Purdue Band News
Purdue Band News
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November 21, 2000 New Purdue string quartet gives first recitalWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue String Quartet will give its first official concert performance at Purdue University Band's fall recital hour at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, in Purdue Stewart Center, Fowler Hall. The concert is free and open to the public. Tickets are available at the door. Formed earlier this fall by Pamina Blum, flute instructor on Purdue's applied music faculty, the quartet comes out of a new emphasis on chamber music in the Bands Department. Blum coaches the ensemble that has performed at various campus and community functions before heading into its first recital appearance. The quartet will be featured in the scherzo movement of Tchaikovsky's "Quartet No. 1" and the modere movement of Ravel's "Quartet in F Major." Members of the ensemble are four freshmen: Ian Sullivan, an engineering major from Bloomington, Ind.; Matt Wilmore, a computer science major from Indianapolis; Sharon Su, a computer science major from York, Penn.; and Jena Sturgis, a liberal arts major from Ypsilanti, Mich. Other student ensembles will be featured in chamber works by Mozart, Handel , Beethoven and others. CONTACT: Kathy Matter, (765) 496-6785; kcmatter@purdue.edu Eclectic holiday concert offers jazz carols and big band tunesWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue Jazz Band and American Music Review offers a mix of seasonal tunes and big band standards at its combined December concert at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, in the Purdue Memorial Union North Ballroom. The concert is free and open to the public. Tickets are available at the door. Known for its big band style, American Music Review will perform "Chattanooga Choo Choo," "Stella by Starlight" and "That Old Black Magic," which features the group's director William D. Kisinger, associate professor of music, on euphonium. Kris Gibson, who recently won Purdue Bands' outstanding trumpeter and outstanding marching band member awards, gets both instrumental and vocal spotlights in the concert. The senior electrical engineering major from Floyds Knobs, Ind., showcases his Sinatra singing style in "The Lady is a Tramp." In the bossa nova tune "Desafinado," Gibson shows off his prowess on the trumpet in a scat duet with vocalist Hannah Niebrugge, a junior pharmacy major from West Lafayette. American Music Review caps off their portion of the concert with "Have a Cool Yule," an instrumental medley of five holiday tunes, ranging from "Jingle Bells" to "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." The Purdue Jazz Band takes a playful poke at traditional holiday tunes with "God Rest Ye Merry Trombones" and "Good King Wenceslas and His Merry Band." Jazz band director M.T. "Mo" Trout, assistant professor of bands, adds "O Christmas Tree" and Duke Ellington's arrangement "Overture to Nutcracker Suite" into the holiday mix. CONTACT: Kathy Matter, (765) 496-6785; kcmatter@purdue.edu Purdue strings featured in 20th century classical music concertWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Offering an alternative to oft-repeated holiday tunes, the Purdue Symphony Orchestra takes a look at 20th century music through the eyes of noted Australian composer Percy Grainger on Sunday Dec. 3. This free event begins at 7:30 p.m. in Long Center, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette. Tickets are available at the door. "Grainger was one of those composers who was way ahead of his time," said David A. Leppla, director of Purdue University Bands. Leppla will guest conduct Grainger's "Colonial Song" in the concert. "His two main focuses were melody and harmony, and he loved dissonance. He thought it gave music a certain edge, and made it more creative and interesting," Leppla said. "'Colonial Song' reflects the composer's interest in folk tunes, and is a tribute to his Australian home." Symphony conductor Jay S. Gephart, assistant professor of bands, who leads the orchestra in Grainger's "Sussex Mummer's Christmas Carol," said both pieces showcase the group's string section. The orchestra's December concert also features works by two other 20th century composers: "Jubilee" by Ron Nelson, which incorporates jazz harmonies into music, and a transcription of Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring." The 2000-01 Purdue Symphony Orchestra, with 65 string musicians on its roster, surpasses the size of professional orchestras such as the Chicago and Indianapolis symphonies. CONTACT: Kathy Matter, (765) 496-6785; kcmatter@purdue.edu
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