school of music

A very limited number of spaces are available for free piano lessons for children ages 7 and older for fall semester. The lessons will be taught by seniors and graduate students who are piano performance majors in the BYU School of Music. Lessons will be once a week for a half hour. Students who are accepted will be required to participate with their teachers in a Supervised Teaching course for one class period. This class meets Tuesdays at 10 a.m. in the Harris Fine Arts Center. If you are interested in having your child participate, email Richard Anderson at richard_anderson@byu.edu. Students will be accepted on a first-come, first served basis. Source: BYU News

This fall Vocal Point is sharing their passion for maximum a cappella with millions of viewers through participation in NBC’s The Sing-Off. BYU’s all-male a cappella sensation is one of 16 groups featured on the third season of the hit TV show hosted by Nick Lachey with judges Ben Folds, Sara Bareilles, and Shawn Stockman.

Performing before a sold-out audience at the Lincoln Center in New York City, Brigham Young University's premier contemporary a cappella ensemble Vocal Point finished first runner-up at the finals of the 2011 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella. Despite coming up just short for the overall award, Vocal Point did take top honors in several individual award categories. Sophomore Jake Hunsaker was recognized as Outstanding Soloist for his rendition of 'Meglio Stasera (It Had Better Be Tonight),' a tune recently made popular by Michael Bublé. In addition, junior Tanner Nilsson received the award for Outstanding Vocal Percussion. Vocal Point entered the finals as the top group in the West Region, having placed first in its quarterfinal and semifinal qualifying rounds held in Eugene, Ore., and Los Angeles, Calif., respectively. The finals featured the top seven qualifiers from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Vocal Point was edged out by a group from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass., known as Pitch Slapped. This year's competition started with a field of more than 150 groups from around the world. 'Every group on stage tonight was amazing,' said Vocal Point director James Stevens. 'We performed as well as we ever have. I'm proud of our guys for the way they represented BYU.' Vocal Point won the ICCA championship in 2006. The group qualified for the finals on two prior occasions but was unable to compete because the final round at the time was held on a Sunday. This year marked the group's second return to the championship round in New York. 'We'll be back,' said senior McKay Crockett. 'One of our goals every year is to make the finals. We're thrilled to have made it this year, and it was an honor to share a stage with these other amazing groups.' Vocal Point celebrated its 20th anniversary in March, complete with a reunion concert featuring 70-plus Vocal Point singers from 1991 to the present. The group's two founders, Bob Ahlander and Dave Boyce, were in the audience Saturday night. 'This year has been real special for Vocal Point,' said Ahlander. 'A month ago the original guys that started the group in 1991 got to sing together again, along with all the alumni through the years. Now we see the current group and how far they've come. It's a thrill.' Vocal Point is a part of the School of Music at BYU and one of 18 performing groups sponsored by the university. It is the most-requested performing group at BYU and regularly performs to sold-out crowds on and off campus. Members of Vocal Point devote 10-20 hours of time to the group each week. They do not receive scholarships or other compensation for their time. Photographs and video clips available upon request. Please contact Alex Leeman at (801) 628-3861 or alex.leeman@hotmail.com. Source: BYU News

