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NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu
)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
4/21/2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES The Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra and the NSU Chamber Choirs will present a concert Thursday, April 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is $10 for the public and free to NSU and Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts students.
The program will include Coronation Anthem No. 1, "Zadok the Priest" and Coronation Anthem No. 2, "The King Shall Rejoice" by George Frederick Handel, Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra by Beethoven and Gloria by Francis Poulenc.
Director of Choral Activities Burt Allen will conduct the combined orchestra and choirs on the works by Handel and Poulenc. Symphony Conductor Douglas Bakenhus will conduct the work by Beethoven. Assistant Professor of Piano Christine Allen will be featured on piano on Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra. Featured soloists will be sopranos Sawyer Thomas, Cara Waring and Melanie Watson, tenors James Green and Brad Kerley and bass Tony Stewart. Soprano Terrie S. Sanders, an assistant professor of voice at NSU, will be featured on Gloria.
"The combined orchestra/choral concert is a tradition at Northwestern," said Allen. "Some of the greatest music ever composed was written for orchestra and chorus. We are fortunate to be able to provide this opportunity for our students. Who knows when they will get an opportunity to perform works like this again? It may be a once in a lifetime experience."
Allen said both the orchestra and choirs enjoy the opportunity to work together.
"It is excellent for the morale of both ensembles," he said. "Rehearsals put both of them on edge because each wants to show that they are the equal of the other ensemble musically."
According to Allen, the works by Handel were written for the coronation of King George II of England. The first anthem is still used at the coronation of every British monarch. Handel composed four coronation anthems.
"They are the pieces which created Handel's reputation in England," said Allen. "When Handel was promoting the debut of Messiah, he printed on handbills that the work was in the fashion of the Coronation Anthems and it was a success."
Bakenhus said the work by Beethoven is similar in many ways to his Choral Symphony.
"This is like a warm up piece for the Choral Symphony," he said. "In the debut performance, Beethoven probably improvised and then wrote the published version based on his improvisation. The thing that sets this work apart is the piano solo. At times, it is almost a piano concerto."
The work by Poulenc barely uses the large orchestra at time and greatly challenges the choir.
"It is difficult for the singers to learn because Poulenc breaks all the rules for singers," said Allen. "It is a somewhat surprising work and very pleasing to the ear. It doesn't end with a flash, but very quietly."
Christine Allen is completing her doctorate in piano performance at Louisiana State University. At NSU, she teaches applies piano, coordinates the group piano and piano pedagogy area and serves as choral accompanist. In 1999-2000, she held the Joanna Magale Endowed Professorship and traveled to Poland to study with internationally recognized pianist/composer Andrzej Dutkiewicz.
Sanders teaches voice, piano and diction and is conductor of the NSU women's chorus. She has performed opera, oratoria and solo concerts throughout the South. Sanders has been an active member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, serving as a member of the Southern Regional Board.