Dr. Brent Weber Will Perform in Faculty Artist Series ConcertFSU’s Department of Music, Theatre, & Dance presents saxophonist Dr. Brent Weber, accompanied by pianist Dr. Joseph Yungen, in a Faculty Artist Series recital on Friday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall of FSU’s Woodward D. Pealer Performing Arts Center. The concert is free and open to the public; it will also be livestreamed, click the ‘JOIN STREAM' button on this page to view the live performance.The recital will include important works from the history of the saxophone, including: Paul Creston's “Sonata op. 19,” Jacques Ibert's “Concertino da Camera,” Ida Gotkovsky's “Brilliance”, and Heitor Villa-Lobos' “Fantasia for Soprano Saxophone and Piano.”“Sonata for E-flat Alto Saxophone and Piano, Op. 19” by Italian American composer Paul Creston is one of the most well-known pieces composed for the saxophone. In 1939, Creston completed this three-movement work following a classical sonata form paired with modern harmonies. It is notable that Creston included English expressive markings and movement titles (i.e. "with vigor", "increasing", etc.) rather than the typical Italian counterparts in the score. The listener can pick up on a jazz influence as Creston was a fan of the new art form arising in America.Known as the first major concerto for the saxophone, “Concertino da Camera” was composed for alto saxophone accompanied by eleven instruments - wind quintet, string quartet, bass and trumpet. Weber and Yungen will present the version arranged for piano by the French composer, Jacques Ibert. The three-movement work features a post-Romantic affect and some ragtime influence. Written for saxophone pioneer and virtuoso, Sigurd Rascher, the work also contains passages incorporating the highest range, or altissimo register of the saxophone.Of Russian extraction, French-born Ida Gotkovsky is the only living composer on the program. She studied with Olivier Messiaen at the Paris Conservatory of Music, and many elements of his compositional style can be found in “Brilliance for Alto Saxophone and Piano.” Moments of humor, lyrical beauty and sheer force make each of the four movements very special.Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos was said to discover the saxophone in the streets of Rio de Janeiro as a child. This led him to develop a love for woodwinds as he played the clarinet and saxophone through his musical journey. “Fantasia for Soprano Saxophone and Orchestra” was composed in 1948 and published in 1963 with a piano reduction for the orchestra. French saxophonist and counterpart to Sigurd Racher, Marcel Mule commissioned the work with the goal for there to be a major concerto for the soprano saxophone. “Fantasia” delivers with three masterful movements incorporating a neoclassical aesthetic paired with jazz and Brazilian rhythms.Saxophonist Brent Weber is experienced in multiple genres of music from classical to jazz, rock ’n’ roll and beyond, and advocates versatility. His work with the contemporary jazz group Jake Mowrer Quartet featured him performing and recording throughout Northern Georgia. As a concert saxophonist, Weber is active with the North American Saxophone Alliance. He presented the European premiere of Todd Barton’s “Diastems II” at the World Saxophone Congress XIV in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and, as winner of the UGA Concerto Competition, he performed Ingolf Dahl’s “Concerto for Saxophone and Wind Ensemble.” He was part of the 2012 Naxos release, “Street Song.” Formerly an assistant professor at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu, China, Weber is department chair and assistant professor of saxophone in FSU’s Department of Music, Theatre, & Dance where, in addition to maintaining the saxophone and bassoon studios, he also coordinates the Jazz Studies program.Pianist Joseph Yungen is a musician who happens to play the piano. He has established an international reputation for his consistent excellence as soloist and collaborator in a wide variety of music, including chamber music, art song, opera, new music, as well as choral and orchestral music. Known for his insatiable curiosity, Joseph is constantly expanding his musical knowledge, most recently by playing harpsichord and organ, studying piano technology, and exploring unconventional tunings and unequal temperaments. He has served as faculty at Music Academy of the West, the New Jersey Young Artist Piano Competition, and Frostburg State University. Joseph studied with Jonathan Feldman at The Juilliard School, where he earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree. He received Master of Music degrees in Piano Performance & Literature and in Accompanying & Chamber Music from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Jean Barr and Douglas Humpherys, and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Piano Performance at Southern Oregon University under the instruction of Alexander Tutunov.