Brigham Young University's nine-man a cappella singing group, Vocal Point, brought alumni members back together for its 20th anniversary celebration in a reunion concert in early March at the Covey Center for the Arts. The show featured all nine founding members from the 1991 group, along with about 70 of their successors. Although Vocal Point had reunion concerts to mark its 10th and 15th years, this was the first time that the founding lineup had sung together since graduating from BYU. Vocal Point was founded in 1991 by Bob Ahlander and Dave Boyce while both were students at BYU. 'We were looking for a singing outlet that was maybe a bit outside the BYU norm,' Ahlander said. 'We wanted to do something BYU had never seen before.' The group takes songs heard on the radio, retools them and delivers a new rendition with voices alone — complete with all the complex percussion and instrumentation found in the originals. Started in the tradition of Ivy League glee clubs, Vocal Point has developed a varied repertoire of rock, pop, country, jazz, spiritual and R&B styles, all produced in the group's unique style. Vocal Point was originally intended to be a double-quartet with just eight members. However, at the conclusion of the first auditions, Ahlander and Boyce found themselves unable to decide between two singers with only one more spot to fill. At that point, Vocal Point's signature nine-man sound was born. 'When we created Vocal Point, we envisioned a group that would become a tradition at BYU,' Boyce said. 'We are so happy and proud of what Vocal Point has become. We often joke that we wouldn't make it into the group if we auditioned today.' More than 100 men have sung with Vocal Point, including the nine currently in the group. To mark the 20-year anniversary of Vocal Point, BYU's Tantara Records is releasing the group's latest album, 'Back in Blue.' In addition, Tantara has remastered Vocal Point's first album, 'If Rocks Could Sing,' which was also released in conjunction with the anniversary concert. This marks the first time 'Rocks' has been available on CD. 'Back in Blue' is Vocal Point's eighth album. Song samples of all eight albums can be heard at www.byumusicstore.com. Vocal Point is part of the BYU School of Music and one of 18 performing groups sponsored by the university. It is the most-requested performing group at BYU and regularly performs in front of sold-out crowds on and off campus. Members of Vocal Point devote more than 20 hours each week to the group and do not receive scholarships or other compensation for their time. The group performs for more than 50,000 people each year, regularly selling out shows weeks in advance. Vocal Point is under the direction of Buck Mangum, the group's fifth director. For more information, contact Alex B. Leeman at (801) 628-3861 or alex.leeman@hotmail.com. To learn more about Vocal Point, visit www.byuvocalpoint.com. For photos, visit http://pam.byu.edu/group/vocal-point/. Source: BYU News

