Recent appearances include performances at the Time:Spans Festival, Boston Early Music Festival, Lake George Music Festival, Divergent Studio at the Longy School of Music, NienteForte in New Orleans, and New Music Miami. They have also been heard on American Public Media's Performance Today as well as on National Public Radio. |
|
|
|
 |
Faculty Recital Series: Nicole Riner
Wednesday, October 16, 7:30 p.m., FREE UW Music faculty member Nicole Riner presents program of works by American composers highlighting their experiences living in America, including works by Aaron Copland, Katherine Hoover, Nicole Chamberlain, Eldin Burton, and a world premiere of Reena Esmail's Pathways of Desire. Praised for her "luscious, full sound" (American Record Guide) and "effortless precision" (Flutist Quarterly), Nicole Riner maintains an active national presence as a recitalist and pedagogue. She has presented master classes at universities and conservatories across the country and has performed with orchestras and at music festivals in the United States, South American, and Europe. A champion of new music, Nicole has also commissioned and premiered numerous works as a soloist and chamber musician. In 2016, she joined the board of Flute New Music Consortium, a commissioning organization for flutists. In 2022 she became president of FNMC. Nicole currently teaches flute and entrepreneurship classes at University of Wyoming, where she also oversees the Arts Entrepreneurship Certificate program and the UWYO Flute Studio. |
|
|
|
 |
Andy Nevala Quartet +Wyoming Jazz Ensemble
Thursday, October 17, 7:30 p.m. Ft. Andy Nevala, Piano The Andy Nevala Quartet consists of four talented musicians who specialize in playing Cuban Standards, Arrangements, and original compositions. The Andy Nevala Quartet was originally formed many years ago in Colorado and California, and recently reconnected last August. They were honored to be selected to perform at the Jazz Educators Conference (International) in Orlando, Florida, this past January, and they would love the opportunity to share their music with your audience as well. One of the unique aspects of this quartet is its international makeup. Emrah Kotan hails from Turkey, while Frankie Quinones has Puerto Rican roots. Andy Eulau, on the other hand, has played with many Latin greats in New York. Their diverse backgrounds bring richness and depth to their music that we believe audiences will appreciate. Nevala is a highly-accomplished and well-respected musician, composer, arranger, and educator, with extensive experience in jazz studies. He is currently the Director of Jazz Studies at Jacksonville State University, where he directs multiple ensembles and oversees the jazz combo program. Dr. Nevala has received numerous awards and accolades throughout his career, including 10 individual Downbeat Music Awards for composition, arranging, and performing/directing. In addition to his work at JSU, Dr. Nevala has an active performance career, having recorded on over 20 CDs released in the US, Japan, and South America, and toured with numerous groups and ensembles, including the Glenn Miller Orchestra, Steve Lippia, Eddie Turner, and his own groups. His most recent release, "Big Band of Brothers," debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Jazz Charts. He is also in demand as a guest conductor, performer, and clinician at universities, festivals, and music education events throughout the country. Dr. Nevala is also an accomplished arranger and orchestrator, having been commissioned by several well-known groups and ensembles, and he has arranged and orchestrated music for theaters and conservatories. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Piano Pedagogy from the University of Colorado, Boulder, a Master of Music degree in Music Theory and Composition from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Boise State University.
|
|
|
|
 |
Western Bass
Friday, October 18, 4:30 p.m., FREE Join the University of Wyoming Choirs for Western Bass, the second annual tenor-bass choral event occurring in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts (BCPA). The culminating concert will be held Friday, October 18, at 4:00 p.m. in BCPA Concert Hall and is free and open to all. The concert will feature the UW Singing Statesmen, as well as tenors and basses from Laramie High School and Laramie Middle School. |
|
|
|
 |
Faculty Recital Series: "Saudades Do Brasil”with Dr. Theresa Bogard
Sunday, October 20, 3:00 p.m., FREE The UW Music Faculty Recital Series presents “Saudades Do Brasil,” featuring Dr. Theresa Bogard, piano, on Sunday, October 20, at 3:00 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Recital Hall. The program will feature music for piano by Brazilian composers Francisco Mignone, Leopoldo Miguez, Henrique Oswald, and Heitor Villa-Lobos. American pianist Dr. Theresa Bogard is a dynamic, versatile performer dedicated to expanding the canon of traditional piano repertoire, especially focusing on performing works by women and other lesser-known composers. |
|
|
|
 |
UW Chamber Orchestra
Sunday, October 20, 7:30 p.m., Join the UW Chamber Orchestra, directed by Beth Vanderborgh, for its fall concert featuring soloists Andrew Wheelock, drumset, and Martin Beaver and John Fadial, violin. The program will feature works by contemporary composer Mark Engebretson, English composer Charles Avison, and Edvard Grieg and Johann Sebastian Bach. Wheelock is an active jazz drummer and percussionist who serves as the Director of Jazz Studies and Percussion Area Coordinator at UW. Martin Beaver is professor of violin at the Colburn School Conservatory of Music and was first violin of the world-renowned Tokyo String Quartet from June 2002 until its final concert in July 2013, appearing to critical and public acclaim on the major stages of the world. Violinist John Fadial, professor of violin at UW, has appeared on four continents as chamber musician, soloist and pedagogue, also serving as Concertmaster for several orchestras and ensembles.
