A preview of the music season ahead
By Peter Jacobi
January 11, 2009
The events start in a trickle. January is even lighter than usual. The musical events, however, generously proliferate as the winter/spring calendar continues to unfold. By the time May rolls around, you’ll undoubtedly have more than satisfied your hunger, and if all goes as producers and presenters hope, you’ll have treats that stick to your memory.
An operatic retelling of the Cinderella tale most likely new to you will have come your way to give pleasure. Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” and Britten’s “War Requiem” will have helped fulfill your choral wants. Pianist Christopher O’Riley, host of NPR’s “From the Top,” and the Orion String Quartet will have come to visit, along with the innovative Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. The IU Philharmonic will have undertaken the Mahler Seventh. Pulitzer Prize winning composer Steven Stucky will have been honored by the New Music Ensemble. IU Ballet Theater will have explored “Variations on a Russian Theme.”
And potentially fascinating master classes will have been made available not only to selected students but to those of us who took the opportunity to listen in: pianist and IU alum Frederic Chiu (Feb. 2-6); fortepianist Eckart Sellheim (Feb. 4); early music specialists Bruce Dickey on cornetto and Charles Toet on trombone (Feb. 10-11); violinist and Cleveland Orchestra concertmaster William Preucil (Feb. 20); violinist, Minnesota Orchestra concertmaster, and soon-to-be Jacobs School faculty member Jorja Fleezanis (March 23-25).
Here, as of the moment, is the schedule. There will be changes, of course, regretted deletions and welcomed additions (these including concerts by the choral ensemble Voces Novae and the chamber music group Studio in Bloom, promised but not as yet fully worked out). You’ll note also that there are maddening conflicts, perhaps unavoidable, perhaps the result of planners planning without consulting one another.
January
16 — Faculty/student recital including M. Dee Stewart, Otis Murphy, Carl Lenthe, Bruce Bransby, Peter Ellefson, Kimberly Carballo and others, Ford-Crawford Hall, 7 p.m.
17 — Singer/songwriter Michelle Shocked and painter David Willardson providing music and art “inspired by indelible women of recent history,” Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 8 p.m.
18 — Sigma Alpha Iota Matinee Musicale featuring flutist Kathryn Lukas, clarinetist James Campbell and pianist Emile Naoumoff, music of Bach, Brahms, Doppler, Saint-Saens, Unitarian Universalist Church, 3 p.m.
19 — Martin Luther King Celebration, with IU African American Choral Ensemble, Buskirk-Chumley, 8 p.m.
23 — Living Composer Forum lecture recital focused on Edwin Penhorwood, Ford-Crawford, 5 p.m.
25 — Early Music ensemble Concentus, Eva Legene director, “The Recorder in the Cantatas of J.S. Bach,” Recital Hall, 3 p.m.
28 — “On the Edge,” IU Ballet Theater production, Buskirk-Chumley, 2 and 7 p.m.
— IU Philharmonic, David Effron conductor, Brahms’ Third Symphony and Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante, Musical Arts Center, 8 p.m.
31 — Faculty/student recital, pianists Daniela Candillari and Casey Robards, Ford-Crawford, 8:30 p.m., also Feb. 1, 5 p.m.
February
1 — Faculty chamber recital, trombonist Carl Lenthe, double bassist Bruce Bransby and saxophonist Otis Murphy, in a reopened (!) Auer Hall, 4 p.m.
3 — Tony Award winning Broadway musical, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” IU Auditorium, 8 p.m., repeated on the 4th .
— Student composition recital, Recital Hall, 8 p.m.
— Jazz Combo concert, Pat Harbison director, Ford-Crawford, 8:30 p.m.
4 — IU Chamber Orchestra, Arthur Fagen conductor, Haydn’s Symphony No. 30, Penderecki’s Viola Concerto and Bizet’s Symphony in C, Auer, 8 p.m.
5 — Early Music Institute faculty/guest recital, violinist Stanley Ritchie and fortepianist Eckart Sellheim, Auer, 8 p.m.
6 — Trombone faculty recital, Carl Lenthe, Peter Ellefson, M. Dee Stewart, Ford-Crawford, 7 p.m.
— IU Opera Theater, new production, Massenet’s “Le Cendrillon,” Ronald Zollman guest conductor, Chuck Hudson guest stage director, sets by C. David Higgins, MAC, 8 p.m., repeat performances 7th, 13th, 14th.
7 — New Music Ensemble, David Dzubay director; Stacy Garrop, guest composer; Buffy Baggot, soprano soloist, Auer, 8 p.m.
8 — Dubinsky Memorial Recital, with Stanley Ritchie, Yang-Yoon Kim, Jonathan Ruck, Luba Edlina-Dubinsky, James Campbell, Linda Strommen, William Ludwig, Jeffrey Nelsen and Frederieke Saejis, Auer, 4 p.m.
— University orchestra, David Effron conductor, Daniel Stein flute soloist, music of Mollicone (“In Time of War: Prayers and Meditations”), Rouse (Concerto for Flute), and Beethoven (Sixth Symphony), MAC, 8 p.m.
