In your pocket, you hold the key to centuries of music and the ability to hear live performances by your fellow students. I realize this sounds fairly sappy, but it's true: 'tis the season to spend your Art$ dollars.
Sadly, many students are not aware that each year, everyone is given 75 Art$ dollars that can be spent on various musical and dramatic performances put on by the arts departments. To ensure you won't overlook this money while desperately spending the remainder of your Plus Dollars and Cavalier Advantage, check out several end-of-the-year concerts presented by the McIntire Department of Music.
Friday, April 22, the University Singers will present their final concert of the year. The U-Singers perform both a cappella and accompanied music and cover a broad range of genres and time periods. In the past, the group has presented Brahms' Requiem, pieces by Meredith Monk, spirituals and Gregorian chants.
"I try to choose a range of music that the students will enjoy singing and find engaging as part of their experience of the best that the choral repertoire has to offer," director Michael Slon said.
This year's concert, entitled "And I Saw Heaven and a New Earth," will concentrate on pieces composed for organ. Selections include pieces by Brahms and Bach, as well as "Cantos Sagrados" by 20th-century composer James MacMillan.
MacMillan's composition is especially moving for second-year College student and U-Singers member Brittany McLaughlin.
"It is literally stunning -- everyone involved is touched by a powerful empathy that breaks down barriers and leaves a permanent impression," McLaughlin said.
The University Singers benefit greatly from their association with the music department, Slon said. Each member receives two class credits which can be used toward general requirements or the music major. The group also has the advantages of a faculty member as conductor, the use of Cabell Hall for rehearsal and, perhaps most importantly, funding.
Another group that enjoys the advantages of its association with the Music Department is the Ensemble for Early Music, which will present its concert Sunday, April 24.
According to director Paul Walker, the most significant contribution of the department to the group is instruments. The Ensemble for Early Music uses Baroque versions of modern instruments and archaic instruments, which are more expensive than a group without department funding could afford.
The group exclusively performs pre-1750 music and strives to perform the music as it would have been heard when it was composed.
"We work entirely with period instruments and with small numbers of performers," Walker said.
This specific concentration on Baroque music sets the Ensemble for Early Music apart from the other performance groups at the University and also generates interest from the members, according to Walker.
"I find that my students really love the music and are intrigued by the challenge of learning something new," he said. "And many students prefer the relatively smaller forces typical of early music."
Selections for Sunday's concert include a concerto by Bach, a portion of an opera by J.B. Lully and a sonata by Daniel Speer. Walker said he chose the pieces for this year's concert based on the ability of his players.
"At the moment I have quite a few rather advanced players," he said.
Other groups in the music department also will highlight advanced fourth-year students who will soon graduate.
The Jazz Ensemble will be performing its spring concert "Up Jumped Spring" Saturday, April 23. The Ensemble will perform a new arrangement of the title song by Freddie Hubbard, arranged by ensemble director John D'earth. The concert also will feature songs composed by students, as well as classics made famous by legends such as Count Bassie and Cole Porter.
The McIntire MusicDepartment's final concerts of the year offer something for everyone. No matter what your taste, get a dose of culture with the University Singers, the Ensemble for Early Music, the Jazz Ensemble or all three. So, go forth and get some use out of your Art$ dollars.
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