Music Performances at Keene State: December 2019
Monday, December 2, 7:30 p.m.
Vocal Consort
Stone Church Arts Center, Bellows Falls, VT
Get in the mood for Christmas with the Keene State Vocal Consort. Directed by Dr. Matthew Leese, the 14-voice auditioned ensemble will sing a cappella medieval and renaissance music based on the Kings College tradition of Lessons and Carols. The concert will be hosted by the Stone Church Arts Center in Bellows Falls, VT. Admission is by donation at the door. Composers include DuFay, Willaert, Gombert, Palestrina, and Giovanni Gabrieli.
Wednesday, December 4, 7:30 p.m.
Jazz Ensemble
Main Theatre, Redfern Arts Center
The Keene State College Jazz Ensemble presents its winter concert of traditional and contemporary big-band music. The concert features works by renowned composers Duke Ellington, Bill Hollman, and band-favorite Les Hooper, as well as a new arrangement by pianist and Keene State Senior Jason Coburn. Led by bassist and educator Steve Cady, the Keene State College Jazz Ensemble promises an evening of engaging music presented by student musicians. Tickets are $5 for seniors and youth, $10 for adults, and free for Keene State students.
Thursday, December 5, 7:30 p.m.
Keene State College Chamber Singers and Concert Choir
Alumni Recital Hall, Redfern Arts Center
Performing for the Chamber Singers will be music professor Sandra Howard, conductor, and Vladimir Odinokikh, pianist. Concert Choir performers are Matthew Leese as conductor, Christian Terry as student conductor, Kirsten Becker as student conductor, and Christopher Evatt, pianist. These two choral ensembles will perform choral pieces ranging from chant to the modern era. The concert will feature works by Hildegard von Bingen, Vivaldi, Kodaly, and the Wailin’ Jennys. Tickets are $5 for seniors and youth, $10 for adults, and free for Keene State students.
Saturday, December 7, 3 p.m.
String, Flute, and Mixed Chamber Ensembles
Alumni Recital Hall, Redfern Arts Center
The String Ensemble will feature a violin and bass performance titled “Fantastic Music for an Unconventional Duo.” The Flute Ensemble will play two flute quartets. The first is “Jour d’été à la montagne” by Eugène Bozza. The title translates from French as “Summer Day in the Mountains: For Four Flutes.” The second is “A Gaelic Offering (An Gaelic Tiodhlac)” by Catherine McMichael. Four Gaelic pieces are performed in traditional style: rowdy, raw, and rambunctious when fast, achingly personal when slow. Tickets are $5 for seniors and youth, $10 for adults, and free for Keene State students.
Saturday, December 7, 7:30 p.m.
Clarinet Ensemble and Woodwind Quintet
Alumni Recital Hall, Redfern Arts Center
Schubert fans will enjoy this arrangement of the Andante from his second symphony, showcasing in each of the five variations the different instruments of the clarinet family. Originally written for clarinet choir, Everett Gates’s Seasonal Sketches is composed of a short movement for each season. Gates’s understanding of the various clarinet tonalities is illustrated here in the contrasts he expresses in each season. The KSC woodwinds are pleased to present these two chamber ensembles – the Clarinet Ensemble, which demonstrates the vast array of instruments within a single woodwind family, and the Woodwind Quintet, which encourages students to listen across families and embrace variations in timbre and tone. Tickets are $5 for seniors and youth, $10 for adults, and free for Keene State students.
Sunday, December 8, 3 p.m.
Currants Contemporary Ensemble and Student Composers Recital
Alumni Recital Hall, Redfern Arts Center
This semester, student composers pair with the Currants Contemporary Ensemble to showcase a variety of new music, some well-seasoned over the past 50 years and others hot off the press. From the legendary Steve Reich to Boston-based song composer Vartan Aghababian, Currants will perform works for voice, clarinet, trumpet, percussion, and piano. Seven student composers will have their new compositions performed across a variety of chamber settings. The concert will culminate in a large-group performance of Terry Riley’s famous minimalist work, In C. Tickets are $5 for seniors and youth, $10 for adults, and free for Keene State students.