9 — Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, John Leonard conductor, Auer, 8 p.m.
— IU Jazz Ensemble, Brent Wallarab director, MAC, 8 p.m.
10 — IU Symphonic and Concert Bands, Jeffrey Gershman and Paul Popiel conductors, MAC, 8 p.m.
11 — Symphony Orchestra, Cliff Colnot conductor, Bottesini’s Double Bass Concerto No. 2, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 12, “The Year 1917,” MAC, 8 p.m.
12 — Early Music Institute guest recital, Concerto Palatino, Auer, 8 p.m.
13 — “American Originals,” Southern Indiana Wind Ensemble, Eric Isaacson conductor, side-by-side concert with Eastern Greene County High School Band, at the high school, 7 p.m. To be repeated at Owen Valley High School with that school’s band, March 2, 7 p.m.
14 — Bloomington Symphony Orchestra Valentines Day Concert and Fundraiser, Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, 5:30 p.m.
— Faculty recital, oboist Linda Strommen, Recital Hall, 7 p.m.
15 — IU Brass Choir, Edmund Cord director, Recital hall, 2 p.m.
— Faculty recital, violinist Mark Kaplan, Ford-Crawford, 3 p.m.
— Camerata Orchestra, William McGlaughlin guest conductor, Christopher O’Riley piano soloist, music of McGlaughlin (“Remembering Icarus”), Ravel (Concerto for Piano), and Mahler (Symphony No. 1, “Titan”), Bloomington North High School, 3:30 p.m.
— Pro Arte Singers, John Poole conductor, Auer, 4 p.m.
— “An Acoustic Evening with Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt,” Buskirk-Chumley, 8 p.m.
16 — IU Jazz Ensemble, David Baker director, MAC, 8 p.m.
17 — IU Wind Ensemble, Stephen Pratt and David Woodley conductors, Sylvia McNair soprano soloist, MAC, 8 p.m.
— Jazz Combo concert, Pat Harbison director, Ford-Crawford, 8:30 p.m.
18 — Philharmonic, Leonard Slatkin conductor, violinist Jaime Laredo and cellist Sharon Robinson as soloists, music of Brahms (Academic Festival Overture), Rozsa (Double Concerto for Violin and Cello), Sibelius (Symphony No. 5), MAC, 8 p.m.
20 — University Singers, William Jon Gray conductor, Auer, 8 p.m.
21 — University Chorale, Philip Moyer conductor, Auer, 8 p.m.
22 — Faculty recital, violinist Mark Kaplan, Ford-Crawford, 3 p.m.
24 — Faculty recital, pianist Shigeo Neriki, clarinetist James Campbell, cellist Sharon Robinson, Recital Hall, 8 p.m.
— Jazz Combo concert, Ford-Crawford, 8:30 p.m.
25 — Faculty recital, violinist Kevork Mardirossian, pianist Emile Naoumoff, music of Brahms, Auer, 8 p.m.
26 — “Ferocious Beauty: Genome,” multimedia work performed by Liz Lerman Dance Exchange, IU Auditorium, 8 p.m.
— Faculty recital, composer Don Freund, Auer, 8 p.m.
27 — Symphonic Choir, Vivian Ip and Jennifer Carpenter conductors, Recital Hall, 7 p.m.
— IU Opera Theater production, Handel’s “Giulio Cesare,” Gary Thor Wedow, guest conductor, Stefano Vizioli guest stage director, sets by Robert O’Hearn, MAC 8 p.m., repeated 28th, March 6-7.
28 — Early Music Institute chamber recital for recorder ensembles, Eva Legene director, Recital Hall, 3 p.m.
March
1 — Faculty chamber recital, cellist Emilio Colon, pianist Shigeo Neriki, violinist Federico Agostini, Auer, 2 p.m.
— Baroque Orchestra, Stanley Ritchie conductor, Auer, 4 p.m.
— University Orchestra, Arthur Fagen conductor, music of Wagner (Overture to “The Flying Dutchman”), Gliere (Harp Concerto) and Dvorak (Ninth Symphony), MAC, 8 p.m.
2 — South African vocal ensemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo, IU Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
— IU Jazz Ensembles, Jeremy Allen director, MAC, 8 p.m.
4 — Concert Orchestra, Cliff Colnot conductor, music of Ravel (Pavane), Tchaikovsky (“Manfred”) and Barber (Violin Concerto), MAC, 8 p.m.
5 — Studio Operas, Leslie Delk and Kyung-ook directors, MAC 301, 7 p.m.
— Faculty recital, pianist Yael Weiss, Auer, 8 p.m.
6 — Trombone faculty recital, Ford-Crawford, 7 p.m.
— Broadway musical “Mamma Mia!”, IU Auditorium, 8 p.m., repeated 7th and 8th, 2 and 8 p.m.
— Bluegrass artist Ralph Stanley, Buskirk-Chumley, 8 p.m.
7 — Guest recital, tuba/euphonium specialist Benjamin Pierce, Ford-Crawford, 7 p.m.
