School of Music

Claudine Bigelow, a faculty member in the Brigham Young University School of Music, will perform a free viola recital Wednesday, June 5, at 8:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall.

BYU's jazz band, Synthesis, is currently on tour in Brazil, May 16—June 18. Synthesis started off the tour strong with a workshop and then a sold out performance in front of 800 people in Betim. On Sunday, members of Synthesis tasted the culture of Brazil as they split up to have meals with local members in Belo Horizonte. And the first week ended well with a fireside in Belo Horizonte. Over the next few weeks, the 18-member band will participate in jazz festivals, small performances, and jazz workshops all over the country. Synthesis also plans to hold workshops with local jazz bands and students as they visit major cities including Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo. For more information regarding BYU performing groups, visit pam.byu.edu. To book a performance, contact Performing Arts Management at (801) 422-3576 or perform@byu.edu.

After traveling through Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, BYU's Living Legends returned back to the United States on May 17. The Living Legends Artistic Director, Janielle Christensen, shares a few significant moments from the trip:

What better way to start the BYU Young Ambassadors' first full day in Xi'an, China, than to ride bicycles nine kilometers around the ancient city wall?

Follow the Young Ambassadors on their China tour at their Facebook page. Week two of the BYU Young Ambassadors tour to China began with the students participating in what local leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported to be the largest gathering of church members ever in the city of Jinan.

For many of the students in the group, the Central America Tour seemed so far away. After many hours of practice and regional shows, the moment everyone had been waiting for had now come. As usual, Living Legends started their tour off by meeting at the Richards Building. After weighing everyone's bags to make sure they met the 22-pound requirement they loaded the bus headed for the SLC Airport. Once at the airport the group began to check-in all the costumes, props and tech equipment at Delta Airlines. Thanks to John Shurtleff's years of experience and his tech crew, check-in was quick and well organized. After two flights, a stop at LAX, and a red-eye flight to Guatemala, the group had finally arrived.

In 1979 the Young Ambassadors became one of the first American groups to travel to China after diplomatic recognition between the two countries. This spring the Young Ambassadors will return to China for the eighth time. Their three-week tour, from April 27 to May 20, will include cities the group initially visited in 1979–Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong–and also Tianjin, Jinan, Hefei, and Xi’an. The Young Ambassadors received significant media attention during their previous tours, including a 2007 documentary aired by China Central TV explaining the history of the Young Ambassadors in China and the relationships that have since developed. During their first China tour in 1979, the Young Ambassadors gave a private performance for 15 high government officials. The reaction of those officials would determine the extent to which the group would perform while in China. At the end of that show, artistic director of the Young Ambassadors Randy Boothe recalled the Chinese officials announcing, “Tonight the Young Ambassadors will perform in the Red Tower Theatre,” which at the time was the most prestigious theatre in Beijing. Through their joint efforts with the Chinese Performing Arts Agency, the Young Ambassador’s have presented throughout China. During this next tour the Young Ambassadors will join the Beijing Dance Academy, one of the most prestigious dance schools in China, for a performance. They will also return to the Meet in Beijing Arts Festival, which they last attended in 2005. Representatives from BYU and China have developed strong friendships from such regular interaction over the years and look forward to working together again. “Our friends in China have always welcomed us with open arms,” said Boothe. “Returning to China is a dream come true, and we look forward to making new friends as we share our unique brand of family entertainment through the best of America’s music and dance.” The Young Ambassadors certainly bring a style of music unique to American musical theatre and radio. Harmony showcases music from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Hairspray, Dreamgirls, and Carousel, as well as popular songs by Michael Bublé, the Gershwin brothers, and Benny Goodman. The Young Ambassadors are making every effort to communicate clearly with their Chinese audiences. The lyrics will have Mandarin supertitles and the video will have a Chinese voice-over. In addition to their very American-style music, the Young Ambassadors are also preparing an original piece for their Chinese audience titled “Take a Step,” composed by Boothe and Stephen Jones, dean of BYU’s College of Fine Arts and Communications, with choreography by Jiamin Huang, a former student of the Beijing Dance Academy. According to Boothe, “this is a tribute to our friends in China, showing the deep respect we have for them and their commitment to family values.” Set during the Chinese New Year, the piece tells the story of a young couple sharing a message of strength and the importance of family with their infant–then hearing the same message retold by the couple’s ancestors. Chris Udall, a soloist for “Take a Step,” looks forward to sharing the message of family with Chinese audiences. “The entire message of the Young Ambassadors show is about the importance of families,” he said. “I hope the message can touch their hearts and strengthen their family bonds.” The Young Ambassadors have a Pacific Northwest midsemester tour before they cross the ocean in April. From February 22 to March 2, they will perform in Idaho (Nampa), Washington (Richland, Everett, Marysville, Kent, Bremerton, and Olympia), and Oregon (Hillsboro). Watch KSL's feature on Young Ambassadors here. Source: BYU Performing Arts Management

Brigham Young University faculty pianist Jeffrey Shumway will perform with guest artist Del Parkinson from Boise State University as the American Piano Duo Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. The concert is sponsored by BYU’s School of Music, and admission is free.