|
|
|
|
 |
"Chamber Music Magic"
Wednesday, October 23, 7:30 p.m. UW Wind Symphony, conducted by Dr. Matthew Schlomer, and UW Percussion Ensemble conducted by Dr. Andrew Wheelock, present “Chamber Music Magic” on Wednesday, October 23, at 7:30 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall. The Marimba Quartet will open the concert with “Watercolor Sun by Ivan Trevino. The Flute Duet will perform “Three Duets, Op. 10 No. 3” by Friedrich Kuhlau. The Reed Quintet will perform “Circusmusiek” by Ton ter Doest. Closing out the concert is the Brass Ensemble performing “Western Fanfare” by Eric Ewazen, “O Magnum Mysterium” by Morton Lauridsen, and “Overture for a New Day” by A. Wolfe. |
|
|
|
 |
Levinson-Fadial Duo
Thursday, October 24, 7:30 p.m., FREE UW Music is pleased to present the Levinson-Fadial Duo performing works for violin and piano by Debussy, Beethoven, Prokofiev, Corigliano, and Brahms. Gary Levinson, known for his Bel Canto playing style and adroit technique, is the Senior Principal Associate Concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Artistic Director of the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth. Vanessa Fadial is a highly-regarded teacher, chamber music coach, and adjudicator. She is a member of the Music Teacher’s Association of California and teaches on the faculty of the Colburn Community School of Performing Arts. |
|
|
|
 |
Faculty Recital Series: Jiwon Han
Sunday, October 27, 3:00 p.m., FREE The Faculty Recital Series presents Dr. Jiwon Han, performing a program of music including “Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K. 457” by Mozart, “Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52” by Chopin, a suite of pieces by Sibelius, and “Après une lecture du Dante: Fantasia quasi-Sonata” by Liszt. South Korean-born musician Jiwon Han is an award-winning pianist who first gained attention at the age of 10 in 1997 appearing as a soloist with the Korean Philharmonic Orchestra performing Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K.488.” That same year, he gave a solo recital at Incheon Culture and Arts Center. Han performs as a chamber musician, orchestral pianist, and collaborative pianist widely, and teaches and conducts regularly. He has released two solo albums, “Debut” and “Romanticism,” and two collaborative albums, “Bach-Schubert” live performance with violinist Zia Shin and “Works by German Composers” with violinist Fangting Chen. Han currently serves as staff collaborative pianist with UW Department of Music. |
|
|
|
 |
Brass Chamber Recital
Monday, October 28, 7:30 p.m., FREE Join us for an adventurous night of brass chamber music featuring the Low Pokes, UW Trombone Company, Trumpet Ensemble, Horn Ensemble, and UW Faculty Ensemble. The brass chamber ensembles are directed by Alan Harvey, Daniel Watt, David Wharton, and Susie Fritts. |
|
|
|
 |
Michael Thurber & Friends
In residence October 29 - November 1 ALL EVENTS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC UW Music welcomes Eminent Artist-in-Residence Michael Thurber and Friends from October 29 through November 1 for a series of free, public events. Songwriter/bassist/producer Thurber is a singular artist whose career defies category, from composing theatrical scores and scoring shorts for The Royal Shakespeare Company to playing bass in The Late Show With Stephen Colbert house band to co-founding the hit YouTube channel CDZA. KEYNOTE TALK: "Unlocking Creativity,” Tuesday, October 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the UW Union Ballroom. CLASSICAL CONCERT: Wednesday, October 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the BCPA Recital Hall, featuring Thurber with Grammy Award-winning violinist, composer, arranger, songwriter, and vocalist, Charles Yang; percussionist and educator Javier Diaz, who performs with diverse orchestras and chamber and Latin music ensembles, and on Broadway and for film, TV, and radio; and harpist / composer/arranger Charles Overton, who is equally at home in an orchestra, chamber ensemble, or jazz club. POP CONCERT: Friday, November 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the UW Union Pokes Pub with Thurber and Yang as well as Denver-based pianist, mandolinist, vocalist, and composer Jack Dunlevie, UW Jazz Studies and Percussion Ensemble Director and Andy Wheelock, and UW Music students. |
|
|
|
 |
UW Civic Chorus and Community Band Concert