For the most up-to-date times and ticket availability about these events, visit byuarts.com/tickets. Tuesday, March 1 Vocal Concert: Popular male vocal group Chanticleer, known around the world as 'an orchestra of voices,' will be performing in a concert at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets are on sale at byuarts.com/tickets and cost $17 to $35 for the public, $14 to $32 for alumni and senior citizens or $10 to $28 for BYU students and employees. Tuesday, March 1 — Saturday, March 5 Jazz Week: The School of Music's 32nd Annual Jazz Week celebration will feature the following events: Tuesday, March 1 — Jazz Legacy Dixieland Band Concert: BYU's Jazz Legacy Dixieland Band will be performing at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Guest artist Dan Barrett will be featured on trombone. Tickets are $6 at byuarts.com/tickets. Wednesday, March 2 — Jazz Voices Concert: Jazz Voices, a student ensemble that features some of the brightest jazz singers at BYU, will be performing at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. The vocal group is known for its tight harmonies, rhythmic accuracy, clever improvisation and 'scatting' abilities, sung a cappella and with other instruments such as the piano, guitar, bass and drums. Tickets are available at byuarts.com/tickets for $6. Jazz Voices is directed by Allen Matthews. Friday, March 4 — Jazz Ensemble Concert: Directed by Mark Ammons, BYU's up-and-coming Jazz Ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall for $6 a seat, available at byuarts.com/tickets. Saturday, March 5 - Synthesis Big Band Concert: BYU's premier jazz band Synthesis will perform in its 'American Big Band Jazz' concert at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost between $6 and $10 a seat and can be purchased at byuarts.com/tickets. Synthesis is directed by Ray Smith. Wednesday, March 2 Concerto Solos: Student soloists from the School of Music and the Philharmonic Orchestra will be featured in the annual 'Evening of Concertos' at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets are available at byuarts.com/tickets or (801) 422-4322 for $6 to $10. Thursday through Saturday, March 3-5 Vocal Concert: BYU's premier nine-man a cappella singing group Vocal Point is bringing its alumni back together for its 20th anniversary in a 'Maximum A Cappella' reunion concert Saturday, March 5, at 2 p.m. at the Covey Center for the Arts. Three additional performances, without Vocal Point alumni, will be held Thursday through Saturday, March 3-5, at 7:30 p.m. at the same location. Tickets are available at coveycenter.org or (801) 852-7007 for $10 for the balcony or $12 for the main floor. Friday, March 4 Violin Concert: Hong-Mei Xiao, first prize-winning violist at the Geneva International Music Competition, will be the guest artist at BYU's annual William Primrose Memorial Concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission is free for both the concert and the accompanying Primrose Memorial Master Class Thursday, March 3, at 5 p.m. in E-432 Harris Fine Arts Center. Tuesday, March 8 Modern Music Concert: BYU's avant-garde music ensemble Group for New Music will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission is free. Guest clarinetist Kenneth Long, professor of clarinet at Georgia State University, will present the Utah premiere of 'Corrugated Refrains,' a commissioned piece by BYU faculty composer Neil Thornock. Piano Concert: The School of Music is commemorating the 200th birthday of Franz Liszt in a piano recital featuring 18 of his famous Hungarian Rhapsodies at 6 p.m. in the Museum of Art Auditorium. Admission is free. Wednesday, March 9 Folk Concert: The BYU Folk Music Ensemble will be performing in concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Tickets cost $6 a seat, available at byuarts.com/tickets. Playing traditional American Cajun, bluegrass and country-western music, the Folk Music Ensemble taps the roots of BYU's pioneer heritage to present a colorful display of harmony and rapid-fire instrumental work. Thursday through Saturday, March 10-12 Dance Competition: BYU will once again host the 2011 U.S. National Amateur Dancesport Championships, one of the nation's largest amateur ballroom dance competitions, in the Marriott Center. Ticket prices vary according to seats and competition day. For a complete competition schedule and ticket pricing, go to byudancesport.com. Tickets can be purchased at the Marriott Center Ticket Office at (801) 422-BYU1 or at byutickets.com. Shakespearean Play: The Theatre and Media Arts Department at BYU will present a WWII-twist to Shakespeare's classic comedy 'Much Ado About Nothing' nightly at 7:30 p.m. in the Margetts Theatre. A matinee performance will also be Saturday, March 12, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $5 for all performances, available at byuarts.com/tickets. Friday, March 11 Bass Recital: Guest artist Barry Green will perform on double bass at 7:30 p.m. at the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission is free. Green was the principal bassist for the Cincinnati Symphony and teaches his own bass method, having published three instructional books during his career. Saturday, March 12 Experimental Music Concert: BYU's Group for Experimental Music will be joined by British saxophone luminary John Butcher in a free concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Butcher is a virtuoso and pioneer of extended techniques on the saxophone and a master of collective and solo improvisation. Wednesday, March 16-Friday, April 1 Play: The Theatre and Media Arts Department at BYU will present an adaptation of Jane Austen's 'Persuasion' nightly at 7:30 p.m. in the Pardoe Theatre. Tickets cost from $10 to $15. Dress rehearsals will be held Wednesday and Thursday, March 16-17, for $8 a seat, while a matinee performance will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 19, also for $8. Purchase tickets at byuarts.com/tickets or call (801) 422-4322. There will be no performances Sundays or Mondays. Thursday through Saturday, March 17-19 Musical Performance: BYU's energetic Young Ambassadors musical performance group will appear in concert at the de Jong Concert Hall nightly at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee performance Saturday, March 19, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost from $6 to $10, available at byuarts.com/tickets. The Young Ambassadors' repertoire consists of contemporary music and dance for a fast-paced showcase of American musical theater. Student Directing Project: A showing of a student-made production based on Oscar Wilde's classic novel 'The Picture of Dorian Gray' will be held nightly at 7:30 p.m. in the Margetts Theatre. The presentation is sponsored by the Department of Theatre and Media Arts. Dance Performance: The Department of Dance's annual 'dancEnsemble' will feature a contemporary dance showcase highlighting some of the best dancers in the department. The performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Richards Building Dance Studio Theatre (166 RB), with an additional matinée performance Saturday, March 19, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $6 a seat at byuarts.com. Saturday, March 19 Faculty Recital: Faculty artist Douglas E. Bush will present an organ recital commemorating J.S. Bach's birthday. The performance is free and will be held in the Madsen Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 22 Jazz Music: Everyone is welcome to attend the free Jazz Combo Night, an evening with performances by several of BYU's jazz ensembles. The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Madsen Recital Hall. Contemporary Dance Performance: The acclaimed Martha Graham Dance Company will be performing at BYU at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets for the performance cost from $8 to $30, available at byuarts.com/tickets. Wednesday, March 23 Flute Concert: BYU's Flute Choir will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the University Parkway Center on the northeast corner of University Parkway and University Avenue. Admission is free. Wednesday through Saturday, March 23-26 Classic Greek Tragedy: The Experimental Theatre Company is presenting Sophocles' fateful 'Oedipus the King' nightly at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the Margetts Theatre. On Saturday, the play will be held at noon and 2 p.m. instead. Tickets are available at byuarts.com/tickets and cost $5 for students and $7 for the public. Thursday, March 24 Cultural Dance Performance: BYU's Polynesian, Latin American and Native American dancing sensation Living Legends will be performing cultural dances, choreographed to world music, in a performance at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets are on sale at byuarts.com/tickets for $6 to $10. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the ethnic dance group, which has performed in more than 45 countries since 1971. Saxophone Concert: BYU's saxophone ensemble will perform in the Saxophone Chamber Night at 7:30 p.m. at the University Parkway Center on the northeast corner of University Parkway and University Avenue. Admission is free. Friday and Saturday, March 25-26 Dance Showcase: Students from the Department of Dance present their final projects in the Senior Dance Showcase at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday in the Richards Building Dance Studio Theatre (166 RB). Tickets cost $6 at byuarts.com/tickets. Vocal Performance: The largest collegiate male choral group in the United States, the BYU Men's Chorus, will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets cost $6 to $10 at byuarts.com/tickets. Friday, March 25 Woodwind Concert: A student ensemble will perform in the School of Music's Woodwind Chamber Night at 7:30 p.m. at the University Parkway Center on the northeast corner of University Parkway and University Avenue. Admission is free. Saturday, March 26 Harp Performance: BYU's Harp Ensemble will perform in a recital at 3 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission is free. Tuesday, March 29 Trombone Concert: A student ensemble will perform in the School of Music's Trombone Choir concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission is free. Orchestra and Strings Concert: BYU's University Orchestra and University Strings will perform in a joint concert at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets cost $3 a seat at byuarts.com/tickets. Wednesday, March 30 Songwriter Showcase: Students from the School of Music will perform new works in the Songwriter Showcase at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Admission to this Nashville-style event is free. Symphonic Concert: BYU's 85-member Symphony Orchestra will perform instrumental music at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets cost $6 and are available at byuarts.com/tickets. Note that the 2010-11 BYU arts season mrochure erroneously lists an additional performance by the BYU Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday, March 29. Wednesday is the only performance that will take place. Thursday, March 31 International Dance Showcase: BYU's International Folk Dance Ensemble presents a concert program at 7:30 p.m. at the Covey Center for the Arts. Tickets cost $8 for seniors, $9 for students and $10 for the public, available at coveycenter.org. The International Dance Showcase will feature traditional dances from more than a dozen nations, including Ukraine, Russia, Korea, Poland, Mexico and the United States. Student Directing Project: A showing of the student-made production called 'To Thine Own Self Be True: Being a Girl at BYU' will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Nelke Theatre. The presentation is sponsored by the Department of Theatre and Media Arts. Thursday and Friday, March 31-April 1 Contemporary Dance Showcase: The Department of Dance is presenting its Contemporary Dance Showcase, which features new contemporary works performed by students in the Richards Building Studio Theatre (166 RB). Tickets cost $6 and are available at byuarts.com/tickets. All Month Free Art Exhibits at the MOA: BYU's Museum of Art has a number of free exhibits on display throughout the month: 'Wide-Open Spaces: Capturing the Grandeur of the Southwest' includes a number of artists from the Western United States and explores how they capture the beautiful landscapes and people of the Southwest in art. The exhibit closes Thursday, March 10. The exhibit, 'Carl Bloch: The Master's Hand,' will continue until May 2011. The exhibit features works by Bloch, a 19th-century Danish artist, whose paintings of Jesus Christ are often used by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Admission is free, but registration for tickets for this exhibit is required at carlbloch.byu.edu. 'e.g.' is an interactive art piece by Brian Knep that allows participants to walk through the art and watch it rebuild itself. 'Dorothea Lange's Three Mormon Towns,' a new exhibition at the BYU Museum of Art, features 21 of Lange's photographs from this series acquired by the museum. The exhibition also draws from the collections of the J. Paul Getty Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College Chicago and the collection of John and Lolita Dixon. The MOA is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The museum is closed Sundays. For tours and additional information, visit moa.byu.edu or call (801) 422-ARTS. Source: BYU News

