MUSIC

The Immanuel and Helen Olshan TEXAS MUSIC FESTIVAL (TMF) announces its 22nd season, Made in America, with performances by the Festival Orchestra (Orchestra Series), faculty artists (PERSPECTIVES Series: Chamber Music and Jazz), institute participants (jazz, piano, voice), and the Classical Minds Guitar Festival and Competition.

Covering a spectrum ranging from jazz to music by 20th and 21st century American classical composers, each Orchestra and Perspectives Series examines music “Made In America” and its connections to the wider world. The Festival theme also presents important Romantic works inspired by visions of the New World as seen through the eyes of Antonin Dvorak.

Based at the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, the Festival, June 6 through July 2, presents nearly 50 public performances, master classes, and seminars in venues throughout the Houston area and at Texas A&M University in College Station.

The Texas Music Festival’s Orchestral Institute participants, chosen by competitive live and recorded auditions submitted by more than 450 applicants, are approximately 95 advanced students and young professional musicians who come from such noted music schools as Northwestern University, the Peabody Institute, Eastman School of Music, the Cleveland Institute, and Houston’s Shepherd School of Music (Rice University) and the Moores School of Music (University of Houston). This year’s Festival also attracts participants from 14 foreign countries: Poland, New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Canada, Mexico, Panama, Colombia, China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong.

The TMF Orchestral Fellows study and rehearse under the direction of an international faculty of conductors and artists/teachers who also perform on the PERSPECTIVES Series concerts, presented weekly at Texas A&M University and in the Moores Opera House at the University of Houston.

Highlights of the 2011 season:

• Four PERSPECTIVES: Festival Artist Chamber Music and Jazz series concerts featuring innovative programming and stellar performances of jazz and classical music by Festival faculty and guest artists
• Conductors: Mei Ann Chen (Memphis Symphony Orchestra), Franz Anton Krager (Moores School of Music), Carl St. Clair (Pacific Symphony Orchestra), and Carlos Spierer (Giessen Symphony and Opera, Germany)
• Soloists with orchestra: Melanie Sonnenberg, internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano, Brinton Averil Smith, Houston Symphony principal cello, and Festival winner of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition
• A series of master classes in all instruments, featuring Festival faculty and guests. For a complete listing, please visit our web site www.tmf.uh.edu
• Classical Minds Guitar Festival and Competition (June 14-19), including recitals by faculty, guest performers, competition winners

TMF 2011 Concert Calendar
Includes Festival Orchestra Series, Perspectives Series, Young Artist Chamber Music, Classical Minds Guitar Festival, and Institute Concerts.

June 6 (Mon.), Presidential Conf. Center, Texas A&M University, 7:30 p.m.
June 7 (Tues.), Moores Opera House, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
PERSPECTIVES 1: Texas Music Festival Jazz Project
“Distinctly American”
The TMF Jazz Project is an all-star jazz orchestra composed of our state’s finest musicians. Led by director/trumpeter Noe Marmolejo, the program features the best in what’s hot in America’s native musical idiom.

June 10 (Fri.), Dudley Recital Hall, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m., FREE
Le Chiavi di Bel Canto (The Keys to Bel Canto) Vocal Institute Final Concert
Joseph Evans, Melanie Sonnenberg, directors
Performances by advanced young singers from the Bel Canto Institute.

June 11 (Sat.), Moores Opera House, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA Celebratory Opening
Franz Anton Krager, conductor
Melanie Sonnenberg, mezzo-soprano soloist
Festival Women’s Chorus (Kelly Turner, dir.)
Houston Treble Choir (Marianna Parnas Simpson, dir.)

David Ashley White: Spirit, moving over chaos
Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor

June 12 (Sun.), Dudley Recital Hall, University of Houston, 2 p.m., FREE
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition Final Round
Final competition round featuring solo performances by Festival Orchestra musicians.

June 13 (Mon.), Presidential Conf. Center, Texas A&M University, 7:30 p.m.
PERSPECTIVES 2: Faculty Artist Chamber Music
“New World Visions”
Antonin Dvorak’s time in America (1892-95) generated some of his most beloved works, including the String Quintet in E-flat, Op. 95 and his Sonatina for Violin, Op. 100, both featured on this program, which also includes Robert Sirota’s Birds of Paradise and Copland’s El salon Mexico in the version for two pianos.

Performers: Webster Trio (Leone Buyse, flute; Michael Webster, clarinet; Robert Moeling, piano), Andrzej Grabiec, Kyung Sun Lee, Lucie Robert, violin; Wayne Brooks, James Dunham, viola; Brinton Smith, cello; Jeffrey Cohen, Timothy Hester, piano

June 14 (Tues.), Moores Opera House, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
PERSPECTIVES 2: Faculty Artist Chamber Music
“New World Visions”
Antonin Dvorak’s time in America (1892-95) generated some of his most beloved works, including the String Quintet in E-flat, Op. 95 and his Sonatina for Violin, Op. 100, both featured on this program, which also includes Robert Sirota’s Birds of Paradise and Copland’s El salon Mexico in the version for two pianos.