Monday, November 4, 7:30 p.m. UW Music presents the UW Civic Chorus and Community Band in concert, Monday, November 4, at 7:30 p.m., in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall. The UW Civic Chours, conducted by Dr. O’Neil Jones with Emily Peterson, graduate conductor, and Francine Cancian, piano, and Kai Wolz, percussion, will perform the premiere of “Cantate Domino” by Jonathan P. White; “In the Beginning” by Nancy Hill Cobb; “Sweet Day” by Ralph Vaughan Williams; and “Hold Fast to Dreams “ by Susan LaBarr. The Community Band, conducted by Dr. Robert Belser, will perform “Flourish for Wind Band” by Ralph Vaughan Williams; “Music for a Darkened Theatre” by Danny Elfman (arr. Michael Brown); “Waltz No. 2,” from “Suite for Variety Orchestra” by Dmitri Shostakovich (arr. James Curnow); “Bravura March” by Charles E. Double (ed. Robert Belser); “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair” by Claude Debussy (arr. by Michael Brand); and “Variations on a Korean Folk Song” by John Barnes Chance. |
|
|
|
 |
UW Jazz Combos
Wednesday, November 6, 7:30 p.m. Directed by Dr. Brian C Murray Get down to Bond's Brewing in downtown Laramie for a FREE concert by the University of Wyoming Jazz Combos, directed by Alex Annan, Gabriel Santiago, Andy Wheelock, and Gonzalo Teppa. |
|
|
|
 |
Nois Saxophone Quartet
Friday, November 8, 7:30 p.m. Join UW Music in welcoming Nois Saxophone Quartet for a guest artist recital featuring music by Darian Donovan Thomas, Gemma Peacocke, Shelley Washington, Travis Laplante, and Pauline Oliveros. Take your preconceived notions of ‘noise’ and toss them out the window. Equal parts “fiendishly good and fiendishly goofy” (Chicago Tribune), ~Nois is a Chicago-based saxophone quartet dedicated to connecting with diverse audiences through the creation of new work. Since its founding in 2016, “~Nois continues to legitimize the saxophone quartet as a premiere ensemble formation for classical music” (Brutal New Music) through commissioning repertoire that is thought-provoking, engaging, and honestly just really good, by some of today's most inspiring compositional voices. Hailed as “technically superb and musically brilliant” (Cleveland Classical) the ensemble has been awarded top prizes at numerous prestigious chamber music competitions including the M-Prize International Arts Competition, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and have presented over 130 performances spanning 24 states. With more than 100 world premieres to date, the members of ~Nois have had the privilege of working closely with some of the world’s leading voices in composition including Nico Muhly, Augusta Read Thomas, Shelley Washington, among others. ~Nois’ recorded output boasts a wide variety of genres and styles, including their debut album “Is This ~Nois”, which was heralded as “fresh and intense” (The Whole Note) The group’s highly anticipated sophomore album, “Kinds of ~Nois”, will be releasing in March of 2024 on the label Bright Shiny Things, in collaboration with the composer collective Kinds of Kings. ~Nois is János Csontos (he/him), Julian Velasco (he/him), and Jordan Lulloff (he/him),
with Brandon Quarles. For more information, visit www.noissaxophone.com |
|
|
|
 |
UW Collegiate Chorale: "Chansons"
Saturday, November 9, 7:30 p.m. Directed by Dr. Brian C Murray Join the University of Wyoming Collegiate Chorale as we celebrate the elegance, charm, and élan of French repertoire through “Chantez: A Francophile Fête.” The ensemble, led by Dr. Brian C. Murray (conductor) and assisted by Alisson Garcia (pianist), Michael Lechner (graduate conductor), and Emily Peterson (graduate conductor), explores the multifarious sounds of French music around the world. From well-known French composers like Debussy, Duruflé, and Massenet, to works by Haitian composer Sydney Guillaume and Canadian composers Lionel Daunais and Marie-Claire Saindon, this performance serves as a tour d’horizon of Francophile music. |
|
|
|
 |
UW Symphonic Band and Laramie High School Band
Sunday, November 10, 3:00 p.m. Conducted by Dr. Matthew Schlomer (UW) and Brian Redmond (LHS) Featuring Colorado-based classical tabla virtuoso Nabin Shrestha The UW Symphonic Band and Laramie High School Band present a combined concert on Sunday, November 10, at 3:00 p.m. in the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall. LHS Band, conducted by Brian Redmond, will perform “El Relicario” by Jose Padilla (arr. Robert Longfield), “Salvation is Created” by Pavel Tschesnokoff (arr. Bruce Houseknecht), and “Instant Concert” by Harold Walters, followed by the UW Symphonic Band Percussion Ensemble performing “Stained Glass” by David Gillingham. The second half of the concert features UW Symphonic Band, whose musical program is inspired by a wonderful collaboration with the Sing Me a Story Foundation, an organization that serves children and families in need through the imaginative stories of their children and the power of music. The foundation paired the ensemble with 18-year old Adelaide, who is battling brain cancer, and whose story of strong reliance on faith and hope was set to music by composer Maddie Stephenson in the