MEDIA CONTACT: Judy Moore at 847-491-4819 or jkm229@northwestern.edu

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September / October 2006 Music Calendar

Northwestern University’s School of Music will kick off the 2006-07 music season with a faculty musicale (Sept. 18) and a performance by Graeme Jennings, former violinist of the Arditti Quartet (Sept. 25).

Other October program highlights include a performance by the Bob Ravenscroft Jazz Trio (Oct. 3); a concert by world-renowned sitar player Sanjoy Bandopadhyay (Oct. 6); a Keyboard Conversations program on Beethoven by pianist Jeffrey Siegel (Oct. 6); a performance by the all-female Cassatt Quartet that will appear with pianist James Giles; and a free concert by the U.S. Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants (Oct. 19).

This fall Northwestern also will celebrate the vibrancy and variety of American composers by surveying the breadth and vitality of American music, including many works that have won prestigious awards. Related musical events include a 70th birthday tribute to Steve Reich (Oct. 3); a Symphonic Wind Ensemble concert featuring Steven Stucky’s “Funeral Music for Queen Mary” (Oct. 13); a Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra program that will feature Michael Torke’s Saxophone Concerto (Oct. 28); and Aaron Copland’s “Quiet City” performed by the University’s Symphonic Band (Oct. 29).

Events listed below will be held on Northwestern’s Evanston campus at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive; Lutkin Hall, 700 University Place; Regenstein Recital Hall, 60 Arts Circle Drive; Trienens Hall, 2707 Ashland Ave.; or Vail Chapel, 1870 Sheridan Road, as noted below.

For more information, call the Pick-Staiger Concert Office at 847-491-5441 or go to the
Pick-Staiger Web site.

To order tickets by phone, call the Pick-Staiger Ticket Office at 847-467-4000.

SEPTEMBER 2006

Faculty Musicale, 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Distinguished Northwestern School of Music faculty members will begin the academic year with a recital that includes performances by pianists Ursula Oppens and Sylvia Wang, tenor Richard Drews, violinist Gerardo Ribeiro and other soloists and small ensembles. Admission is free.

Graeme Jennings, violin, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, Vail Chapel. Graeme Jennings, former violinist of the Arditti Quartet, will perform contemporary works for solo violin, including music by Berio, Donatoni, Sciarrino, Maderna and Scodannibio. The program is cosponsored by New Music Northwestern and Sound Field, a Chicago festival of new and experimental music. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

Kids Fare, “March with the Band,” 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, Trienens Hall. Children aged 3 to 8 are invited to bring a kazoo, tin drum or toy bugle and march along with the Wildcat Marching Band during this popular annual fall family event. Park in the Ryan Field west lot on Ashland Avenue north of Central Street. Follow signs to the Trienens Hall east entrance, northwest of Ryan Field. Tickets are $5 for the general public; $4 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3 for full-time students and children.

OCTOBER 2006

Newberry Consort, “Harmonies of the Hemispheres – Devotions and Dreams of Spain and Mexico,” 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, Lutkin Hall. Coinciding with the opening of a major Newberry Library exhibition on the Aztecs in colonial Mexico, the Newberry Consort will celebrate the realities and fantasies of New Spain. This performance will feature songs and hymns from the library’s 17th century Mexican choir books in Latin, Spanish and Náhuatl (the language of the Aztecs). Performers will include violinists David Douglass and viola da gambist Mary Springfels, with Drew Minter leading the vocal ensemble. Tickets are $21 for the general public; $19 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $11 for full-time students.

Steve Reich 70th Birthday Celebration Concert, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Oct. 3 marks the 70th birthday of Steve Reich, one of America’s most important and influential composers. In honor of his immense contributions as a pioneer of musical minimalism, New Music Northwestern and the Contemporary Music Ensemble will present a portrait of his work from the past four decades. Prior to the concert, a selection of his electronic and tape works will be heard in the lobby beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

Bob Ravenscroft Jazz Trio, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3, Regenstein Recital Hall. Renowned pianist-composer and Northwestern alumnus Bob Ravenscroft has dedicated many years to breaking new ground in jazz, showcasing his impressionistic style throughout the United States and abroad. His Bob Ravenscroft Trio recently released a studio album on the new, technically sophisticated Ravenswave Jazz label. Ravenscroft will perform with drummer Rob Schuh and bassist Steve Millhouse. Tickets are $8.50 for the general public; $7 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $4 for full-time students.

Keyboard Conversations, “Beethoven – Sunny Side Up,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Pianist Jeffrey Siegel has presented his unique and entertaining “concerts with commentary” to audiences nationwide for more than 35 years. This year he begins his popular series with a selection of Beethoven’s most lighthearted works. Tickets are $23 for the general public; $21 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $16 for full-time students.

Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, sitar, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, Lutkin Hall. One of the foremost sitar players of the current generation, Sanjoy Bandopadhyay is the chair professor and head of the department of instrumental music at Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata, India. He has performed in many major music festivals in India, Europe and the United States. His studies with leading figures of India’s major schools of instrumental music have helped him develop a uniquely comprehensive style. Tickets are $12 for the general public; $10 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $7 for full-time students.

Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, Master Class, 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, Regenstein Recital Hall. Admission is free.

