February 2010
Program Notes
UTEP Department of Music — Performances are 7:30 p.m. in the Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall, unless otherwise listed. Tickets: $5 ($3 seniors/military/non-UTEP students; free for children, unless listed otherwise. Information: 747-5606 or utep.edu/music.
• Luke Franco, guest flutist — Friday, Jan. 29. Franco and rhythm company bring together the stylistic worlds of jazz, contemporary, and avant-garde through vibrant free improvisation and extended flute techniques.
• UTEP Wind Symphony — Monday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.
• UTEP Jazz Ensemble — Tuesday, Feb. 16.
• Gregory Luffey and Friends — 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, as part of the faculty recital series. UTEP music professors Greg Luffey, saxophone, Donald Wilkinson, saxophone, Oscar Macchioni, piano, and Dominic Dousa, piano/composer, will present an afternoon of contemporary saxophone music. Dousa’s composition “Ludington Woods” will be featured.
Tickets: $8 ($5 seniors/military/non-UTEP students, $3 Children/UTEP students/faculty/staff.
NMSU Department of Music — Performances are at the NMSU Atkinson (Music Center) Recital Hall. Ticket information: (575) 646-2421 or nmsu.edu/~music/.
• William Lipke and Lela York, present a duo piano concert as part of the faculty recital series at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31.
• Guest artist recital with Maryvale High School Guitar Ensemble is 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8.
• NMSU Jazz Ensembles perform 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12.
• NMSU Symphonic Winds perform 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, featuring guest John Tegmeyer on clarinet.
• Southwest Honor Band concerts are noon Sunday, Feb. 14.
• NMSU Gospel Choir performs 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20. Admission is free, donations accepted at the door.
• Mesilla Valley Concert Band presents a free recital at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21.
• Graduate recital featuring Marcos Gomez, saxophone is 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21.
• Senior Recital featuring Brooke Yahney, euphonium is 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23.
‘Amazing Magical Musical Adventures’ — Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music and No Strings Theatre Company present a monthly series of children’s programs at 2 p.m. selected Saturdays at the Black Box Theatre, 430 N. Downtown Mall, in Las Cruces. Material is aimed at audiences age 4-10, but all ages welcome. Admission: $5. Reservations recommended: (575) 523-1223 or no-strings.org.
The Feb. 6 performance is “Strings and Stories”, a Piatigorsky Foundation tour for young audiences, featuring violinist Linda Rosenthal and actor Bill Blush. The Piatigorsky Foundation, based in New York City, sends classical artists to cities and towns across the country to present classical music to school students, nursing home residents and audiences in community centers and museums. Their goal is to introduce classical music to people who do not ordinarily have a chance to enjoy it.
EPSYOs Winter Concert — The El Paso Symphony Youth Orchestras, under the direction of Andres Moran, presents its winter concert “Dance, Dance, Dance” 7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, at the Abraham Chavez Theatre. The concert features all four EPSYOs large ensembles in pieces including Dvorak’s “Slavonic Dance No. 8,” the El Paso premiere of EPSYOs member Amalia Zeitlin’s “A Walk Through the Meadows,” and Smetana’s “Three Dances from the Bartered Bride.” Tickets: $12 ($7 military, seniors and students) Information: 525-8978 or epsyos.org.
Also featured is violinist and UTEP Visiting Professor, Mark Schuppener, performing John Williams’ “Three Pieces from Schindler’s List.”
Las Cruces Symphony – The symphony, under the direction of Lonnie Klein, performs Feb. 6-7 at the NMSU’s Atkinson Recital Hall with guest artist Jon Manasse, clarinet. Selections include Torke’s “Javelin,” Libermann’s Concerto for Clarinet, Copland’s Suite from “Billy The Kid” and Gershwin’s “An American in Paris.” Performances are 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Release tickets available on a limited basis; $35, $40 and $45. Information: (575) 646-3709 or lascrucessymphony.com.
A luncheon with Maestro Klein is 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, at Ramada Palms Hotel Conference Center, featuring a preview of the performance’s music. Cost: $16.
A Friday at the Symphony dress rehearsal is at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5. Tickets are $15 ($5 students with ID).
Bruce Nehring Consort — The Consort has cancelled its scheduled Feb. 6-7 concerts with organist Paul Oakley. The next concerts will be the season finale April 10-11 with guest violinist/conductor Charles Gray at The Chapel at Loretto, 1400 Hardaway. Information: 534-7664.
James Sperry organ recital — Music Forum El Paso presents organist James Sperry at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 7, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1000 Montana. Sperry will perform an eclectic program of works by J.S. Bach, Cesar Franck, Pablo Bruna, Jehan Alain and Alamogordo composer Frank Ashdown. Admission is free. Information: 755-0724 or elpasoclassical.com.
New Horizons Pops Concert — The New Horizons Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Oscar Butler presents its first pops concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at NMSU’s Atkinson Recital Hall, featuring songs such as “Star Wars Medley” by John Williams, “The Syncopated Clock” by Leroy Anderson and “Night on Bald Mountain” by Modest Petrovich Moussorgsky. Special guests are La Cella Bella, four female cello players who specialize in arrangements of popular music, from the Beatles to Metallica. Admission is free. Information: (575) 523-9101 or nhsocruces.com.
The NHSO is the local chapter of a national organization that provides the opportunity for adults aged 50 and better to express their love of music. Some members have played in orchestras in school or even professionally, and others are newer to the world of music.
NHSO’s lead trumpet, Paul McLaughlin, is soloist for Anderson’s “Bugler’s Holiday.” Other pieces are “El Capitan March” by John Phillip Sousa, and “Plink, Plank, Plunk,” also by Anderson.
