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

March 8, 2005

April 2005 Music Calendar

This April, the School of Music will continue “Rite of Strings: A 12-day Festival from Bach to Django” (March 29 to April 9) with concerts by violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg who will perform with duo guitarists Sergio and Odair Assad (March 29), Mark O’Connor’s Hot Swing Trio (April 2) and Edgar Meyer (April 8), master classes and a Monster String Concert (April 9) featuring an ensemble of 70 cellists. There also is a free, 11-hour movie marathon of feature films and documentaries (noon to 11 p.m. April 3) celebrating string instruments and legendary performers.

Nachtmusique (April 16) is an ensemble dedicated to 18th century “Harmoniemusik” by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and lesser-known 18th century European composers. Guest guitarist Oscar Ghiglia (April 17) returns to Northwestern as he celebrates his 18th year of performing and teaching here.

Northwestern’s School of Music hosts the 13th annual conference of the Society for Seventeenth-Century Music (April 14 to 17), in connection with the performances of recorder player Marion Verbruggen, viola da gamba player Mary Springfels and harpsichordist David Schrader (April 14).

Events listed below will be held on Northwestern’s Evanston campus at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive; Regenstein Recital Hall, 60 Arts Circle Drive; or Lutkin Hall, 700 University Place, as noted below.

For more information, call the Pick-Staiger Concert Office at (847) 491-5441 or go to the

Pick-Staiger Web site at www.northwestern.edu/pick-staiger.

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

APRIL 2005

Rite of Strings Festival, Mauricio Fuks Violin Master Class, 4:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 1, Regenstein Recital Hall. A professor at Indiana University, the Reina Sofia School and the Irish World Music Center as well as an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music, Mauricio Fuks has performed as a concertmaster, chamber musician and soloist across Europe and South America. Admission is free.

Sigma Alpha Iota Centennial Gala, “A Celebration of Women in Music,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 1, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. In commemoration of its recent centennial, the Beta chapter of the women’s professional music fraternity, Sigma Alpha Iota, presents a concert featuring notable women from the School of Music faculty. A reception will follow the performances of mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Fischer-Monastero, pianist and School of Music Dean Toni-Marie Montgomery, violinist Almita Vamos and horn player Gail Williams. A freewill offering will be accepted. For ticket information and reservations, contact Mary Henkes at m-henkes@northwestern.edu.

Rite of Strings Festival, Janet Horvath Master Class on String Players’ Injuries, 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 2, Lutkin Hall. A member of the Minnesota Orchestra, cellist Janet Horvath has performed internationally as a soloist and in ensembles. As author of the book “Playing (less) Hurt: An Injury Prevention Guide for Musicians,” she will help performers learn how to avoid injuries. Admission is free.

Rite of Strings Festival, Mark O’Connor’s Hot Swing Trio, 8 p.m. Saturday, April 2, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Grammy Award-winning fiddler Mark O’Connor is widely recognized as a gifted contemporary composer. His numerous recordings include acclaimed collaborations with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, double-bassist Edgar Meyer, the London Philharmonic and the Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra. The Hot Swing Trio has performed nationwide including three sold-out nights at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2002. Tickets are $25 for the general public; $21 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $10 for students.

Rite of Strings Film Festival, noon to 11 p.m. Sunday, April 3, Regenstein Recital Hall. To complement the live festival events, this 11-hour movie marathon will screen feature films and documentaries celebrating string instruments and legendary performers. Documentaries include “Song of the Birds” (Pablo Casals), “Speaking in Strings” (Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg) and “the Art of the Violin,” with more than 20 renowned violinists. Feature films include “The Red Violin” and “All the Mornings of the World.” Capping off the festival is a rare showing of the Italian movie “Paganini Horror” (for mature audiences), featuring a Stradivarius violin as a lethal weapon. A Mystery Science Theatre 3000 short film “Mr. B Natural” will be included in the festival. Admission is free.