Cassatt Quartet with James Giles, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, Lutkin Hall. The all-female Cassatt Quartet has performed together for 20 years, garnering accolades the world over. Inaugural participants in Julliard’s Young Artists Quartet Program in 1985, the quartet has gone on to make appearances at Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress and prestigious venues in Paris and Tokyo. The group also has participated in numerous educational and summer residencies and teaching assistantships around the world. In addition to quartets by Beethoven and Ravel, this concert will feature pianist James Giles of the Northwestern University School of Music faculty in Dohnányi’s Piano Quintet. Sponsored by the E. Nakamichi Foundation. Tickets are $8.50 for the general public; $7 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $4 for full-time students.

Bruce Hall, baritone, and Sunny Joy Langton, soprano, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, Lutkin Hall. Northwestern voice faculty members and Lyric Opera of Chicago regulars Bruce Hall and Sunny Joy Langton combine their talents in a recital featuring Debussy’s “Quatre chansons de jeunesse,” Brahms’ “Vier ernste Gesänge,” Bowles’ “Blue Mountain Ballads,” selections by Rossini and duets by Haydn and Donizetti. Collaborating with the two vocalists is pianist Sylvia Wang of the School of Music faculty. Tickets are $8.50 for the general public; $7 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $4 for full-time students.

Symphonic Wind Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. John Whitwell, retired director of bands and professor emeritus of music at Michigan State University, will conduct Northwestern University’s Symphonic Wind Ensemble during a program that includes Joseph Turrin’s “Jazzologue” No. 1, Franz Krommer’s Partita in F and Reynolds’ arrangement of Jules Massenet’s “Le Cid” Ballet Music. Other works on the program are Steven Stuckey’s “Funeral Music for Queen Mary,” Percy Grainger’s “Lincolnshire Posy” and Fennell’s arrangement of E. E. Bagley’s “National Emblem.” Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

An Evening with Sherrill Milnes, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Hailed as one of the greatest Verdian baritones of all time, School of Music voice faculty member Sherrill Milnes will present an evening of highlights and remembrances from his illustrious operatic career. Incorporating video clips plus his own commentary and anecdotes, Milnes will share memories of his famous roles -- from Scarpia in Puccini’s “Tosca” and Miller in Verdi’s “Luisa Miller” to Figaro in Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.” Admission is free.

Anthony Dean Griffey, tenor, and James Giles, piano, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, Lutkin Hall. Tenor Anthony Dean Griffey has won critical and popular acclaim in appearances with opera companies and symphony orchestras worldwide. The combination of his lyric yet powerful tenor voice and his fine musicianship has propelled him to leading roles in the world’s top opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, The Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera and Paris Opera. Northwestern University faculty pianist James Giles will collaborate with Griffey in music by Brahms, Ravel, Barber and Previn. They will be joined by countertenor and Northwestern University School of Music Associate Dean Rene Machado in Britten’s “Canticle II: Abraham and Issac” for alto, tenor and piano. Tickets are $15 for the general public; $12 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $7 for full-time students.

Marching Band Homecoming Concert, 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, Cahn Auditorium. Northwestern’s Homecoming Parade will kick off in style when the Northwestern University Marching Band brings the sights and sounds of Ryan Field indoors to Cahn Auditorium. School of Music faculty member Daniel J. Farris will direct the program. Admission is free.

Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. The Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra will perform the world premiere of Lysenka’s arrangement of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Prelude and Fugue, and Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Symphony No. 10 in E Minor. Victor Yampolsky and Ruth Lin will conduct. The guest soloist is Northwestern University School of Music faculty pianist Sylvia Wang. Tickets are $8.50 for the general public; $7 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $4 for full-time students.

Tito Capobianco Opera Master Class, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, Lutkin Hall. Tito Capobianco has been the general director of the Pittsburgh Opera for 17 years. Capobianco founded the Juilliard Opera Center, the San Diego Opera Center, the Pittsburgh Opera Center and the opera department of Pennsylvania’s College of Performing Arts. Known worldwide for his ingenious and innovative staging, he has more than 300 opera, theater and television productions to his credit. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

Contemporary Music Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. School of Music faculty member Victor Yampolsky will conduct the University’s Contemporary Music Ensemble during a program that includes Yuri Falik’s “Buffoons Concerto for Winds and Percussion,” Boris Tishchenko’s Symphony No. 3 for Chamber Orchestra; Sofa Gubaidulina’s “Concordanza” for Chamber Ensemble and Edison Denisov’s “Three Pictures by Paul Klee” for Viola and Ensemble. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

Jazz Night I, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Music faculty members Daniel J. Farris and Joel Spencer will conduct the Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble during this jazz program. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. The University’s Chamber Orchestra will perform George Frideric Handel’s “Royal Fireworks Music,” Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 in G Minor and Sergei Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf,” narrated by Northwestern University School of Music Dean Toni-Marie Montgomery. Robert G. Hasty will conduct. Sean Hurlburt will be the saxophone soloist. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

Hymnfest V, “Praise Him with the Mighty Organ,” 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, Alice Millar Chapel. The Chapel Choir and Millar Brass Ensemble will “raise the roof” in hymn arrangements by Ayres, Rutter, Webster, Wilberg and others during Hymnfest V. Also featured will be “Te Deum,” a new work by Eleanor Daley. Organists Greg Hand and Margaret Wilson will play the Millar Chapel’s recently renovated 100-rank Aeolian Skinner pipe organ. Stephen Alltop will conduct the program. Admission is a freewill offering.

Symphonic Band, “An American Landscape,” 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. School of Music faculty member Ryan Nelson will conduct the Northwestern University Symphonic Band during a program that includes Ron Nelson’s Rocky Point Holiday,” Carter Pann’s “American Child,” Aaron Copland’s “Quiet City” and Dan Welcher’s “Zion.” Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for full-time students.

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