La Catrina Quartet — Las Cruces Friends of Chamber Music present the ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 Downtown Mall, Las Cruces. Hailed by Yo Yo Ma as “wonderful ambassadors for music,” the string quartet is famed for its unique blend of Latin-American and standard repertoire. The ensemble is currently Faculty Quartet-in-Residence at NMSU. Tickets: $10. Information: (575) 523-7714.
LCSO Chamber Orchestra Concert — The Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Lonnie Klein, presents a special chamber orchestra concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14, at the Rio Grande Theatre in the Las Cruces Downtown Mall, featuring guest artist Bracha Malkin, violin. Selections include Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto and Mozart’s Symphony Nov. 40. Tickets: $15 ($5 students). Information: (575) 646-3709 or lascrucessymphony.com.
Lauren Flanigan Master Class — El Paso Opera and UTEP Department of Music will host a series of master classes for
the UTEP Music Theatre Company with acclaimed Opera Star Lauren Flanigan of the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Opera. The residency will culminate with a public master class and student performance at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, at UTEP’s Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall. Ticket information to be announced. Information: 996-9846.
The New York Times has compared Flanigan to Maria Callas while Time magazine says her “Olivier-like immersion in her roles has won her a well-deserved reputation as the thinking person’s diva.”
Young People’s Concerts — The El Paso Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestra Sarah Ioannides, presents the 70th season of free programs for area fifth-graders Wednesday through Friday, Feb. 17-19, at the Abraham Chavez Theatre. Performances are 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. each day. The public is invited on a space-available basis; call for availability. Information: 532-3776.
More than 15,000 fifth-grade students from the El Paso area are treated to the free concerts each year.
The four winning compositions by area 5th graders for the 3rd annual El Paso Electric Young People’s Concerts “Composition Competition” will be combined by Dominic Dousa into an orchestral medley and performed by the orchestra under the direction of Assistant Conductor Andres Moran. This year’s winners are Lacey Paige LaFoe of Scotsdale Elementary, Aurora Salazar of John Drugan Elementary, Connor Stone of Kohlberg Elementary School and Caylee Robalin of Polk Elementary.
‘A Night at the Movies’ – El Paso Wind Symphony presents an evening of cinematic-themed performances at7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 19 at UTEP’s Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall. Tickets: $12.50 ($7.50 students). Information: 760-5599.
The El Paso Wind Symphony, directed by Dr. Ron Hufstader, includes woodwind, brass and percussion.
Teresa Walters — Doña Ana Arts Council Cultural Series presents the International First Lady of Piano at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at Rio Grande Theatre, 211 Downtown Mall, Las Cruces. In recent years, Walters has performed on six continents and in most of the 50 United States. Her latest CD was nominated for the Grand Prix du Disque. Tickets: $25. Information: (575) 523-6403, (575) 523-0807 or RioGrandeTheatre.com.
Walters is lauded as one of the finest interpreters of Liszt. She is noted for her Keynote Comments.
El Paso Symphony Orchestra – The Symphony, conducted by Maestra Sarah Ioannides, presents “The Planets” at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26-27, in the Plaza Theatre, featuring guests Melissa Colgin-Abeln, flute during Mozart’s Concerto for Flute & Harp C major, K.299; Grace Cloutier, harp and the UTEP Women’s Chorale and Glee Club performing Mozart’s “Concerto for flute and Harp, K. 299, C major” and a multi-media presentation of Holst’s “The Planets” with images from NASA’s Hubble Telescope. Tickets: $11-$37. (Ticketmaster). Information: 532-3776 or epso.org.
Learn more about The Planets with Assistant Conductor Andres Moran during pre-concert “Opening Notes” at 6:30 p.m. both nights in the Philanthropy Theatre. He will be joined by special guests from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, scientists David Pieri, Ph.D. in Geological Sciences, and Ashley Davies, Ph.D. in volcanology.
El Paso Brass – Las Cruces Civic Concert Association presents the area brass ensemble at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Rio Grande Theatre, 211 N. Downtown Mall. Founded 35 years ago, the brass is composed of key members of El Paso Symphony Orchestra and is one of the longest continually-performing brass quintets in America. They will perform a variety of music from “Bach to the Beatles.” Tickets: $20. Information: (575) 521-4051.
2010 Young Musicians Competitions — El Paso Summer Music Festival will host the first of the Young Musicians Competitions in the El Paso Border Region. This event follows the successful 2009 Summer Season and the live-taping of NPR’s radio show “From the Top.” Competition recitals are 3 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 28, April 11, and April 25, at University Presbyterian Church at 244 N. Resler. Recitals are open to the public. Tickets: $10 ($5 students). Information: 449-0619 or epsmf.org.
Young musicians between the ages of 8 and 19 (instrument and voice) were invited to apply. Six finalists and two alternates will be announced.
Winner will receive a $2,000 Young Musician’s Award along with the opportunity to perform in the
El Paso Summer Music Festival’s June 2010 Potpourri Concert.
New Desert Harmony Singers — The community mixed chorus, directed by Dave Kinkaid, auditions singers for its annual summer concert at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 225 W. Griggs in Las Cruces. Regular rehearsal begins at 7 p.m. Information: (575) 650-4417 or newdesertharmonysingers.blogspot.com.
Piano Recital — Local piano teacher Mariko Reider presents her students in recital at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb 28, at the Chamizal National Memorial, 800 S. San Marcial, accompanied by singing and other instruments. Admission is free. Information: 532-7273.
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