From chamber and classical to Latin and swinging jazz, listeners of all musical persuasions in mid-Michigan are in for a treat as the MSU College of Music presents an extraordinary season that runs from September through April.
The college will kick off the musical season with “MSU BrassWorks Showcase” at 3 p.m. Sept. 18. Part of the MSU Federal Credit Union Showcase Series, this event presents an afternoon of majestic brass music ringing through Fairchild Theatre and features the Beaumont Brass faculty quintet. Joining the ensemble will be principal brass players from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra: Kenneth Thomkins, trombone; Karl Pituch, horn; and Heather Zweifel, co-founder and co-director of Burning River Brass. Kevin Sedatole, director of bands at MSU, will be guest conductor.
Next in the Showcase Series, the college welcomes the guest string ensemble Brooklyn Rider, considered by "Strings Magazine" to be “the future of chamber music.”
Two familiar and joyful favorites fill the remainder of the December schedule, including holiday events like “A Jazzy Little Christmas” and Handel’s “Messiah.” The final Showcase Series concert, a favorite of many in the Lansing/East Lansing community, fills the Fairchild Theatre stage with four grand pianos and four accomplished pianists in April. Piano Monster features College of Music piano faculty artists commanding instruments with arrangements for solo piano, piano for four hands and other exciting works.
The MSU Opera Theatre will awe audiences with two fully staged and costumed operas at Fairchild, including "The Elixir of Love" by Donizetti in November and Mozart’s "The Marriage of Figaro" in March.
The Joanne and Bill Church West Circle Series returns for its seventh season to celebrate the great works of master composers including Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Mozart and Schumann. And for one week in April, internationally renowned guests and artist faculty will headline the 17th annual Cello Plus Chamber Music Festival.
Throughout the season, recitals by several artist-faculty and guest artists will feature works that have inspired audiences throughout the world. And no musical season at MSU would be complete without the numerous performances by the talented graduate and undergraduate students comprising the Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Ensembles, Wind Symphony and Choral Ensembles, led by acclaimed MSU conductors.
For more information about the new season, visit http://music.msu.edu/event-listing/season.