January 26, 2011 | Arts

Bienen School Students to Perform at Kennedy Center

Concert to be streamed live from Washington, D.C. at 5 p.m. (CST) on April 25

By Judy Moore

Cellist Richard Narroway

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Five Northwestern University students studying at the Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music will perform at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the nation’s capital Monday, April 25, as part of the center’s Conservatory Project.

An initiative of the Kennedy Center, the Conservatory Project is designed to present the best young artists in classical, opera and other music arts from the country’s leading conservatories and institutions of higher education.

The concert will be streamed live at 5 p.m. (CST) via the Internet. To view the webcast, visit the Kennedy Center website’s Millennium Stage page at music.northwestern.edu/kennedycenter/.

Twice a year, the nation’s leading music schools are invited to send students to the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theatre to introduce top new talent to the public. World-renowned artists, including conductor Leonard Slatkin and tenor Placido Domingo, have critiqued project participants.

Northwestern University students performing April 25 are:

• Baritone David Govertsen, a master’s degree student studying with Bruce Hall, will perform “Se vuol ballare” from Mozart’s “Le nozze di Figaro,” “Ecco il mondo” from Arrigo Boito’s opera ”Mefistofele” and “Scintille diamante” from Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffman.”

• Bassoonist Dana Jackson, a master’s degree student of Christopher Millard, will perform Grovlez’s “Sicilienne et Allego giocoso.”

• Pianist Eugenia Jeong will play “Tarantella” from Liszt’s “Venezia e Napoli.” She is a master’s student of James Giles.

• Sophomore cellist Richard Narroway, a student of Hans Jorgen Jensen, will perform Dvorak’s Polonaise in A Major for cello and piano, B. 94.

• Soprano Alison Wahl will sing Arditi’s “Il Bacio,” Brahms’ “Botschaft” and Poulenc’s “Les chemins de l’armour.” She also will join Govertsen for “La ci darem la mano” from Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” Wahl is studying for a master’s degree with Pamela Hinchman.

Nolan Pearson, the Bienen School staff accompanist, will accompany the students.

The Conservatory Project is part of the Kennedy Center’s “Performing Arts for Everyone” initiative, which provides free daily performances at 5 p.m. (CST).

For more information and links to videos of Bienen School students who appeared in earlier Conservatory Project performances, visit tinyurl.com/nukennedy.