Brigham Young University's premier nine-man a cappella singing group, Vocal Point, is bringing alumni members back together for its 20th anniversary celebration in the 'Maximum A Cappella' reunion concert Saturday, March 5, at 2 p.m. at the Covey Center for the Arts. Three additional performances, without Vocal Point alumni, will be held Thursday through Saturday, March 3-5, at 7:30 p.m. at the same location. Tickets are available at coveycenter.org or (801) 852-7007 for $10 on the balcony or $12 on the floor. The show will feature all nine founding members from the 1991 group, along with about 70 of their successors. Although Vocal Point had reunion concerts to mark its 10th and 15th years, this will be the first time that the founding lineup has sung together since graduating from BYU. Vocal Point was founded in 1991 by Bob Ahlander and Dave Boyce while both were students at BYU. 'We were looking for a singing outlet that was maybe a bit outside the BYU norm,' Ahlander said. 'We wanted to do something BYU had never seen before.' The group takes the songs heard on the radio, retools them and delivers a new rendition with voices alone — complete with all the complex percussion and instrumentation found in the originals. Started in the tradition of Ivy League glee clubs, Vocal Point has developed a varied repertoire of rock, pop, country, jazz, spiritual and R&B styles, all produced in the group's unique style. Vocal Point was originally intended to be a double-quartet with just eight members. However, at the conclusion of the first auditions, Ahlander and Boyce found themselves unable to decide between two singers with only one more spot to fill. At that point, Vocal Point's signature nine-man sound was born. 'When we created Vocal Point, we envisioned a group that would become a tradition at BYU,' Boyce said. 'We are so happy and proud of what Vocal Point has become. We often joke that we wouldn't make it into the group if we auditioned today.' More than 100 men have sung with Vocal Point, including the nine currently in the group. To mark the 20-year anniversary of Vocal Point, BYU's Tantara Records is releasing Vocal Point's latest album, 'Back in Blue.' In addition, Tantara is in the process of remastering Vocal Point's first album, 'If Rocks Could Sing,' which is slated to be rereleased soon. This will mark the first time 'Rocks'Á¢€—has been available on CD. 'Back in Blue' is Vocal Point's eighth album. Vocal Point is part of the BYU School of Music and one of 18 performing groups sponsored by the university. It is the most-requested performing group at BYU and regularly performs in front of sold-out crowds on and off campus. Members of Vocal Point devote more than 20 hours each week to the group and do not receive scholarships or other compensation for their time. The group performs for more than 50,000 people each year, regularly selling out shows weeks in advance. Vocal Point is currently under the direction of Buck Mangum, the group's fifth director. For more information, contact Alex B. Leeman at (801) 628-3861 or alex.leeman@hotmail.com. To learn more about Vocal Point, visit www.byuvocalpoint.com. For photos, visit http://pam.byu.edu/group/vocal-point/. Source: BYU News

