Around the world in four days

 

Starting Tuesday, Nov. 23 the chamber ensembles present a gala of works for small groups: flute, guitar, strings, piano and brass. Astor Piazzolla, Camille Saint-Saens, Alan Hovhaness, Dvorak, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Brahms and Beethoven works will take listeners to Argentina, France, America by way of Armenia and Scotland, Prague, Austria and Germany.

On Thursday, Nov. 25 the Chorale and Les Choristes choirs take the stage to perform Christmas music. They will travel back to Palestrina’s time and Handel, move forward with Brahms, Britten and Healy Willan and come to the present day with contemporary composers, such as Lana Walters, Naomi Stephan and Canadian Allan Bevan.

Japan and Indonesia are stops on an ambitious program by the Percussion Ensemble at 12:30 p.m. and 8 on Friday, Nov. 26. Ketiak is a Bali-inspired work for conga drums, bongos, claves, maracas, chimes, six timpani and four mallets. Tsunami creates a wall of sound with conch shells and taiko drums. A traditional Mexican marimba piece, La Negra, a work by Boston percussionist Tom Gauger,  and Minuano by Pat Metheny round out the ticket. Escape Velocity by Dave Hall gets the program off to a fast and flashy start.

Also on Friday, faculty members Fiona Wilkinson, Stephan Sylvestre, Thomas Wiebe and Carolyn Herrington present a Century in Paris, music from Ferrenc to Poulenc. Louise Farrenc was a pianist and composer who toured with her composer husband Jacques Hippolyte Aristide Farrenc, in the 19th century. She won a prize for her chamber music at Academie des Beaux Arts.

Henri Dutilleux and Claude Debussy also were prize-winners – being accorded the Premier Grand Prix de Rome. Dutilleux is known for his elegant and lively compositions. Debussy began to combine the old and new, mixing ecclesiastical modes and parallel fourths and fifths with overtones from ninths for example.

Poulenc was a brilliant pianist who rebelled against the refined music that preceded him. His music alternates between sophistication and simplicity, playfulness and gravity.

At night on Friday, Nov. 26, the St. Cecilia Singers and UWO Singers perform Christmas music at St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica.

Mark your calendar for the following performances:

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 12:30 p.m.

von Kuster Hall in the Music Building

Chamber Music Gala

Paul Davenport Theatre in Talbot College

The Chorale and Les Choristes

Hodie!


Friday, Nov. 26, 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Paul Davenport Theatre in Talbot College

Percussion Ensemble


Friday, Nov. 26, 12:30 p.m.

von Kuster Hall in the Music Building

A Century in Paris


Friday, Nov. 26, 7:30 p.m.

St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica

St. Cecilia Singers, UWO Singers