penultimate piece in this concert, “Beyond Your Years.” The Symphonic Band will also perform Bach’s “Prelude and Fugue” (arr. Moehlman with Malori Barnhart, guest conductor), which echoes Adelaide’s story in a special way, as Bach signed each of his works with the inscription, “Soli Deo Gloria,” or “To God alone, the glory.” Next is “Acrostic Song” by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Del Tredici, taken from the acrostic poem with which Lewis Carol ends his book “Through the Looking Glass.” The poem’s lyrics relish the magic of childhood and the loss Carol feels as those years pass by and are forgotten. “Arabesque,” by Samuel Hazo (Brian Redmond, guest conductor), whose grandparents all immigrated to the United States, is based in the mystical sounds of Middle Eastern music. Hazo notes “Sometimes in composition, the song comes from the heart, sometimes from the mind, and sometimes (as in this case) it’s in your blood.” The concert concludes with “Chamak” by Reena Esmail, who hopes the piece will inspire young people to “follow that spark that lies within each of them.” “Chamak” features Colorado-based classical tabla virtuoso Nabin Shrestha. Shrestha’s consistently brilliant and exciting performances have established him as a prominent percussionist in Nepal and the United States. He possesses a profound grasp of diverse traditional tabla styles and tonal nuances, endowing him with a unique ability to seamlessly unite his artistry with musicians and dancers spanning various musical genres. |
 |
UW Percussion Ensemble
Monday, November 11, 7:30 p.m. Directed by Dr. Andrew Wheelock The UW Percussion Ensemble presents its fall concert on Veteran's Day! The program opens with two pieces, “Bolero” by E. Rosales and “In a Monastery Garden” by A. Ketèlbey, arranged by 20th century marimba virtuoso Clair Omar Musser for his marimba orchestras in concert tours of the U.S. And Europe from 1933 to the early 1950's. Next is Gravity by Marc Mellits, which received its abstract title from its propensity to create a feeling of depth and falling or of drawing objects to the center. Mellits is known for writing challenging ensemble parts with percussionists in mind to execute them. Emma O’Halloran’s “SHELL” was commissioned and performed by X4 Percussion Quartet. Inspired by the work of photojournalist Seph Lawless, who traveled across the U.S. capturing images of abandoned shopping malls, the piece evokes the feeling of emptiness present in these once vibrant communal places. Ivan Trevino’s marimba composition, “Watercolor Sun” was commissioned and recorded by Grammy® Award-winning quartet, Third Coast Percussion, and is scored for four percussionists who perform on one shared marimba. Trevino leans into pop songwriting structures in the piece, which is intended to evokes feelings of joyful, euphoric nostalgia. The concert closes with traditional African songs arranged by conductor Wheelock, featuring members of the Laramie High School Percussion Ensemble. |
|
|
|
 |
Live Edge Trio with Josh Quinlan
Wednesday, November 13, 7:30 p.m., FREE Don't miss the Live Edge Trio, featuring Ben Markley, piano, Seth Lewis, bass, and Andy Wheelock, drums, with Josh Quinlan, saxophone, this November at the Buchanan Center! Josh Quinlan is a U.S. born saxophonist, composer, and educator who lives in Heredia, Costa Rica where he is Professor of Saxophone at the National University of Costa Rica (La Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica). Quinlan previously held positions at the University of Colorado, Denver School of the Arts, Gift of Jazz, and was Director of the Dazzle Recordings label and Co-Director of the Telluride Jazz Celebration Educational Program. Quinlan has released four albums as a leader, saxophonist and composer (In From Somewhere, Mountain Time Standards, Open Space and Hear, Here). He has toured throughout the world with performances and teaching in Asia, South America, Central America, Europe, the U.S. and Australia. |
|
|
|
 |
Guest Artist Recital: Daniel Shineberg w/ James Li
Thursday, November 14, 7:30 p.m., FREE Wyoming native Dr. Daniel Shineberg, MT-BC, is an active freelance flutist, teacher, and board-certified music therapist in Austin, TX. As a performer, Dr. Shineberg served eight seasons (2016-2023) as principal flutist of the Heritage Philharmonic in Independence, MO. He has also appeared with the Colorado Mahler Festival Orchestra, The Kansas City Symphony, and Topeka Symphony. He currently travels and performs frequently across the United State. Pianist James Li is currently an adjunct faculty member in collaborative piano in the vocal area at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and previously served as a pianist at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City in 2023. |