New Orleans Jazz, Blues and Ragtime“Musically, Tuba Skinny mine a rich seam of traditional jazz and blues from the '20s and '30s. And, while it's evident the band treasures the sense of history evoked by these vintage tunes, the players' natural exuberance makes the music feel irresistibly alive.” (Sydney Morning Herald)Tuba Skinny brings a joyful, rambunctious performance of music that encompasses the influences of Depression-era blues, jug band, spirituals, string band music, ragtime and New Orleans R&B. For over a decade, Tuba Skinny has toured the world and amassed a devoted and diverse following of music lovers.Featuring Shaye Cohn on cornet, Barnabus Jones on trombone, Todd Burdick on tuba, Craig Flory on clarinet, Gregory Sherman on guitar/vocals, Max Bien-Kahn on banjo, Robin Rapuzzi on washboard and Erika Lewis on vocals/bass drum, the band interprets traditional jazz and creatively incorporates many musical influences. The result is a true reflection of Americana, encompassing the full genealogy of popular American music from an early 20th century perspective.Following the show, Chuck Dicken, WFWM-FM station director, will lead a lively and interactive conversation between audience members and Tuba Skinny, who will discuss how their distinct style reflects the spirit of Americana.The engagement of Tuba Skinny is made possible through the Jazz Touring Network program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. CES is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council (msac.org) and receives financial support from the Allegany Arts Council and the City of Frostburg.

Frostburg State University’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance will present its Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Mackenzie Jacob LaMont, on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall of FSU’s Woodward D. Pealer Performing Arts Center. Percussion Ensemble members include Gavin Baker, Jacob Deaver, Daniel Hicks, Jacob Hunt, Jacob Hutzell, Bella McConnell, Bernard Pitts, Joe Rubens and Covy Wohlmuth with a guest performance by Reiss Mikula.The concert will include the unique piece “Bookoctet” by Alan Sentman. Eight players are given 50 or more books, some of specific size or construction, to create all the sounds of the work, including ripping, scraping, dropping, shaking, and even being read from. The piece is in three sections. The first is traditionally notated and is the most rhythmically specific. It begins with a unison figure from the entire ensemble. As the piece progresses, select players grab different books and play counter- rhythms that thicken the texture and create a sense of controlled chaos, like notated Cage music. These gestures are comprised mostly of triplets, sextuplets, and occasional grace-note figures, all of which are independent of one another. What follows is a significantly slower section that includes several sound experiments. Each player is instructed to create sounds with the books in unique ways, such as scraping a hard cover with fingernails, shaking an open book, blowing between two pages to make them whistle or buzz, and even destroying a book by “any means necessary.” The final portion requires the performers to read aloud from whatever books are near them, slamming them shut, then repeating the process in quicker succession. The piece ends with only two players reading single syllable words in low voices. (Note by Kyle Cherwinski).The ensemble will also be performing “Dance of Black-Haired Mountain Storm” by Alan Hovhaness, a movement from Eric Ewazen’s “The Palace of Nine Perfections,” and “Gainsborough” by Thomas Gauger. Writer Michael Dooley’s description of “Gainsborough” states “[it] is a highly melodic, very popular percussion quintet written in three movements. The piece has been performed all over the world and remains a favorite because of its playful textures, demanding parts (especially for the time), and appealing tonality. The first movement is a sprightly dance in 9/8 that mostly features quick lines between two marimbas, with interruptions from the timpani and battery percussionists. The slow, hesitant second movement has a more modal and metallic sound, highlighting the bells and vibraphone. A jazzy recitative appears in the middle of this movement. The final movement is quick and rhythmically active with a healthy amount of call and response between different sections. It moves through several different styles, finishing with a flourish.”Purchase tickets online at https://frostburgtix.universitytickets.com or through the University Box Office, Lane University Center 203 (Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.), phone 301-687-3137. Tickets will also be available at the door the evening of the concert. Price for credit/debit card purchase are $11.73 adult; $6.53 senior, military, FSU employees; and free for students and children. Cash purchase prices are $11 adult; $6 senior, military, FSU employees; and free for students and children.For more information, contact FSU’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance at 301-687-4109.

