"AN EVENING OF FAURE"

French composer Gabriel Faure's "joyful" funeral mass will be performed by the Huntsville Community Choral Society and Sam Houston State University Symphony Orchestra Tuesday during "An Evening of Faure."

The performance is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church, with Brian Miller, director of choral activities at SHSU, and Carol Smith, director of the SHSU symphony, conducting. The evening will mark the 24th annual presentation of such events by the Huntsville Community Choral Society.

Featured in the opening portion of the program will be three short works: "Madrigal," performed in English and accompanied by piano; the well-known and beloved "Pavane," sung in French; and "Tantum ergo" for solo tenor and chorus, sung in Latin with instrumental accompaniment by organ, harp and string bass.

The choir and orchestra will devote the second half of the concert to Faure's "Requiem." The piece is said to not follow the accepted form of the Mass for the dead, but to be more turned toward the human desires for joy and hope.

In a commentary on the piece the composer wrote, "Perhaps my instinct led me to stray away from the established path after all these years (as a church organist) accompanying funerals."

Faure (1845-1924) is one of the most favored of French composers from the Romantic era of music. He began work on his "Requiem" in 1886.

Soloists will include Wayne Barrett, tenor; Robert Best, baritone; and Dawn Jones, soprano. Also featured will be Jay Whatley as organist and Marie Miller as pianist.

The chorus, which combines the SHSU Symphonic Chorus and the Huntsville Community Choral Society, numbers about 125 voices.

Admission is free to SHSU students and faculty. Tickets at the door are $5, or $3 for senior citizens. Call (409) 294-1360 for information.

WIND ENSEMBLE TO FEATURE PREMIERE

The premiere of Sam Houston State University music professor Phillip Schroeder's "Unions: Merging With the Universe" will be performed by the SHSU Wind Ensemble Thursday.

The presentation of Schroeder's work, which was written for the SHSU Wind Ensemble, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in the Beto Criminal Justice Center's Killinger Auditorium.

"We are really excited about this concert," said Donald Ryder, Wind Ensemble conductor. "It gives us an opportunity to present some great music and at the same time 'show off' the fine array of talent which comprises our music department."

The concert will open with Henry Fillmore's rip-roaring circus march "Rolling Thunder." After Schroeder's piece will come Antonin Dvorak's "Serenade Op. 44," featuring SHSU faculty members Spring Hill, Tamara Raatz, Peggy DeMers, Scott Phillips and Peter Kempter.

Student conductor Clay Stansberry will conduct Mozart's "Serenade in B-Flat, K. 361." Newly-appointed professor of saxophone Scott Plugge will perform as soloist in Ingolf Dahl's "Concerto for Alto Saxophone and Wind Orchestra." The concert will end with "Carnival of Venice," featuring Plugge and the entire ensemble.

Admission is free to students with identification and Friends of Music pass holders. Tickets at the door are $5. Call (409) 294-1360 for ticket information.

MORE MUSIC

On Sunday afternoon and evening (Nov. 16) there will be two faculty and student performances in the Recital Hall at SHSU, with a guest artist performance Monday afternoon in the Fine Arts Building. At 3 p.m. Monday, Ray Still, former principal oboist of the Chicago Symphony, will perform as a guest artist in room 202 of the Fine Arts Building.

Call (409) 294-1360 for more information.

HOLIDAY EVENTS

It's only mid-November, but it's not too early to get on the list for what promises to be Huntsville's hottest ticket of the 1997 holiday season.

Sam Houston State University's production of "The Nutcracker" is scheduled for the University Theatre Center Mainstage Theatre Dec. 3-6. Performances are at 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee. Only a few tickets are left for the matinee.

Tickets are $10 general admission, $7 with SHSU identification, and $5 in groups of 20. Call 409-294-1339 for reservations.

CONTINUING EDUCATION OFFERINGS

Registration is under way for six courses offered by the Office of Continuing Education. The courses and dates on which they will be taught include:

Back to Black! Learning to Live Debt Free (Nov. 22); Phlebotomy Course (Jan. 6-April 30); Medical Terminology I (Jan. 6-29); Spanish II (Jan. 20-March 10); Introduction to Computers (Jan. 26-Feb. 18); Paralegal Certificate Course (Jan. 24-March 8).

For more information or to register, call (409) 294-3701.

ALPHA CHI HONORS FACULTY MEMBERS

The Alpha Chi national college honor scholarship society at Sam Houston State University held a reception Thursday at Austin Hall to honor new members and faculty members.

Alpha Chi members were offered the opportunity to invite faculty members who have been influential in their academics.

David Payne, vice president for academic affairs, spoke to the group.

Faculty members who were recognized were Mary Ann Nolteriek, Ruth Ann Triplett, Glen Kercher, Everett Wilson, Phillip Parotti, Jerry Dowling, Phillip Lyons, Debra Price and James Johnson.

Also, Laura Myers, Nedom Muns, Lynn Bull, Diane Green, Tracy Steele, Harry Bohan, Caroline Crimm, Brenda Lichtman, Elsie Ameen, Kip Wile, Patricia Williams, Rowland Miller, Bill Green, John Paul, John Holcombe, Janis White, Betty Dunlap and Robert Dunning, registrar.


Media Contacts: Frank Krystyniak and Phillip Rollfing

Nov. 16, 1997