The finest woodwind, brass and percussion players at Brigham Young University will perform during the Wind Symphony winter concert Friday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Tickets are $10, with $4 off for students and $1 off for senior citizens or BYU alumni at byuarts.com/tickets or (801) 422-4322. Under the direction of Donald Peterson, the 50-student ensemble will perform nine major works, including the Trumpet Concerto by Henri Tomasi, the Concert Etude by Alexander Goedicke and 'In Memoriam' by Johan Halvorsen. Additionally, the band will play arrangements of popular scores from soundtracks like John Williams' 'Cowboys' (a John Wayne western) and Bernard Herrmann's 'North by Northwest' (the classic Hitchcock-thriller featuring Carey Grant). The premier performance of the evening will be 'Air,' an original composition by BYU alumnus Benjamin Taylor. For two of the pieces, trumpeter Andrew Allphin, also a BYU alumnus, will be a soloist. Since 2004, Allphin has been a member of the U.S. Army Band 'Pershing's Own' in Washington, D.C., the premiere ensemble of the military. The BYU Wind Symphony has an active concert season. In recent years, the symphony has performed in the British Isles, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, mainland China, New Zealand, Australia, Finland, the Baltic States and Russia, as well as throughout the northwestern United States and Canada. New Zealand's Northeastern Telegraph newspaper called the symphony's performance '...the most memorable musical occasion for many a day. The faultless precision and control of the players ... almost made one gasp with incredulous wonder.' For more information about this concert, contact Donald Peterson, director of bands, at (801) 422-7275 or donald_peterson@byu.edu, or visit byuarts.com. To learn more about BYU's Wind Symphony, visit http://bands.byu.edu/ensembles/wind_symphony.html. Source: BYU News

The Brigham Young University Jazz Ensemble will join with Vocal Point in a concert Thursday, Nov. 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall.

