The second half of April promises to be a busy time for the music department. In the next couple of weeks there are going to be seven performances, and since April is “New Music Month” there will be a strong emphasis on student and faculty compositions. Check out the listing below to see what upcoming events strike your fancy. All of these shows, except for those that state otherwise, are $3 for students and $6 for the public.
Wednesday the 20th at 7:30 p.m. the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra will be performing student pieces in an open (free) reading of student orchestral compositions. The performance will be held in Corthell Hall.
Friday the 22nd at 8 p.m. the USM jazz ensemble, directed by Chris Oberholtzer and the USM jazz lab ensemble, directed by Doug Owens will be performing in Corthell Hall. They will be performing jazz standards from famous musicians such as Benny Carter, Duke Ellington, Maria Schneider, and Gordon Goodwin.
Sunday the 24th at 2 p.m. the USM Concert Band and the Wind Ensemble, both conducted by Peter Martin, will be performing in McCormack Auditorium at Gorham High School. The Wind Ensemble will be playing pieces such as “Overture for winds” by Felix Mendelssohn, and “Le Bal de Beatrice D’Este” by Reynaldo Hahn. The Concert Band will be playing two Maine premiers: “La Fete du Feu” from “Les Trois Notes du Japon” by Toshio Mashima and a Patrick Dunnigan arrangement of “Selections” from “The Danserye” by Tielman Susato, as well as other pieces. Student conductor Nicole Randing will be a featured guest of the performance.
Monday the 25th at 7:30p.m. the vocal jazz ensemble will be performing in Corthell Hall. They will be performing such songs as: “Time Out of Mind,” “Good Morning Headache,” “Quiet Place,” and “Blizzard of Lies.” The two soloists of the evening will be Calvin Goodale, of the Pete Kilpatrick Supergroup, performing “I Thought About You” and Daniel Pendergast performing “Night in Tunisia” and “Up Jumped Spring.”
Tuesday the 26th at 7:30 p.m. the USM Chorale will be performing at the Immanuel Baptist Church, which is on State Street in Portland. The chorale will perform the piece “Gloria” written by Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi. Their special guests will be the Southern Maine Children’s Chorus, who will be singing most of the solos.
Friday the 29th at 8 p.m. marks the end of the 2004-2005 Faculty Concert Series with performance of compositions by Bruce Fithian. Performers include: Robert Lehmann on violin, William Rounds on cello, Martin Perry on piano, sopranos Christina Astrachan and Ellen Chickering, Thomas Parchman on clarinet, and John Boden on horns. In addition, there will be a 16-member chamber orchestra and the USM Men’s Chorale. The show is $5 for students, $10 for faculty and staff, and $15 for the public.