News from the College of Musical Arts

The BGSU River Rouge Saxophone Quartet has advanced to 2nd round of the North American Saxophone Alliance National Competition. Finals will be held at Arizona State University (March 15-18, 2012).

Members of the quartet are all graduate students studying with Dr. John Sampen and include John Cummins (soprano), Elissa Kana (alto), Noa Even (tenor) and James Fusik (baritone).

Upcoming performances for Distinguished Research Professor John Sampen:

March 4 Guest Recital/Masterclass– University of Alberta (Edmonton)
March 13 Guest Recital/Masterclass – Oklahoma State University
March 15-18 Soloist at the North American Saxophone Alliance national convention performance
at Arizona State University
March 19 Guest Recital/Masterclass- University of Missouri Columbia
March 20 Guest Recital/Masterclass – University of Missouri/Kansas City
March 30 Guest Recital with Mark Bunce – Western Michigan University
April 3 Paris Conservatory Presentation with Dr. Marilyn Shrude
April 5 Selmer Showroom Recital with Dr. Marilyn Shrude (Paris)
April 10 Bordeaux Conservatory presentation with Dr. Marilyn Shrude

BGSU Master of Music students John Cummins and Matt Shirey have progressed to the semi-final round of the North American Saxophone Alliance Nationals Saxophone Competition. Both students and students of John Sampen, and will compete for national honors on March 15-18, 2012 at Arizona State University.

Sentinel-Tribune profiled the upcoming Christopher O’Riley concert. Click on the link below to read the article.

http://www.sent-trib.com/arts-entertainment/pianist-advocates-for-young-musicians-new-music

Andrew Pelletier, Associate Professor of Horn, will be the Featured Artist for this year’s Western Illinois Horn Festival, at Western Illinois University in Macomb. He will present a masterclass, be part of panel discussion on performance practices, and will perform a recital as part of the festival. This year is the 10th anniversary of this festival, and Dr. Pelletier was also the very first Featured Artist. For more information:

http://www.wiu.edu/cofac/music/horn.php

Andrew Pelletier, Associate Professor of Horn, will be the featured soloist with the Adrian Symphony Orchestra on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the historic Crowell Opera House, in Adrian, Michigan. He will be performing the “Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings” by Benjamin Britten, along with tenor Drake Dantzier. For more information:

http://www.adriansymphony.org/february.htm

Tenor Christopher Scholl will perform at the Singers’ Consortia Art Song Festival, which will be held March 4-6, 2012, at West Texas A&M University.

Dr. Jane Schoonmaker Rodgers and Kevin Bylsma will be the keynote speakers/presenters at the inaugural session of the Singers’ Consortia Art Song Festival, which will be held March 4-6, 2012, at West Texas A&M University. The Singers’ Consortia is “a new organization of people personally invested in the creation of new art song,” the brainchild of BGSU alum Dr. Christopher Meerdink. For more information follow this link: http://www.singersconsortia.com.

Bowling Green State University’s College of Musical Arts presents an Opera Gala as the first musical performance in the newly opened Wolfe Center for the Arts. The program begins at 8 p.m. on Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 in the Thomas and Kathleen Donnell Theatre.

The evening will feature solo arias, duets, quartets, quintets and overtures to some of world’s greatest operas including Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” and “The Magic Flute,” Beethoven’s “Fidelio,” Bizet’s “Carmen,” Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” and Verdi’s “Rigoletto.”

In a showcase of student and faculty talent, the program features the Bowling Green Philharmonia, University Choral Society, Collegiate Chorale, Men’s and Women’s choruses, and faculty soloists including Christopher Scholl, Doug Wayland, Jane Rodgers, Sean Cooper, Sujin Lee, Ann Corrigan, Ellen Scholl, Lance Ashmore and Jennifer Cooper.

Special commentary and narration will be provided by WGTE-FM Program Manager and Music Director Brad Cresswell. Radio audiences may recognize him as the host of “Afternoon Classics,” “Live from FM 91” and “WGTE in Concert.”

The Wolfe Center for the Arts, a distinctive structure built to advance collaboration across the arts at BGSU, opened its doors in December 2011. Designed by international award-winning architects Snøhetta of Oslo, Norway, the $41 million, 93,000 square-foot building serves as the home for the Department of Theatre and Film and supports instructional and creative activities by the College of Musical Arts and the School of Art.

General admission tickets are $10 and available by calling the college box office at 419-372-8171 or by emailing musictickets@bgsu.edu. Tickets also will be available at the door. Seating is limited. Media sponsorship by WGTE Public Media.