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Music to present holiday-themed concerts
Offerings to include "Messiah sing-in," recital by St. Paul’s organist
By KEVIN FRYLING
Reporter Contributor
Two holiday-themed concerts, one of which will feature a "Messiah sing-in," highlight the concert schedule for December presented by the Department of Music.
The Slee Sinfonietta, supported by members of the UB Symphony, UB Choir and Chorus, and the UB Brass Ensemble, will present "Music for the Holidays" at 8 p.m. Dec. 6 in Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall, North Campus.
The first half of the concert will feature a performance by a nine-piece brass ensemble composed of UB students, faculty and invited guests. The program will feature a selection of carols, as well as works by Bach, Holst and others.
During the second half of the concert, members of the audience will be invited to join the Sinfonietta, under the direction of conductors Magnus Mårtensson and Harold Rosenbaum, in a rendition of Handel's masterpiece, "Messiah." The program will include most of the choruses of part one of the "Messiah," as well as the beloved "Hallelujah" chorus. Selected solos will be performed by faculty members Tony Arnold, soprano, and Alex Hurd, baritone, as well as by mezzo-soprano Mary Lou Vetere. Musical scores of the "Messiah" choruses will be provided.
A reception hosted by Kappa Kappa Psi will follow the concert in the Slee Hall lobby.
Andrew Cantrill, organist and choirmaster of St. Paul's Cathedral in Buffalo, also will present a holiday-themed recital at 8 p.m. on Dec. 2 in Lippes Concert Hall. Also performing will be the Boy and Girl Choristers of St. Paul's Cathedral.
The recital will feature choral and organ performances of a number of well-known holiday favorites, as well as some lesser-known gems, including traditional French and German carols.
UB's Baird Trio will round out the December concert offerings with a recital at 8 p.m. Dec. 7 in Lippes Concert Hall.
The Baird Trio, consisting of Jonathan Golove, cello; Stephen Manes, piano; and Movses Pogossian, violin, will present a program that includes a surprisingly mature work by a youthful Beethoven. The trio also will perform music by Mexican composer Nicandro Tamez that was arranged specifically for the ensemble by the composer's son, Omar Tamez.
In residence at UB, the Baird Trio performs a wide variety of repertoire, devoting particular attention to recent and rarely heard works. Acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, the trio has given numerous world premieres by living composers.
Tickets to "Music for the Holidays" and Andrew Cantrill's holiday recital are $12 for general admission; $9 for UB faculty/staff/alumni, senior citizens and WNED members with card; and $5 for students. Tickets for the Baird Trio recital are $5; UB students are admitted free with ID.
Tickets for all three performances can be obtained at the Slee Hall box office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, at the Center for the Arts box office from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and at all Ticketmaster locations, including Ticketmaster.com.