The Stones River Chamber Players, MTSU’s ensemble in residence, will continue their 2014-15 season with a free public concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, in Hinton Music Hall inside MTSU's Wright Music Building.
The ensemble members, all of whom teach in MTSU’s School of Music, will present two world premiere works by MTSU composer-in-residence Paul Osterfield.
MTSU music faculty Michael Parkinson, Lalo Davila and Tim Pearson will perform “Lullaby for Michelle,” with Parkinson on trumpet, Davila on percussion and Pearson on double bass. “Seven Bagatelles” will be presented by MTSU music faculty Andrea Dawson on violin, George Riordan on oboe, Christine Kim on cello and Lillian Pearson on piano.
"I am very pleased to have my music return to the Stones River Chamber Players' programs with these works,” Osterfield said.
“‘Lullaby for Michelle’ is for my daughter, who has been a constant source of joy, laughter and surprises. I composed ‘Seven Bagatelles’ at the request of then-director of the School of Music, George Riordan. I took the concept of the Baroque trio sonata but treated the ensemble with more of a modern flair and approach.”
Along with the premiere performances, the Stones River Chamber Players will present Benjamin Britten’s “Serenade” and Richard Strauss’ “Till Eulenspiegel einmal anders.” Tenor H. Stephen Smith, pianist Arunesh Nadgir and horn player Angela DeBoer will play “Serenade,” while Dawson, DeBoer and Tim Pearson will be joined by Todd Waldecker on clarinet and Gil Perel on bassoon for the Strauss piece.
"This is a demanding work for both horn and voice,” DeBoer said of “Serenade,” adding that it is “one of the most evocative and intensely beautiful pieces in the repertory. Well worth the effort to perform!"
Waldecker called the Strauss work “a musical fable at its finest!”
The ensemble’s final concert for this season is set for Monday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Hinton Hall.
You can listen to streaming audio performances by the Stones River Chamber Players at http://www.mtsu.edu/music/srcpabout.php. For details on more MTSU School of Music performances, call 615-898-2493 or visit http://www.mtsumusic.com and click on the "Concert Calendar" link.