Music lovers have a wide variety of Longwood Music Department-sponsored concerts from which to choose this spring.
The two remaining concerts in the department’s Chamber Music Series, now in its 30th season, feature the Irish ensemble Caladh Nua on Tuesday, Feb. 28, in Jarman Auditorium, and the Amernet String Quartet on Thursday, April 6, in Molnar Recital Hall in Wygal. Both concerts, as well as all other spring concerts, are at 7:30 p.m. and are free and open to the public.
“I expect both Chamber Music Series concerts to be well-received,” said Dr. Lisa Kinzer, chair of Longwood’s music department. “Celtic music has proven to be quite popular in this area, and the Amernet String Quartet—the resident quartet at Florida International University— have previously played here and at the Hampden-Sydney College music festival and have amassed a loyal following in Farmville.”
Several faculty and guest artist recitals also are scheduled. The James String Quartet, artists-in-residence at Lynchburg College, will perform Friday, Jan. 27, in Wygal, joined by pianist Lisa Kinzer and soprano Adelaide Muir Trombetta, assistant professor of music at Liberty University.
Another guest recital will feature baritone Kevin Wetzel, who will perform a program of Russian art song Monday, March 27, in Wygal. An opera singer from New York City, Wetzel has appeared regularly at the Summer Garden Opera Festival in Farmville over the past seven years. He will offer a vocal masterclass for Longwood voice students during his visit.
Lisa Kinzer will pair up with fellow pianist and Hampden-Sydney College Professor Emeritus James Kidd on Thursday, Feb. 23, to perform a concert of music for two pianos that will include works by Mozart, Brahms and Guastavino. On Wednesday, March 15, Kinzer will accompany faculty clarinetist David Niethamer on a program featuring works by Camille Saint-Saëns, Felix Draeseke and Leonard Bernstein. Both concerts are in Wygal.
Other spring concerts will feature Longwood student ensembles. The Longwood Wind Symphony, conducted by Dr. Gordon Ring, will perform Thursday, March 2, with adjunct instructor Bruce Patterson as guest soloist on trombone. On Tuesday, March 21, the Longwood Jazz Ensemble, directed by Dr. Charles Kinzer, will perform with Longwood alumnus Jonathan Coward soloing on piano. The two ensembles will appear together on a combined program on Tuesday, April 18. These three concerts are in Jarman.
Longwood’s Men’s and Women’s Choirs will perform Monday, April 24. The men’s choir is led by Dr. Pam McDermott and the women’s choir by Fran Coleman. The Camerata Singers and Chamber Singers, both advanced, auditioned choirs, will perform Thursday, April 27. The Camerata Singers is a mixed-voice ensemble; the Chamber Singers a smaller, all-female vocal group. Both concerts are in Jarman.
A couple of spring concerts, both in Jarman, will feature special ensembles in which Longwood music students perform with members of the community and Southside Virginia region.
The Longwood Honor Bands will perform Friday, Jan. 13. This is a department tradition in which the Wind Symphony and Jazz Ensemble consist of invited students from band programs in neighboring counties, many of which are led by Longwood alumni. A choral pyramid concert Friday, March 17, will include performances by a middle-school choir and a high-school choir, each led by a Longwood alumnus/alumna, and Longwood choral ensembles.
Among student recitals by senior music majors, all at 7:30 p.m. in Wygal, are: April 8, Cody Leonard (saxophone); April 20, Tyler Gage (trumpet); April 21, Jordan Russnow (soprano); and April 28, Cory Anderson (trumpet).
Other concerts for the spring semester may be added later. Concerts already scheduled include:
- Jan. 13: Longwood Honor Bands (Jarman Auditorium).
- Jan. 27: James String Quartet with Lisa Kinzer (Molnar Recital Hall in Wygal).
- Feb. 23: Lisa Kinzer and James Kidd, duo piano recital (Wygal).
- Feb. 28: Irish ensemble Caladh Nua (Jarman).
- March 2: Longwood Wind Symphony (Jarman).
- March 15: David Niethamer and Lisa Kinzer, faculty recital (Wygal).
- March 17: choral pyramid concert (Jarman).
- March 21: Longwood Jazz Ensemble (Jarman).
- March 27: Baritone Kevin Wetzel, guest recital (Wygal).
- April 6: Amernet String Quartet (Wygal).
- April 18: Longwood Wind Symphony and Longwood Jazz Ensemble (Jarman).
- April 24: Longwood Men’s and Women’s Choirs (Jarman).
- April 27: Camerata Singers and Chamber Singers (Jarman).
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