Pianist Jonathan Bowman will present a guest recital Tuesday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall at Brigham Young University. Admission is free. Bowman will perform works by Alexander Scriabin, Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven and Frederic Chopin. A BYU graduate, Bowman has been playing the piano since he was 8. He has performed at multiple international competitions, winning two first-place finishes at the International Piano Competition for Five Piano Ensembles in 1996 and 2005. He has also won the solo and concerto competitions at the Young Artists' International Piano Competition at the Eastman School of Music. He has given solo recitals around the United States as well as in Italy, Japan and Germany. Most recently he has performed with the Southwest Symphony, as guest artist at Washington State University's celebration of George Gershwin and on the radio playing new music by John Liberatore and Victoria Bond. Source: BYU News

The New Horizons Orchestra at Provo and Brigham Young University is beginning another season and is seeking new members. The New Horizons Orchestra, founded in 2003, provides music instruction for adults over 40 who are interested in playing the violin, viola, cello or bass. No previous experience is necessary. Lessons and rehearsals are held Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Oak Hills 7th Ward building, 1038 North 1200 East, Provo. Tuition for the program is $110 per semester, not including the costs of instruments, music and related equipment. 'This is a program that is meant for people who always wanted to play a string instrument, but for some reason never did,' said director Andrew Dabczynski. 'Or it's for folks who might have played an instrument throughout their school and even college years, but put it away to have a career or raise a family, and now discover that they have the time and desire to pick it up again.' Dabczynski, a professor of music education at BYU, is assisted by string specialists Kristen L. Hyde and Lindsey Robb. The orchestra also uses undergraduate BYU music education students who act as assistant instructors. The New Horizons Orchestra program welcomes adults over 40, but is specifically aimed at seniors. 'This music instruction really has a great benefit,' said Dabczynski. 'We have found that it helps with people's mental and physical health and has a marvelous effect on members' families. I even know two octogenarians who met and married while performing with New Horizons.' More than 100 New Horizons Bands have been established in the United States, Australia and Canada since that program's inception in 1991. Dabczynski founded the first New Horizons Orchestra in 1997 in Rochester, NY. For more information, contact Andrew Dabczynski at (801) 422-2317 or visit ce.byu.edu/cw/newhorizons. Source: BYU News

The Brigham Young University School of Music will ring in the celebration of Mexican independence with a free recital Friday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. The concert will be repeated in Salt Lake City Friday, Sept. 24, at the Assembly Hall on Temple Square at 7 p.m. Faculty, students and alumni will showcase Mexican music and selections from well-known Mexican composers. Other music will come from Mexico's nationalistic period (1880-1950). After the plot for Mexican independence was discovered, one of the leaders, Father Miguel Hidalgo, hurried to his church and rang the parish bells to warn and gather others. Today, the Mexican president celebrates the revolution by ringing bells every year. 'This is a great opportunity to honor our sister nation to the south,' said J. Arden Hopkin, a BYU professor who specializes in vocal music from Spain and Latin America. 'You will recognize some of the selections, others will be new, but all of them will remind you of Mexico.' For more information, contact J. Arden Hopkin at (801) 422-3157. Source: BYU News

While many others their age were sleeping in and getting a tan, this past summer Brigham Young University student performers were sharing their talent, their values and their friendship with audiences all over the world.

Although Brigham Young University’s Homecoming 2009 Founder Eugene Lusk Roberts died in 1953, his footprints easily will be evident at the annual “Spectacular!” extravaganza in the Marriott Center Thursday and Friday, Oct. 22 and 23, at 7:30 p.m.

