RICHARDSON, Texas (Aug. 22, 2006) — The School of Arts and Humanities at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD) will open its 2006–2007 Classical Concert Season on Oct. 20 with a tribute to William Shakespeare. Seven additional concerts will follow — ranging from UTD’s in-house musical ensemble to a Texas composers showcase — and all will be held for one night only and begin promptly at 8 p.m.
About the Concerts
Shakespeare in Song, a free performance will open Oct. 20 in UTD’s Jonsson Performance Hall. The concert will consist of scenes and songs with original words by theBard, from such works as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, As You Like It and more, in musical settings from Shakespeare’s time to the 20th Century. Faculty member Kathryn Evans will direct the UTD Chamber Singers, soloists and members of the RATPAC Theatre Club for this performance.
The critically acclaimed Clavier Trio will perform concerts on Oct. 27 and Feb. 3 in the Jonsson Performance Hall. Tickets for each concert are $15. The Clavier Trio includes UTD faculty member Arkady Fomin, distinguished violinist in the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of the New Conservatory of Dallas; pianist David Korevaar, a member of the Prometheus Piano Quartet and professor at the University of Colorado at Boulder; and new member Jesús Castro-Balbi, a professor at Texas Christian University. The fall concert will feature the work of Aaron Copland, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Felix Medelssohn. The program for the spring concert will include compositions by Johannes Brahms, Franz Joseph Haydn and Zoltan Kodály.
UTD’s Musica Nova Ensemble will perform in the Jonsson Performance Hall on Nov. 18 and April 13. Both concerts are free. Intermediate and advanced instrumentalists, singers, composers, actors, dancers and video artists will come together under the direction of Robert Xavier Rodríguez to perform with guest artists from the area.
The Texas Composers Concert, held in the Jonsson Performance Hall on Feb. 10, will feature the works of Dan Welcher, Lee Hage Jamail Regents Professor at The University of Texas. Tickets are $15. An established symphonic composer, Welcher has received numerous honors, produced an award-winning radio series titled “Knowing the Score,” was Composer-in-Residence with the Honolulu Symphony (1990) and was assistant conductor of the Austin Symphony (1980–1990). The concert will include the world premiere of How to Make Coq Au Vin, three songs based on the writings of James Hoggard, a former poet laureate of Texas.
On April 12, audiences can hear a unique collaboration between the Alexander String Quartet and the David Sanchez Group at the Eisemann Center in Richardson. Tickets range from $20–50. More information is available at www.eisemanncenter.com or 972-744-4650. The ensembles will play brief sets of signature works along with a combined set of Duke Ellington’s pieces in the first act of their performance. The second act will feature both groups performing Eddie Sauter’s “Focus,” originally commissioned by Stan Getz. This concert and related residency activities are the result of a co-sponsorship between UTD’s School of Arts and Humanities, the Eisemann Center and the Mid-America Arts Alliance.
Celebration of Mexico, a multi-media musical fiesta, will close the season on April 28 in UTD’s University Theatre. Tickets are $15. Robert Xavier Rodríguez will conduct a concert suite from his acclaimed opera, Frida, based on the tempestuous life of painter Frida Kahlo. The concert will also include Aaron Copland’s popular El Salon Mexico and music by Revueltas and others. Guest soprano Alba Quezada will join pianist Jeff Lankov and the Musica Nova ensemble.
Additional information about each event is available at http://ah.utdallas.edu/. All programs are subject to change. UTD ticket office hours are from 2 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and at the door one hour prior to show time. To purchase tickets using Visa, MasterCard or Discover during those hours, please call 972-883-2552.
For information about the many musical, arts, theatre, dance and other performances and exhibitions held throughout the year at UTD, please call 972-UTD-ARTS (972-883-2787), e-mail utdarts@utdallas.edu, or visit the School of Arts and Humanities’ website at http://ah.utdallas.edu/. Persons with disabilities needing special accommodations may call 972-883-2982, Texas Relay Operator: 1-800-RELAYVV.
About UTD
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor®, enrolls nearly 14,500 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UTD, please visit the university’s website at www.utdallas.edu.