— New Music Ensemble, David Czubay director, Steven Stucky guest composer, Michael Lowenstern guest bass clarinetist, Recital Hall, 8 p.m.
8 — Bloomington Symphony Orchestra Family Concert with Hoosier Youth Philharmonic, Bloomington South, 3 p.m.
— Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, Auer, 4 p.m.
9 — IU Percussion Ensemble, Steve Houghton director, Auer, 7 p.m.
— IU Jazz Ensemble, Brent Wallarab director, MAC, 8 p.m.
10 — Symphonic and Concert Bands, MAC, 8 p.m.
11 — Faculty recital, baritone Philip Christiansen, pianist Shanelle Cook, Ford-Crawford, 7 p.m.
— Philharmonic, David Effron conductor, Mahler’s Seventh Symphony, MAC, 8 p.m.
13 — Folk artist Joan Baez, Buskirk-Chumley, 8 p.m.
24 — Jazz Combo concert, Ford-Crawford, 8:30 p.m.
27 — IU Ballet Theater, “Variations on a Russian Theme,” MAC, 8 p.m., repeated 28th.
29 — IU Brass Choir, Edmund Cord director, Recital Hall, 2 p.m.
— Camerata Orchestra, Murry Sidlin guest conductor, John Tafoya timpani soloist, music of Respighi (“Ancient Airs and Dances,” Set 2), Welcher (Timpani concerto), and Dvorak (Symphony No. 9), Bloomington South, 3:30 p.m.
— Pro Arte Singers, John Poole conductor, Auer, 4 p.m.
— Guest recital, guitar duo Castellani and Andriaccio, Auer, 8 p.m.
30 — IU Jazz Ensemble, David Baker director, MAC, 8 p.m.
31 — Musical “The Drowsy Chaperone,” IU Auditorium, 8 p.m., repeated April 1
— IU Wind Ensemble, Stephen Pratt conductor, MAC, 8 p.m.
April
4 — Singing Hoosiers, Michael Schwartzkopf director, IU Auditorium, 8 p.m.
5 — Chamber music recital, pianist Reiko Neriki, violinist Federico Agostini, Auer, 4 p.m.
— Bloomington Chamber Singers, Gerald Sousa conductor, Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion,” St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, 8 p.m.
8 — IU Chamber Orchestra, Uriel Segal conductor, music of Faure (“Pelleas et Melisande”), Mendelssohn (Second Piano Concerto) and Schubert (Symphony No. 2), Auer, 8 p.m.
10 — IU Opera Theater production, Broadway musical “Most Happy Fella,” with baritone Tim Noble, Dale Rieling guest conductor, Vincent Liotta stage director, sets by William Forrester, MAC, 8 p.m., repeats 11th, 17th, 18th
— African American Choral Ensemble, John Waldron Arts Center, 8 p.m.
12 — Symphony Orchestra, Kevin Noe conductor, music of Zupko (“Canter into Black”) and de Falla (“El sombrero de tres picos,” Suite 2), MAC, 8 p.m.
13 — Orion String Quartet, Auer, 8 p.m.
— IU Jazz Ensembles, Jeremy Allen director, MAC, 8 p.m.
14 — Student composition recital, Auer, 8 p.m.
15 — Concert Orchestra, David Effron conductor, music of Shostakovich (Sixth Symphony), Gershwin (“An American in Paris”) and Freund (“Sunscapes,” Concerto for Alto Saxophone), MAC, 8 p.m.
17 — University Theater, musical “Oklahoma!,” Jonathan Michaelsen stage director, George Pinney choreographer, Ruth N. Halls Theatre, 7:30 p.m., repeated 18th, 21-25.
19 — International Vocal Ensemble, Auer, 2 p.m.
— Musical Arts Youth Orchestra and international student guests, IU Auditorium, 4 p.m.
— Pro Arte Singers/Baroque Orchestra, John Poole conductor, Auer, 4 p.m.
20 — IU Percussion Ensemble, Steve Houghton director, Auer, 7 p.m.
21 — New Music Ensemble, David Dzubay director, Julia Wolfe guest composer, Auer, 8 p.m.
22 — Philharmonic and Oratorio Chorus, Robert Porco conductor, Britten’s War Requiem, MAC, 8 p.m.
23 — Festival of Bands, MAC, 8 p.m.
24 — Student composition recital, Auer, 8 p.m.
25 — Big Band Extravaganza, David Baker and Brent Wallarab conductors, MAC, 8 p.m.
26 — All-Campus Chorus, Mark Doerries conductor, Recital Hall, 7 p.m.
May
3 — IU Children’s Choir Spring Concert, Brent Gault director, First United Methodist Church, 2 p.m.
9 — “Jazz in the Concert Hall,” Bloomington Symphony Orchestra, Charles Latshaw conductor, Bloomington North, 7:30 p.m.
12 — “Fantasy, Mystery, and Mayhem,” Southern Indiana Wind Ensemble, Eric Isaacson conductor, Otis Murphy saxophone soloist, place TBA, 7 p.m.
22-31 — Bloomington Early Music Festival.
Happy listening!
The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music would like
to thank the Herald Times for permission to republish this review.