Newberry Consort, “A Salon in the City of Lights,” 3 p.m. Sunday, April 3, Lutkin Hall. This recreation of an 18th century Paris salon presents cantatas, airs and suites by Rameau, Marais and others from the golden age of French Baroque, interspersed with evocative readings from Parisian journals of the period. Performers include soprano Ellen Hargis, violinist Elizabeth Blumenstock, harpsichordist Jillon Stoppels Dupree and viola da gamba player Mary Springfels. Tickets are $21 for the general public; $19 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $11 for students.

Rite of Strings Festival, Atar Arad Viola Master Class, 4:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, Regenstein Recital Hall. World-renowned violist and composer Atar Arad has appeared with the Tokyo, Guarneri, Mendelssohn, American, Vermeer, Chillingrian, Corigliano and New Zealand quartets as well as with prominent musicians including Pinchas Zukerman, Janos Starker, Menahem Pressler and Miriam Fried. He teaches at Indiana University and the Ravinia Festival’s Steans Institute. Admission is free.

Rite of Strings Festival, Chicago All-Star Electric String Ensemble, 8 p.m. Thursday, April 7, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Renowned for their brilliant musicianship and instrumental virtuosity, five of Chicago’s most innovative jazz musicians will join forces for their world premiere performance. The artists include electric guitar player John Moulder, electric violinist Zachary Brock, electric cellist Larry Gray, electric stand-up bassist Brian Torff and drummer Paul Wertico. Tickets are $12 for the general public; $8.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $5.50 for students.

Rite of Strings Festival, Edgar Meyer, bass, 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 8, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Acclaimed as the world’s greatest touring bass soloist, Edgar Meyer has collaborated with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Joshua Bell and banjoist Bela Fleck in addition to appearing with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and country vocalist Garth Brooks. A Grammy nominee and recipient of the prestigious MacArthur “genius” grant, Meyer is a member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and a visiting professor of double bass at the Royal Academy of Music. Tickets are $21 for the general public; $17 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $10 for students.

Kids Fare, “String Thing,” 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 9, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Pluck, pick and strum along with every kind of string instrument under the sun. This concert for children aged 3 to 8 is part of Northwestern’s Rite of Strings festival. Kids Fare concerts are supported by Target. Tickets are $5 for the general public; $4 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3 for children and students.

Rite of Strings Festival, “Monster String Concert,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 9, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. The Monster String Concert features 70 cellos performing Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” 30 guitars performing a Leo Brouwer work, a large violin choir performing Bach’s “Concerto for Three Violins in D Major” plus performances of works by Mahler, Beethoven and Saint-Saëns. Victor Yampolsky, Robert G. Hasty, Hans Jorgen Jensen and Roland Vamos will conduct. With music by Mahler, Bach, Beethoven, Brouwer and Saint-Saëns, the program presents guest artists as well as School of Music students and the following faculty members: violinists Blair Milton, Gerardo Ribeiro and Almita Vamos; and guitarist Anne Waller. Tickets are $14 for the general public; $10 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $5.50 for students.

“Sounds in Space,” 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 10, Regenstein Recital Hall. Music technology and composition students will demonstrate how changing the levels of multiple, individually controlled loudspeakers can determine the direction electronic music will travel in space. Composer and diffusion guru Jonty Harrison will develop the concert during a daylong workshop. The New Music Northwestern performance, coordinated by Amy Williams, will feature works by Harrison and music faculty members Gary Kendall, Stephen Syverud and Virgil Moorefield. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for students.

Jazz Invitational, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Outstanding jazz ensembles from area high schools participate in a day of rehearsals, master classes and jam sessions led by Northwestern’s faculty. In the concluding concert, high school ensembles perform with Northwestern’s Jazz Ensemble and a special guest artist. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for students.

Guest artist, Marion Verbruggen and Friends, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14, Lutkin Hall. Recorder virtuoso Marion Verbruggen joins members of Chicago’s Newberry Consort, viola da gamba player Mary Springfels and harpsichordist David Schrader, in a performance of 17th century music. Verbruggen has performed with Musica Antiqua Köln, the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra, Tafelmusik and the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. She teaches recorder master classes and received the 1973 Nicolai Prize for performance of contemporary Dutch music. Tickets are $15 for the general public; $10 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $5 for students.