by Brandon Garrett Brigham Young University’s Instrumental Showcase will feature the Symphonic Band, Symphony Orchestra, Wind Symphony, Percussion Ensemble and Philharmonic Orchestra Thursday, Oct. 1, in the de Jong Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the Fine Arts Ticket Office, (801) 422-4322 or online at byuarts.com. This is the only concert during the year when all the BYU instrumental groups will perform on the same night. The Symphonic Band, led by Kirt Saville, will begin with “Konigsmarch” by Richard Strauss and then perform “On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss” by David R. Holsinger. Following that will be their last number, Symphonic Dance No. 3, “Fiesta” by Clifton Williams. The Symphony Orchestra, led by Eric Hansen, will then perform the Slavonic Dance No. 7 by Antonin Dvorak, “Gymnopedies” by Erik Satie and the Symphony No. 5 by Sergei Prokofiev. Donald Peterson will then conduct the Wind Symphony in “Fanfare for a Golden Sky” by Scott Boerma followed by “Overture for Band” by John Heins. They will finish with “Aspen Jubilee” by Ron Nelson. Finishing the concert will be the Philharmonic Orchestra led by Kory Katseanes. They will play the overture to “Girl Crazy’” by George Gershwin and the “Dance of the Seven Veils” from “Salome” by Richard Strauss. For more information, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348. Source: BYU News

by Angela Fischer The Brigham Young University School of Music will present the Deseret Chamber Music Series during May at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center. All performances are free, and the public is welcome to attend. Friday, May 29 – An ensemble of BYU School of Music faculty members will perform Prokofiev's Violin Sonata in F minor, “Two Rhapsodies” by Charles Loeffler and the Caprice on Danish and Russian Airs for flute, oboe, clarinet and piano by Saint-Saens. For more information about the festival, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348. Source: BYU News

by Brady Toone In celebration of its 25th year, BYU Singers, Brigham Young University’s premier choral ensemble, will appear in a special alumni reunion concert Saturday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall, Harris Fine Arts Center. Tickets are $11, or $8 with BYU or student ID, and can be purchased online at www.byuarts.com, by phone at (801) 422-4322 or in person at the Harris Fine Arts Center Ticket Office. BYU Singers will perform selections planned for their upcoming tour to Ireland, England and Wales. Alumni and current BYU Singers will also perform several pieces together under the direction of Ronald Staheli. Since its inception in 1984, BYU Singers has performed across the globe, including an appearance at the World Choral Symposium and three performances at the American Choral Directors Association national convention. They have also performed in Russia, three times in Israel, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, across Europe, Western Africa and South Africa. After receiving abundant critical acclaim for their audio recording “Eric Whitacre: The Complete A Cappella Works,” BYU Singers recently released “Brigham Young University Choirs and Eric Whitacre 2,” the second installment of his complete works. CD sales and more information is available at singers.byu.edu. Choir alumni should contact Sandefur Schmidt in order to obtain music and register for the weekend reunion. For more information, contact Nathan Wright at (801) 422-5616. Source: BYU News

by Brady Toone

by Angela Fischer Brigham Young University’s School of Music presents several free concerts Tuesday through Saturday, Dec. 2-6, in the Harris Fine Arts Center. - The University Orchestra and University Strings will come together for a concert Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. Conducted by Lev Ivanov and Stephen Fairbanks, the University Orchestra will perform pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, “Sugar Plum Fairy Dance” and “Waltz of the Flowers.” They will also present “Pomp and Circumstance, no. 4” by Edward Elgar and “Radetsky March” by Johann Stauss. University Strings, conducted by Ivanov and James Arbizu, will perform the Symphony for Strings no. 12 by Felix Mendelssohn and two pieces from “Henry V” by William Walton. - The Songwriters’ Showcase will be presented Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Conducted by Ron Simpson, the showcase will feature the music of BYU media music majors selected to perform after completing a songwriting program. - The BYU Flute Choirs will perform Thursday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. The choir of non-flute majors, conducted by Meleece Orm, will present the Overture to “The Magic Flute” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, “Shenandoah” arranged by Mary Jean Simpson and “Tag!” by David L. Wells. Conducted by Marianne Cutchins, the majors flute choir will perform the overture to “The Barber of Seville” by Gioacchino Rossini, “Blue Train” by Ryohei Hirose, “Cassation” by JindŠ™ich Feld and “Sails, Winds and Echoes” by Crawford Gates.” The program will culminate in a combined flute choir holiday piece, “Christmas Fantasy” by Ricky Lombardo. - A Harp Solo and Ensemble music showcase will be presented Saturday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. Directed by Anamae Anderson, the harpists will perform Variations on a Theme of Paganini by Mikhail Mchedelov, Invention No. 8 by Johann Sebastian Bach and the Concerto in C Major for Flute and Harp by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The program will also feature Christmas classics “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “The Christmas Song” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” For more information, contact Ken Crossley at (801) 422-9348. Source: BYU News