SU 'Salisbury Soloists Shine' Music Festival May 9-15

SALISBURY, MD---Local talent comes to the forefront during the Salisbury University Department of Music’s “Salisbury Soloists Shine” spring festival May 9-15 in Holloway Hall Auditorium.

“The festival highlights our outstanding faculty cellist, Dr. Jeffrey Schoyen, who will be our featured artist this season,” said Dr. Linda Cockey, chair of SU’s Department of Music. “This spring's festival also features many fine students soloing in all the ensembles, including ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ performed by a senior music student who also majors in art.”

The series begins with the University Chorale and Vocal Jazz Ensemble during a special Mother’s Day concert 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 9. Conducted by Dr. William Folger, SU director of choral studies, the performance features George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” with soloist Frankie Withers on piano, Susan Zimmer on piano, Philip Thomas on percussion, and SU music faculty Chris English on banjo.

The chorale presents a program of folk songs including “Danny Boy” and “The Water is Wide” with seniors Scott Bunting on clarinet, Dan Kotowski on cello and Kayla O'Connor on horn, while the vocal jazz ensemble performs standards including “My Funny Valentine,” “Satin Doll” and “Chili con Carne.”

Conductor Lee Knier continues the series 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 11, with the Salisbury Pops, featuring SU students Jarod Armes on trombone and Chris Wolff on tuba with guest student conductor Jocelyn Hensley. The Pops presents a medley from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. Other pieces include the jazz standard “Harlem Nocturne” by Earle Hagen and Dick Rogers, featuring Erica Ruppert on saxophone; Julius Fucik’s “The Grumbly Old Bear”; and the Jaime Texidore pasodoble “Amparito Roca,” reflecting the zest and flair of a Mexican bullfight in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. As a special tribute to the U.S. Marines, the Pops also performs “Semper Fidelis March.”

The SU Jazz Brazz Big Band, conducted by Dr. Jerry Tabor, takes the stage 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 13, with saxophonist James Burks on the fusion ballad “Straight to the Heart,” popularized in the 1980s by David Sanborn. Other featured pieces are the standards “Once Together” and “So Nice,” along with a mixture of Latin, swing, hard bop and contemporary jazz performed by combos as well as the entire ensemble.

Sponsored by the Department of Music, admission to these festival concerts is free, and the public is invited. For more information call 410-543-6385 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.

The festival culminates with the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra’s (SSO) annual Spring Concert 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15. Dr. Jeffrey Schoyen, musical director and conductor, takes listeners on a “Musical Tour of Europe,” stepping away from the podium to join his fellow musicians in a performance of Haydn’s Cello Concert in C Major as Knier conducts.

A free pre-concert talk by Public Radio Delmarva’s Bill Bukowski is 6:30 p.m. in the Great Hall of Holloway Hall.

SU provides free shuttle service for those attending the SSO. Shuttles will run from the Guerrieri University Center parking lot off Dogwood Drive to Holloway Hall from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and return following the concert.

Admission is $20, $15 for seniors, $5 for children 12 and under. A reception for patrons follows in the Social Room of Holloway Hall. For tickets visit www.salisburysymphonyorchestra.org. For more information call 410-548-5587.