Performers: Webster Trio (Leone Buyse, flute; Michael Webster, clarinet; Robert Moeling, piano), Andrzej Grabiec, Kyung Sun Lee, Lucie Robert, violins; Wayne Brooks, James Dunham, viola; Brinton Smith, cello; Jeffrey Cohen, Timothy Hester, piano

June 14 (Tues.), Dudley Recital Hall, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
CLASSICAL MINDS GUITAR FESTIVAL
Artist Recital: Christopher Berg and Fernand Vera

June 15 (Wed.), Room 160, Moores School of Music, 6 p.m.
CLASSICAL MINDS GUITAR FESTIVAL
Student Recital
Student participants perform works for solo guitar.

June 17 (Fri.), Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, The Woodlands, TX, 8 p.m., FREE
FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
Mei Ann Chen, conductor
Jennifer Higdon: blue cathedral
Aaron Copland: Symphony No. 3 in C Major

June 17 (Fri.), Moores Opera House, University of Houston, 7 p.m.
Jazz Institute Concert
Noe Marmolejo, director
Talented high school and college jazz musicians perform tunes ranging from classical to contemporary in a big band setting.

June 17 (Fri.), Dudley Recital Hall, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
CLASSICAL MINDS GUITAR FESTIVAL
Artist Recital: Randall Avers and Presti

June 18 (Sat.), Moores Opera House, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
Mei Ann Chen, conductor
Jennifer Higdon: blue cathedral
Aaron Copland: Symphony No. 3 in C Major

June 18 (Sat.), Dudley Recital Hall, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
CLASSICAL MINDS GUITAR FESTIVAL
Artist Recital: Ernesto Tamayo and Martha Masters

June 19 (Sun.), Dudley Recital Hall, University of Houston, 1 p.m.
CLASSICAL MINDS GUITAR FESTIVAL
Student Recital: Small Ensembles and Guitar Orchestra

June 19 (Sun.), Dudley Recital Hall, University of Houston, 2:30 p.m.
CLASSICAL MINDS GUITAR FESTIVAL
Competition Finals
High school and college level finalists.

June 20 (Mon.), Presidential Conf. Center, Texas A&M University, 7:30 p.m.
June 21 (Tues.), Moores Opera House, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
PERSPECTIVES 3: Faculty Artist Chamber Music
“Sensuous Perfume”
A world premiere of David Ashley White’s new rhapsody for mezzo-soprano, “As you set out for Ithaca,” virtuoso violin works by Gershwin and Vieuxtemps, and a Romantic favorite, Brahms’s Piano Quartet, Op. 25, form the pillars of this dramatic and virtuosic program, which also includes Paul Hindemith’s Cello Sonata, Op. 11.

Performers: Melanie Sonnenberg, mezzo-soprano, Timothy Hester, piano, Lucie Robert, Zuo Jun, violin; Rita Porfiris, viola; Kevin Dvorak, Vagram Saradjian, cello

June 23 (Thurs.), Dudley Recital Hall, Univ. of Houston, 7 p.m., FREE
Young Artist Chamber Music
Small ensemble performances by Orchestral Fellows.

June 25 (Sat.), Dudley Recital Hall, Univ. of Houston, 10 a.m., FREE
High School Piano Institute
Ensemble Recital
Nancy Weems, director
Gifted high school pianists perform ensemble works.

June 25 (Sat.), Moores Opera House, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA
Carl St. Clair, conductor
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition Winner, soloist

Christopher Theofanidis: Rainbow Body
TBD: Solo work performed by Competition winner
Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 in E Major

June 26 (Sun.), Moores Opera House, Univ. of Houston, 10 a.m. & 1 p.m., FREE
High School Piano Institute Recitals
Nancy Weems, director
Recitals by gifted high school pianists.

June 27 (Mon.), Presidential Conf. Center, Texas A&M University, 7:30 p.m.
June 28 (Tues.), Moores Opera House, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
PERSPECTIVES 4: Faculty Artist Chamber Music
“Grand Finale”
Ludwig Spohr was regarded on par with Beethoven in their day. His seminal Grand Nonetto for Winds and Strings poses the question, “Who needs Beethoven?” Descending from the traditions of Dvorak and Brahms, Arthur Foote’s luscious Romantic Piano Quintet (1897) and Kent Kennan’s Trumpet Sonata demonstrate the evolution of American music.

Performers include: Aralee Dorough, flute; Randall Griffin, clarinet; Richard Beene, bassoon; Roger Kaza, French horn; Jim Vassallo, trumpet; Andrzej Grabiec, Frank Huang, TBA, violin; Wayne Brooks, Rita Porfiris, viola; Kevin Dvorak, cello; Dennis Whittaker, double bass; Pianos, TBA

June 29 (Wed.), Dudley Recital Hall, Univ. of Houston, 7 p.m., FREE
Young Artist Chamber Music
Small ensemble performances by Festival Orchestra musicians.

June 30 (Thur.), Dudley Recital Hall, University of Houston, 7 p.m., FREE
Young Artist Chamber Music
Small ensemble performances by Orchestral Fellows.

July 2 (Sat.), Moores Opera House, University of Houston, 7:30 p.m.
FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA Grand Finale
Carlos Spierer, conductor
Brinton Averil Smith, cello soloist

Dvorak: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B Minor, Op. 104
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade, Op. 35

Conductor, composer, and faculty bios and photos are available at: www.tmf.uh.edu OR www.class.uh.edu/music/texasmusicfestival/about/index.html.