Department of Music

The first concert of the Dimensions New Music Series took place in the Music/Mass Communications Concert Hall last night. Framed around music inspired by poetry, the concert included two premieres and featured three works by guest artist Lori Laitman, a leading composer of American art song. In addition to the compositions by Laitman, the program included a premiere for solo horn by Elizabeth Vercoe, commissioned and performed by Francis Massinon, and a work for oboe and double bass by Andrea Clearfield.

The program opened with Dr. Sharon Mabry, mezzo-soprano, and pianist Patsy Wade who performed Laitman’s song cycle Mystery (1998), that sets poems by American poet Sara Teasdale (1884-1933).

Andrea Clearfield’s Three Songs for Oboe and Double Bass (After Poems by Pablo Neruda) (1997) was performed by my husband, Gordon Lewis, and me. It was a lot of fun to revisit and perform this piece again. We first performed this piece in 1998, shortly after we met, and it was the first piece we ever performed together.

Mezzo-soprano Lisa Conklin-Bishop, pianist Dr. Jeffrey Wood, and cellist Keith Nicholas then performed Laitman’s song cycle, The Seed of Dream (2004). This song cycle sets poems by Holocaust survivor Abraham Sutzkever, which were taken from his personal writings from 1941 to 1944.

Elizabeth Vercoe’s Corollaries for Solo Horn was premiered by Francis Massinon. This work begins with a one-minute theme that is followed by four variations, which the composer calls corollaries, because each corollary is a natural consequence to the theme. In 2003, Vercoe held the Acuff Chair of Excellence at Austin Peay State University, and she now teaches at Regis College.

The concert ended with tenor Dr. Thomas King and pianist Dr. Vicki King performing four songs by Laitman. Two of these songs, “Full Moon” (rev. 2006) and Light Hearted William (rev. 2006), both with text by William Carlos Williams, were premieres.

Since 1980 more than forty composers have come to our campus for premieres of their works and to speak to students about their work. I’m looking forward to Laitman’s master class later this morning, where she will coach APSU music students on several of her songs.

Last night, Professor of Music David Steinquest led the 15-member APSU Percussion Ensemble in two sold-out concerts. Throughout the community, Steinquest has become quite well known for producing this spectacular charitable-event. The admission fee was either $3 or two cans of food, which was donated to Loaves and Fishes, a local food pantry.

From the eerily decorated concert hall to the intense visual effects offered by the Mass Communication department, an appropriately creepy atmosphere complemented the spooky music. The program included rock classics such as Led Zeppelin’s Black Dog and Edgar Winter’s Frankenstein, which featured guitarist David Britton and bassist Gordon Lewis. APSU students Lindsey Rapp, soprano, and Christopher Bailey, tenor, sang The Phantom of the Opera and violinist Phoebe Gelzer-Govatos was featured on Psycho. Many of the pieces were arranged by Steinquest.

I was excited to have a small role in the production. Shrouded in a black cloak, I represented death as I played part of the Berceuse and Finale from Stravinsky’s Firebird on English horn. Magically, my character was transformed into the brilliant firebird, portrayed by Andrea Brown who played French horn.

The local newspaper, The Leaf-Chronicle covered the concert and some great pictures can be found in their Photo Gallery.

American tenor Richard Cox will give a concert Thursday, October 25 in the MMC Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. This concert is sponsored by the Clarksville Community Concert Association in association with the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts.

Established in 1985, The Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts at APSU offers many wonderful opportunities for students to work with internationally acclaimed guest artists. Earlier this week, students had an exciting opportunity to work with Cox in a master class.

7:30 p.m. in the MMC Concert Hall

Dr. Lisa Vanarsdel, flute
Dr. Patricia Halbeck, piano

Works by Kuhlau, Muczynski, Demersseman, and Dutilleux–more details to come!