Julianne Horsley reports on the BYU Men's Chorus recent launch of their new free SET APART: Beloved Missionary Hymns album.

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The BYU Philharmonic Orchestra celebrated the 100-year anniversary of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” by performing it for delighted audiences in the Harris Fine Arts Center. Fans of classical music filled the de Jong Concert Hall to listen to BYU’s premier orchestral group in its last performance of the semester.

The Brigham Young University School of Music is offering a selection of end-of-the- semester concerts April 9-16. Tickets for these events are available the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-4322 or at byuarts.com/tickets. Two sections of BYU’s band ensemble University Band will perform in concert Tuesday, April 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Led by conductors Laurisa Christofferson and Fred McInnis, the bands will perform the music of Gustav Holst, Johann de Meij, Franz von Suppe, Zo Elliott and others. BYU’s University Orchestra and University Strings will perform Thursday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Graduate students majoring in instrumental orchestral conducting conduct the University Orchestra and University Strings. Led by conductor of Donald Peterson, the Wind Symphony will present “Wind Band Potpourri” Saturday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. The Wind Symphony will be joined by faculty guest conductor Kirt Saville and guest soloist Manuel Delgado as they present the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, Morton Gould, Leonard Bernstein and others. The two sections of University Chorale will combine for a concert Tuesday, Apr 16, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Under the direction of Patrick Tatman and Leland Spindler, the program will feature the music of Felix Mendelssohn, William Billings and Eric Whitacre. For more information, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348 or ken_crossley@byu.edu.

The Brigham Young University School of Music will host 'An Evening of Percussion' Friday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. The event will feature performances by the Percussion Ensemble and Panoramic Steel directed by Ron Brough and Gamelan Bintang Wahyu directed by Jeremy Grimshaw.

The Brigham Young University School of Music will present a collection of jazz concerts April 10-13. Tickets for the concerts are available at the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-4322 or at byuarts.com/tickets, unless otherwise noted. Jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon will perform with Synthesis under the direction of Ray Smith Wednesday, April 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Wycliffe is an award-winning musician who has held the Jazz Journalists Association’s title of “Trombonist of the Year” seven times in the last decade. Wycliffe serves on the faculty of the Jazz Arts Program at the Manhattan School of Music. Directed by Allen Matthews, Jazz Voices will perform Thursday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. They will present a diverse set of jazz standards including “Blues Walk” by Clifford Brown; hymn arrangements such as “Come, Come Ye Saints;” and new arrangements of hit songs from ABBA, Paul Simon and Jason Mraz. Trombone artist Wycliffe Gordon will return to the BYU stage withJazz Legacy Dixieland Band, Thursday, April 11, at 9:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall to present an evening of New Orleans jazz. Under the direction of Steve Call, they will play tunes by Louis Armstrong, W. C. Handy, Duke Ellington and others. This performance is free and no tickets are required. The Jazz Lab Band, a student ensemble, will perform Saturday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission to the event is free. For more information on Gordon Wycliffe, visit wycliffegordon.com. For more information about the concerts, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348 or ken_crossley@byu.edu.

Largest U.S. Collegiate Men's Choir Supports LDS Missionaries Through Song

The Brigham Young University School of Music will present the Philharmonic Orchestra directed by Kory Katseanes in a performance of Igor Stravinky's landmark 'The Rite of Spring' Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall.

Hilary Heideman Mauler and Tiffany Winkel Delgado knew ever since they were little girls that they wanted to come to BYU and study piano performace.

The Brigham Young University School of Music is offering a selection of end-of-the- semester concerts this week. Tickets for these events are available the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-4322 or at byuarts.com/tickets. The Symphony Orchestra will present a concert Tuesday, April 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Under the direction of conductor Christian Smith, the orchestra will present “Eine kleine Nachtmusic' (K. 525) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, ballet music from “Faust” by Charles Gounod, the Capriccio Italien, op. 45 by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky and the world premiere of “Shadow Etchings” by Michael Wahlquist Let by conductor Kirt Saville, the Symphonic Band will perform Wednesday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Highlights from the program include “American Fanfare” by James Sephenson, “Orpheus in the Underworld” by Jacques Offenbach, “Variations on a Tango” by Kyle Kindred” and “Monkey Business” by David Lovrien. Conducted by Jean Applonie, the BYU Women’s Chorus will perform Friday, April 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. In addition to performing music from William Matthias, Maurice Durufle and Tarik O’Regan, they will sing a selection of hymns, a medley of Beatles music and original music from David Zabriskie commissioned by the BYU Women’s Chorus. For more information, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348 or ken_crossley@byu.edu.