2007-2008

Theme: Music - The Natural, the Unnatural and the Supernatural

The theme for this year's concert series, "Music - The Natural, the Unnatural and the Supernatural", encompasses a diverse range of music. Concerts will include music by faculty and students involved in electronic and computer-generated media, and programmatic repertoire including Carmina Burana and Beethoven's Ghost Trio and Pastoral Symphony, to explore the human desire to understand and express elements of the world and "otherworldliness" through music.

Fall 2007

American Music for Solo Piano
Tuesday, Sept. 11, 8 pm
McKenna Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
Ruthanne Schempf will perform Charles Griffes' Sonata, Two Etudes by Ethelbert Nevin, Arthur Foote's Five Poems of Omar Khayyam, Amy Beach's Hermit Thrush at Eve and Hermit Thrush at Morn, selections from MacDowell's Woodland Sketches, and Copland's Piano Variations.

Faculty Sampler
Tuesday, Sept. 18, 8 pm
McKenna Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
In keeping with our year's theme "Music - The Natural, the Unnatural and the Supernatural," the music faculty will present works including Jacob Druckman's Dark Wind for violin and cello, Nikita Koshkin's Merlin's Dream for classical guitar, and Franz Schubert's Erlkönig for baritone and piano.

Faculty Jazz Ensemble
Tuesday, Oct 23, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$10 general admission, $8 seniors/staff, $3 students
Members of the Jazz Studies Faculty present an exiting evening of original compositions and arrangements of instrumental and vocal jazz. Always a semester favorite, this performance is guaranteed to groove from the opening downbeat. Members of the faculty include Mark Dziuba, guitar; Vinnie Martucci, piano; Teri Roiger, vocals; John Menegon, bass; and David Savitsky, alto sax.

West Point Chamber Winds
Tuesday, Oct. 30, 8 p.m.
Julien J. Studley Theatre
Free of Charge
Musicians from the United States Military Academy Band perform the Mozart "Serenade No. 10 in B♭, Gran Partita," for 13 Winds.

Innisfree Piano Trio
Tuesday, Nov. 6, 8 pm
McKenna Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
The centerpiece of Innisfree's concert will be Beethoven's Piano Trio in D Major, Opus 70, no. 1, Ghost. Performers are Sylvia Buccelli, piano, Carole Cowan, violin, and Susan Seligman, cello.

Symphonic Band I
Tuesday, Nov. 13, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
Free of charge
Comprised of fifty members, both music and non-music majors, the Symphonic Band will perform music from the great symphonic band traditions of the United States and Europe.

College-Community Chorale
Thursday, Nov. 15, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
The College-Community Chorale will be joined by the Ulster Choral Society in a performance of Beethoven's Mass in C, Op. 86 and two works of Brahms: Zigeunerlieder (Gypsy Songs),Op.112; and Four Songs for Horns and Harp, Op.17; mystical songs of lament and darkness with texts by Shakespeare and others. Lee Pritchard will conduct.

Concert Choir
Tuesday, Nov.27, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
The Concert Choir, conducted by guest Director Thomas Juneau, will perform music of Schubert, Brahms, Victoria and Whitacre along with other choral gems. The program will feature Franz Schubert's Mass in G for choir and string orchestra.

Student Voice Recital I
Thursday, Nov. 29, 7 pm
Nadia and Max Shepard Recital Hall
Free of charge
The classical voice students of Professor Kent Smith present a recital of varied repertoire including arias and art songs.

Collegium Musicum
Sunday, Dec. 2, 3 pm
Nadia and Max Shepard Recital Hall
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
Hear Ye, Good Citizens! Collegium Musicum, the college ensemble for early music, will present a program of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music featuring the melodious airs of Machaut, Josquin des Pres, Hotteterre and Mr. Handel, directed by Joël Evans. All manner of serfs, oafs, louts and trolls welcome (but for pity sake, gentlemen, leave your horses and weapons outside!)

Chamber Jazz Ensembles I
Tuesday, Dec. 4, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
The students of the Jazz Studies Program present a high-energy evening of student and faculty arrangements of standard tunes and original compositions. Instrumental and vocal ensembles range from six to twelve members, and demonstrate the ever-growing improvisational and musical skills of these avid students of jazz!

Chamber Jazz Ensembles II
Thursday, Dec. 6, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
See Dec. 4

College/Youth Symphony - The Natural, Unnatural and Supernatural in Music
Sunday, Dec. 9, 7 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
The concert will feature Symphony No. 6, Op. 68, The Pastoral of Beethoven, and selections from The Planets by Gustav Holst.