Society for Seventeenth-Century Music Conference, Thursday, April 14, through Sunday, April 17. Northwestern’s School of Music will host the 13th annual conferences of the Society for Seventeenth-Century Music, the international association of musicians and scholars devoted to early baroque music. The conference will feature lecture-demonstrations, scholarly presentations, a book exhibit, a reception and a banquet, in addition to the April 14 concert by Marion Verbruggen, Mary Springfels and David Schrader. For more information, see www.sscm-sscm.org.

Guest artists, Nachtmusique, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 16, Lutkin Hall. This ensemble, dedicated to the music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and lesser-known 18th century composers of “Harmoniemusik” (music for a combination of woodwind and brass instruments), is comprised of clarinetist Eric Hoeprich, basset horn player Antonio Salar-Verdu, bassoonists Javier Zafra and Eyal Streett, and horn player Erwin Wieringa. They play regularly with the Freiburger Baroque Orchestra, Anima Eterna, Orchestre des Champs-Elysées and the London Classical Players. Tickets are $15 for the general public; $10 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $5 for students.

Segovia Classical Guitar Series, Oscar Ghiglia, guitar, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 17, Lutkin Hall. Ghiglia returns to Northwestern to celebrate his 18th year of performing and teaching here. Many of today’s best-known guitarists are alumni of Ghiglia’s celebrated master classes. His program will include music by Bach, Rodrigo, Ponce and others. Tickets are $19 for the general public; $16 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $8 for students.

Samuel and Elinor Thaviu String Scholarship Competition, 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 18, Lutkin Hall. Outstanding Northwestern string students perform in this annual competition honoring the late Samuel Thaviu, longtime School of Music violin professor. Admission is free.

Student Spotlight, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 20, Lutkin Hall. Join some of Northwestern’s finest young musicians for a new recital series organized by the School of Music’s Student Advisory Board. Undergraduate and graduate students in voice, strings, piano, winds and percussion present a diverse program of chamber and solo music. Admission is free.

Contemporary Music Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 21, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. This performance includes Igor Stravinsky’s “Ragtime,” Leonard Bernstein’s “Prelude, Fugue and Riffs,” Michael Daugherty’s “Snap!” and selections by Frank Zappa. Daniel J. Farris will conduct. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for students.

Symphonic Wind Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 22, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. The ensemble will perform Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Serenade in E flat, Aaron Copland’s “Variations on a Shaker Melody” and David Maslanka’s “In Memoriam.” Mallory Thompson will conduct.  Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for students.

Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, “American Explorer,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Victor Yampolsky, Gilbert Galindo and Eric Garcia will conduct this concert featuring Leonard Bernstein’s “Facsimile,” Jay Alan Yim’s “Rain Palace,” William Schuman’s “Prayer at the Time of War” and Symphony No. 4, and Gilbert Galindo’s “Piercing Pivot.” There will be a preconcert discussion at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $8.50 for the general public; $7 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $4 for students.

Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, “Musical Gems of France,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 28, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. The Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra will perform Gabriel Fauré’s “Masques et Bergamasques,” Jacques Ibert’s “Divertissement,” Albert Roussel’s “Le Festin de l’araignée” (“The Spider’s Feast”) and Jean-Baptiste Lully’s “Ballet Suite.” Robert G. Hasty will conduct. Tickets are $6.50 for the general public; $4.50 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $3.50 for students.

Keyboard Conversations, “The Magnificent Melodies of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff,” 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 29, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Pianist Jeffrey Siegel explores two of the most popular composers of all time during a program that will include Tchaikovsky’s “Humoresque” and “Dumka” and Rachmaninoff’s “Etudes-Tableaux.” Tickets are $23 for the general public; $21 for senior citizens and Northwestern faculty and staff; and $16 for students.

Thaviu-Isaak Endowed Piano Scholarship Competition, 3 p.m. Saturday, April 30, Lutkin Hall. Northwestern piano students nominated by the School of Music piano faculty perform in this annual competition honoring the late School of Music professors Samuel Thaviu and Donald Isaak. Admission is free.