WFU music department announces November-December concert calendar

Wake Forest University’s Department of Music will present eight concerts through November and the holiday season. All concerts are free and open to the public.

Nov. 7: Flute Fest,
Brendle Recital Hall, 3 p.m.

Flute Fest features the flute students of Kathryn Levy, a flute instructor at Wake Forest and principal flute for the Winston-Salem Piedmont Triad Symphony, and the Silver Wind Flute Choir, an ensemble of area professional flutists. The concert will include performances of selections by Vivaldi, Philippe Gaubert, Sigfried Karg-Elert and Keith Amos. During the concert’s traditional ending, other area flutists and flute students of all ages will be invited to join the performers on stage to play “Pavanne” by Gabriel Faure. The concert will be directed by Levy.

Nov. 10: Collegium Musicum Concert,
Brendle Recital Hall, 8 p.m.

The Wake Forest Collegium Musicum will present a concert featuring chansons (songs) and sacred works written by leading 16th century French and Flemish composers. The Collegium Musicum ensemble, directed by Stewart Carter, professor of music, is devoted to the performance of early music with period instruments, such as recorders, violas da gamba and sackbuts. The Collegium Musicum Vocal Ensemble, directed by Brian Gorelick, director of choral ensembles, will present works by Josquin des Pres, Jean Mouton, Pierre Passereau and Claudin de Sermisy. The groups will combine to perform two chansons by Claude Le Jeune and Clement Janequin.

Nov. 16: Student Chamber Music Concert,
Brendle Recital Hall, 8 p.m.

The Student Chamber Music Concert will feature a wide range of music for the woodwind family. Performances will include Renaissance music for recorders, Mozart for clarinets, Handel for saxophones and Haydn and Darius Milhaud for woodwinds, strings and piano. The Quintessential Winds, a Wake Forest student woodwind quintet will also perform.

Nov. 18: University Jazz Ensemble Concert,
Brendle Recital Hall, 8 p.m.

Conducted by Patrick Tucker, instructor of music, the University Jazz Ensemble will perform a concert filled with Big Band music and swinging contemporary jazz compositions including classic standards like Frederick Loewe’s “On the Street Where You Live” and John Coltrane’s “Footprints.”

Nov. 21: University Wind Ensemble Concert,
Brendle Recital Hall, 3 p.m.

The Wake Forest Wind Ensemble concert will include performances of Timothy Mahr’s “Fantasia in G,” based on Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” theme; “New World Dances” by British composer Martin Ellerby; and “Three Chords, Like a Mug” by Wake Forest senior composition major Christopher Seal. Kevin Bowen, director of bands, will conduct.

Nov. 30: “Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols,”
Wait Chapel, 7 p.m.

An annual event sponsored by the Wake Forest Divinity School and the department of music, “Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols” celebrates the mystery of the birth of Jesus Christ through a one-hour service with Scripture readings, choir and ensemble performances and congregational hymns.

Dec. 1: University Orchestra Concert,
Brendle Recital Hall, 8 p.m.

The Wake Forest University Orchestra will perform a concert of music from a variety of composers and styles, including pieces by Stravinsky, William Grant Still and Alan Hovhaness, with a feature performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. The performance will be conducted by Matthew Troy, instructor of music.

Dec. 3: Holiday Choral Concert,
Brendle Recital Hall, 8 p.m.

The ensembles of the choral department at Wake Forest will present a holiday concert featuring musical performances and carol singing for the choirs and audience between sets and at the end of the performance. The concert choir will perform “Little Tree” by Steven Heitzig and carols and anthems by Healey Willan, John Joubert and Gustav Holst. The Collegium Vocal Ensemble will present the motet “Ave Maria” by Mouton and a new arrangement of “The First Nowell” by Stephen Paulus. The Wake Forest Chorale will sing selections from Bach’s “Christmas Oratorio.” The combined choirs will sing choruses from Benjamin Britten’s “A Ceremony of Carols.” The performance will be conducted by Brian Gorelick, director of choral ensembles.

For more information about any of these concerts, call 336-758-5364.

Categories: Arts & Culture, Events