Northwestern State University’s School of Creative and Performing Arts will present its annual Faculty Showcase Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free and open to the public. A reception will follow at 8:30 p.m.
The showcase along with a faculty art exhibit in the adjacent Hanchey Art Gallery will showcase of the university’s music, theatre and dance and fine + graphic arts faculty. Two works, Getting to Know the Weather by Eve Beglarian, and “Sea Garden” by Matt Perry will premiere at the concert
Performing at the showcase are the Faculty Trombone Quartet on a piece arranged by William G. Rose, Paul Christopher, cello, and Christine Allen, piano, on “Andante Espressivo” by Charles Wuorinen,; Luke Brouillette, guitar will play “Tango en Skai” by Roland Dyens and Malena McLaren, clarinet, and David Steele, clarinet, will perform “Sonata for Two Clarinets and Piano” assisted by Chialing Hseih, piano, and Brett Garfinkel, dance.
Also performing are Doug Bakenhus and Dennette McDermott on a Baroque piece by Boismortier assisted by dancers Chelsey Goldsmith and Leonard Harris with choreography by Garfinkel and costumes by Jessica Parr. David Steele, bass clarinet, and Oliver Molina, percussion, will debut “Getting to Know the Weather” and Matt Petty will perform “Sea Garden.”
The showcase will also include Kristine Coreil, horn, and Jeff Mathews, drum set, on “Blues and Variations for Monk” by David Amram; Leah Forsyth, oboe, on “Oblivion” by Astor Piazzolla; Molina on “State Medley” arranged By Bob Becker, and D’nissa Hester, soprano, and Michael Rorex, piano, performing “Caro Nome” from “Rigoletto” by Giuseppe Verdi. Terrie Sanders, soprano, and Chialing Hseih, piano, will play “Light in the Piazza” from the musical of the same name by Adam Guettel and Trahan and Hseih will be featured in a collaboration on George Gershswin’s “Embraceable You” by Gershwin arranged by Bill Holcombe.
“Getting to Know the Weather” was inspired by the short story “Getting to Know the Weather” by Pamela Painter. The story centers around a middle aged woman who leaves her old life behind to seek new experiences. She begins to teach herself to wait tables by observing waitresses at a local diner. She realizes that much of her success waiting tables involves chatting with costumers about the local weather.
The weather in this case is Chromatic Lydian, which was considered by Plato to be too sensual and lax to be suitable for the education of guardians. This piece attempts to compose out the kind of non-systematized, non-superimposing experimenting one sometimes does with new material and situations.
“The last note of the piece is an Eb, which is the first time this note is played throughout the entire piece,” said Steele. “I’d like to think this moment signifies a sudden change in the weather and the adaptability one needs when faced with new experiences and situations. This is the premier performance for bass clarinet. “
Petty is performing an original composition.
“I’m premiering a piece that I made over the summer called ‘Sea Garden,’” said Petty. “It features location recordings and video that I captured in Big Sur, California. I will perform live electronics for the showcase.”
The annual Art Faculty Exhibition features the work of Corbin Covher, Brooks Defee, Matt DeFord, Clyde Downs, Mirla Gonzales, Leslie Gruesbeck, Phyllis Lear and Michael Yankowski. The works explore a variety of media and showcase each artist’s personal interests.