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Spring 2008

Tuesday, Feb. 5, 7 pm
McKenna Theatre
Free of charge
This concert will feature talented young winners of the VIP and CYS Concerto Competitions. Selected in November 2007, these students come from a four-county area of New York State. The winner of the VIP will perform as a soloist with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic in Youth Concerts, and the CYS winner will perform as soloist in the CYS Spring Concert. The winners and finalists will play an interesting range of styles and instruments.

William McCann Recital
Tuesday, Feb. 26, 8 pm
McKenna Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
The Music Department honors Professor William McCann in his farewell recital at SUNY New Paltz. Dr. McCann, playing French horn, will be joined by violinist Carole Cowan and pianist Ruthanne Schempf to perform Brahms' Horn Trio in Eb Major, Op. 40. Come to celebrate the many wonderful years he has given to the college and the community!

Faculty Jazz Ensemble
Tuesday, March 4, 8 pm
McKenna Theatre
$10 general admission, $8 seniors/staff, $5 students
Members of the Jazz Studies Faculty present an exiting evening of original compositions and arrangements of instrumental and vocal jazz. Always a semester favorite, this performance is guaranteed to groove from the opening downbeat. Members of the faculty include Mark Dziuba, guitar; Vinnie Martucci, piano; Teri Roiger, vocals; John Menegon, bass; and David Savitsky, alto sax.

Student Honors Recital
Tuesday, March 11, 8 pm
McKenna Theatre
Free of charge
The Music Department proudly presents outstanding students, both instrumental and vocal, performing works in a variety of styles. Come enjoy the emerging artistry and energy of these wonderful young musicians!

Music for Oboe, Piano and Viola
Tuesday, March 25, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
Oboist Joël Evans is joined by violist Valentina Charlap-Evans and pianist Ruthanne Schempf in a recital of music of Georg Frideric Handel and Ernst Krenek, with Josef Holbrooke's marvelously evocative work Fairyland, based on poems of Edgar Allen Poe.

Kairos: Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle
Tuesday, April 1, 8 pm
Nadia and Max Shepard Recital Hall
$8 general admission, $5 seniors/staff, $3 students
The Hudson Valley's premiere vocal ensemble, Kairos: A Consort of Singers, presents this masterpiece of vocal chamber music in its original scoring for two pianos, harmonium, soloists and small chorus.

Dueling Pianists
Tuesday, April 8, 8 pm
Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
Long-time piano duo partners Sylvia Buccelli and Ruthanne Schempf will perform Satie's Three Pieces in the Form of a Pear, Schubert's Fantasia, and the Witches' Sabbath from Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique!

Spring Choral Concert: Night Music
Tuesday, April 15, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
Choral music celebrating the beauty and mystery of the night, sung by the Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and College-Community Chorale under the direction of Edward Lundergan.

Chamber Jazz Ensembles III
Tuesday, April 22, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
The students of the Jazz Studies Program will present another high-energy evening of student and faculty arrangements of standard tunes and original compositions. Instrumental and vocal ensembles range from six to twelve members, and demonstrate the ever-growing improvisational and musical skills of these avid students of jazz!

Chamber Jazz IV
Thursday, April 24, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$5 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
See April 22

Symphonic Band II
Tuesday, April 29, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
Free of charge
The Symphonic Band under the direction of Dr. William McCann performs a richly varied program of music from the great tradition of band music of Europe and the United States.

Student Voice Recital II
Thursday, May 1, 8 pm
Nadia and Max Shepard Recital Hall
Free of charge
The voice students of Professor Kent Smith present classical arias and songs in recital.

Collegium Musicum
Sunday, May 4, 3 pm
Nadia and Max Shepard Recital Hall
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
Come One, Come All! Collegium Musicum, the college ensemble for early music, will present a program of Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music featuring the melodies of Bernart de Ventadorn, Monteverdi, Vivaldi, and Telemann, directed by Joël Evans. All manner of serfs, oafs, louts and trolls welcome(swords optional.)

College/Youth Symphony - The Natural, Unnatural, and Supernatural
Sunday, May 4, 7 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
This concert will feature The Force of Destiny by Giuseppe Verdi, Saint-Saëns' Danse Macabre, selections from Kiss Me Kate by Cole Porter, and music from Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber. The winner of the College/Youth Symphony Competition will be the featured soloist.

Carmina Burana
Tuesday, May 6, 8 pm
Julien J. Studley Theatre
$6 general admission, $4 seniors/staff, $3 students
Carl Orff's dramatic cantata brings to life the world of the medieval goliards, wandering bands of defrocked monks devoted to the pleasures of the flesh and the tavern, and scornful of established authority, particularly that of the Church. Carmina Burana will be performed by the College-Community Chorale accompanied by two pianos and percussion ensemble.