FSU’s Department of Music Celebrates Adolphe Sax Birthday With ConcertThe 11-member FSU Saxophone Orchestra, featuring FSU and community saxophonists, are presenting a recital celebrating the birthday of Adolphe Sax (born November 6, 1814) who was the Belgian-French inventor of the saxophone. The recital is Sunday, November 9, at 3:00 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall of FSU’s Woodward D. Pealer Performing Arts Center. This FSU Department of Music, Theatre and Dance concert is free and open to the public; it will also be livestreamed, follow the link at www.frostburg.edu/concerts.The program includes: “Georgia on My Mind” by Hoagy Carmichael, most widely-known from Ray Charles’ 1960 recording of the song, which was later designated the State Song for the State of Georgia; “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin, the 1902 classic piano rag (which was also sold in the 1910s on piano rolls for player pianos) that returned to prominence in the 1970s when it was used as theme music for Oscar-winning film “The Sting”; “Breathe” by Katahj Copley, written to highlight the reactions and emotions around the summer 2020 death of George Floyd; “Jarba, Mare Jarba” by Stacy Garrop, a popular traditional Hungarian-Romani folk song about longing to return to one’s homeland; and “Selections from Carmen Suite No. 1” by Georges Bizet, which was drawn from the music of his 1875 opera “Carmen”.

The FSU Jazz Combo, directed by Tom Harrison, will perform a vibrant concert featuring timeless classics from jazz legends such as John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Duke Ellington, Freddie Hubbard, and more. The event, presented by the FSU Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance, is scheduled for Tuesday, November 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall at FSU’s Woodward D. Pealer Performing Arts Center. Admission is free and open to the public. It will also be livestreamed, click the red 'Join Stream' button on this page to join the livestream.The Jazz Combo includes Doug Holtz (trombone), Daniel Coughenour (horn), Taylor Bryan (piano), Ray Gibson (guitar), Joe Rubens III (drums), and Tom Harrison (bass), with vocalist Mackenzie Taylor featured on select pieces.The performance will showcase a diverse set of jazz standards and modern classics, including: “Blue Train” by John Coltrane, the iconic 1958 blues from his Blue Note album; “Have You Met Miss Jones?”, a 1937 jazz standard by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart; “In a Mellotone” by Duke Ellington, a 1940 classic with lyrics by Milt Gabler; and the following works featuring vocalist Mackenzie Taylor: “Footprints” by Wayne Shorter, a 1966 jazz waltz recorded with Miles Davis; “All of Me”, a 1931 chart-topping standard by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons; “Don’t Know Why” by Jesse Harris, popularized by Norah Jones and a 2003 Grammy winner; “One Note Samba” by Antônio Carlos Jobim, a Bossa Nova gem with English lyrics by Jon Hendricks; “Little Sunflower” by Freddie Hubbard, a modal piece from his 1967 album Backlash; “The Look of Love” by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, popularized by Dusty Springfield, Dionne Warwick, and Diana Krall; and “Happy People” by Kenny Garrett, a funky jazz piece from his 2002 album.“This concert celebrates the rich legacy of jazz through the works of its most influential artists, brought to life by our talented student musicians and vocalist Mackenzie Taylor,” said Tom Harrison, Jazz Combo director. “We invite the community to join us for an evening of dynamic performances, either in person or via livestream.”For more information, contact the FSU Department of Music, Theatre, and Dance at 301-687-4109, or music@frostburg.edu.

The Department of Music, Theatre, & Dance presents the FSU Guitar Ensemble and Studio Recital on Thursday, November 13, at 7:30 p.m. in the Pealer Recital Hall of FSU's Pealer Performing Arts Center. The recital is free and open to the public. If you cannot attend in-person, the recital will also be livestreamed; click the ‘JOIN STREAM' button on this page to view the live performance.