NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

4/09/2002

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES- The NSU Jazz Orchestra will welcome guest performers trumpeter David Hardin, Verlinda Zeno, the Mojo Queen of Louisiana, pianist Mollye Otis and the Northwestern Chamber Choir when it performs "The Best of the Sacred Concerts of Duke Ellington" Wednesday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the public. The orchestra is conducted by Galindo Rodriguez.

The concert will also feature dancers Jamaal Hill, Angeline Adams, and Heather Smith. Associate Professor of Creative and Performing Arts Tony Smith will also give a brief presentation on Ellington.

The program will include "In The Beginning," "Will You Be There," "Ain't But The One," "Heaven," "Praise God" and "Father Forgive." Also on the program are the Ellington works "The Lord's Prayer," "David Danced," "Come Sunday," "Meditation" and "Praise God and Dance."

The Northwestern Chamber Choir conducted by Dr. Burt Allen is the major choral performing ensemble at Northwestern.

Hardin and Zeno are both Northwestern alumni. After earning his degree at Northwestern in 1961, Hardin was director of bands at schools in Springhill, Haynesville and Shreveport. In 1981, he became co-owner and eventually owner of Williams Music Company in Shreveport before retiring.

NSU honored Hardin in 1998 as its Alumni Music Educator of the Year. Hardin has performed with the NSU Jazz Orchestra and has appeared with a quartet of part of the NSU Trumpet Extravaganza. He has also performed with entertainers including Susan Anton, The Four Tops, and Don Rickles.

Otis joined the theatre faculty at Northwestern in the fall. She teaches musical theater performance in addition to coaching and music directing. Before coming to NSU, Otis was on the faculty of the New World School of the Arts in Miami.

Her professional experience includes work on Broadway with the hit show
"Chicago" and with "Victor Victoria." While in New York, she freelanced as a musical director and rehearsal and audition pianist. Previously, she has taught on the faculty at the Burt Reynolds Institute for Theatre Training. Otis has worked as music director and coach at SUNY Purchase, New York University, AMDA, CAP 21, Rutgers and Cincinnati College Conservatory (CCM). Her degrees are in piano performance from the University of Kentucky.

Zeno has recorded four CD's over the past 10 years, showcasing a robust voice. Zeno's down-to-earth personality along with a range that goes from contralto to soprano has won her many fans.

Based in Memphis, she performs across the U.S. and in Italy, Switzerland, German, and Belgium with her Italian Blues Band. Zeno has opened for B.B. King, Edgar Winter, and many other acts. She has her own Web site, www.MsZeno.com.

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