Enjoy A Diverse Collection of School of Music Concerts, Everything From Jazz To Classical Sounds
The BYU School of Music kicks off November with an offering of eight spectacular concerts. This month, audiences enjoy an array of sounds ranging from BYU’s choirs, bands and percussion ensembles. There is truly something for everyone this month in the new BYU School of Music Building.
Global Rhythm: Panoramic Steel + Gamelan Bintang Wahyu
Date & Time: November 4 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Music Building Concert Hall
Price: $10-14
Tickets: arts.byu.edu
This Global Rhythm concert will feature the music of Trinidad, Tobago and Bali. The music of Trinidad and Tobago will be played by BYU’s steel band, Panoramic Steel and the music of Bali played by BYU’s gamelan ensemble, Gamelan Bintang Wahyu. Come experience the rich and beautiful cultures of these countries through their traditional sounds and rhythms.
Women’s Chorus: It Is Well
Date & Time: November 9 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Music Building Concert Hall
Price: $10-14
Tickets: arts.byu.edu
In their concert "It Is Well," BYU Women's Chorus will present “music from the past, music of faith, music of the sky and music of home.” Two pieces included in the concert are Gustav Holst’s famous “Ave Maria” arranged for double choir as well as BYU faculty Lane Johnson’s arrangement of the hymn “It Is Well With My Soul.” Graduate students Brian Pappal and Stevie Dugdale will step in as conductors for music faculty Sonja Poulter.
BYU Singers
Date & Time: November 10 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Music Building Recital Hall
Price: $10-14
Tickets: arts.byu.edu
BYU Singers, the university’s award-winning chamber choir, presents an artistically curated menagerie of stunning musical gems both ancient and modern. The BYU singers will perform a wide variety of choral styles and genres in the show they affectionately call “musica eclectica.” They will sing traditional music such as Antonio Lotti’s “Crucifixus á 8” and Edward Elgar’s “Lux aeterna.”
Concert goers will also enjoy two premieres. The first is BYU composition faculty Kevin Anthony’s “The Hymn of the Pearl.” The hymn is based on the allegorical texts found in the apocryphal Acts of Thomas. It follows the story of a young prince who embarks on a dangerous journey to retrieve a precious pearl. The second is Italian composer Paolo Orlandi’s new setting of “God is Love.” Although not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints himself, Orlandi was taken with the words of the hymn after professor and conductor Andrew Crane sent it to him.
Men’s Chorus + Concert Choir
Date & Time: November 14 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Music Building Concert Hall
Price: $10-14
Tickets: arts.byu.edu
This concert features the talents of both Concert Choir and Men’s Chorus. The evening begins with the Concert Choir, who will take the audience through a sober narrative about life's journey. The somber songs about loss and hardship are then answered with songs of hope and reassurance.
Following the Concert Choir, Men’s Chorus will sing songs that celebrate God’s goodness and promised peace through Christ. They will conclude with a lighthearted medley of songs that celebrate BYU’s status as the number one cold-stone sober campus in the U.S.
Although this concert is already sold out, audiences can enjoy the free live stream of the concert at this link.
Mountain strings & Folk Music Ensembles
Date & Time: November 28 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Music Building Recital Hall
Price: $6-10
Tickets: arts.byu.edu
Mountain Strings, BYU’s traditional and contemporary folk music ensemble, performs a variety of music styles from the American tradition and from the British Isles and Canada. The band consists of seven talented student musicians who play a wide variety of instruments–including fiddle, viola, guitar, bass, piano, accordion, percussion and voice. They perform and travel with BYU’s International Folk Dance Ensemble to international festivals under the United Nations’ UNESCO branch.
Faculty member Mark Geslison said that one of the goals of Mountain Strings is to “make friendships and promote peace and unity in the world.” This concert is an opportunity for audience members to enjoy the uplifting, international music of Mountain Strings right here on BYU campus. We invite the audience to sing along when appropriate and to clap along as they feel so inclined.
Classical Percussion: Percussion Ensemble + Tangents Quartet
Date & Time: November 28 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Music Building Concert Hall
Price: $10-14
Tickets: arts.byu.edu
This classical percussion concert will feature the BYU Percussion Ensemble led by Matt Coleman and the BYU Tangent Percussion Quartet directed by Darren Bastian. The repertoire that is particularly special to this concert is Pat Metheny’s “First Circle,” arranged for percussion ensemble by Luis Rivera, Michael Kingan and Steve MacDonald and “José/beFORe JOHN5” by Aurél Holló.
Coleman said, “‘First Circle’ has been an immensely fun and challenging undertaking for the ensemble to learn. The piece involves mixed time signatures and soloists on vibraphone and marimba. ‘José/beFORe JOHN5’ is a challenging experimental percussion quartet that involves intensely intricate hocketed rhythms and instruments uncommon to percussion instrumentation.”
Philharmonic: Folksong and Fate
Date & Time: November 29 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Music Building Concert Hall
Price: $10-14
Tickets: arts.byu.edu
Join the BYU Philharmonic for a concert featuring American and English folk songs by Aaron Copland and Ralph Vaughan Williams. These composers worked “across the pond” from each other and will comprise the “Folksong” portion of the concert. The main event of the night will be Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 5” which is possibly his most well known work. The Philharmonic will be using the Mahler orchestration of Beethoven’s music. Conductor Gustav Mahler added instruments, adjusted dynamics and sometimes added or removed notes all together.
According to BYU’s new director of orchestras Nathan Haines, “While it seems almost sacrilegious to change Beethoven’s music today, this was a common practice at the turn of the 20th century. Was Mahler right to add his own touch to Beethoven’s music? Come to the concert and find out!”
Before the show, Dr. Haines will host a “Pre-Concert Talk” at 6:30 p.m. where audience members can get to know him in his new position as director of orchestras.
Symphonic Band + University Band in Concert
Date & Time: November 30 | 7:30 p.m.
Location: Music Building Concert Hall
Price: $6-10
Tickets: arts.byu.edu
Get into the Christmas spirit with BYU’s bands! In a special combined concert, the Symphonic Band will join forces with University Band to favor the audience with an array of Christmas classics and band favorites. The BYU Symphonic Band will premiere a wonderful multi-media, theatrical composition called “Avalanche in the Bleak Mid-Winter.” The concert will also feature special guest, School of Music faculty Mark Ammons. You won't want to miss it!