Jan. 16, 2014
The Benjamin T. Rome School of Music at The Catholic University of America presents the following performances for the spring 2014 semester. Unless otherwise noted, all performances take place on the CUA campus, and admission is free and open to the public. For more information on these events or to purchase tickets, visit http://music.cua.edu or call 202-319-5416.
Honor Band Festival
The fourth annual All Catholic High School Honor Band Festival will take place at CUA on Saturday, Jan. 25. The festival will culminate with a concert performed by the festival participants and the CUA Wind Ensemble conducted by John Mitchell and Michael Smith, co-directors of the CUA Wind Ensemble at 8 p.m. in the Great Room, Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center. Performance selections will include works by J.S. Bach, Percy Grainger, Robert Pearson, Camille Saint-Seans, and Claude T. Smith.
New Voices @ CUA
The Catholic University of America chapter of the Society of Composers Inc. presents the fourth annual New Voices @ CUA: A Festival of New Vocal Music on Jan. 24 and 25. With a set of four concerts, this unique festival highlights the vocal works of 17 composers from the United States and England. The concerts feature sacred music, art and cabaret songs, chamber music, and pieces by CUA student composers. Concerts on Friday and Saturday evening will feature the CUA new music ensemble Ensemble Next Parallel under the direction of Robert Baker, assistant professor of theory and composition. Concert information: Jan. 24, 7 p.m., Student Concert, Ward Recital Hall; Jan. 24, 9 p.m., Art Song/Cabaret Concert, Great Room, Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center; Jan. 25, 1 p.m., Sacred Music Concert, St. Vincent de Paul Chapel; and Jan. 25, 7 p.m., Chamber Music Concert, Ward Recital Hall. Prices are $15 general admission; $10 seniors and students with ID; and free admission for students 17 and under when accompanied by a ticketed adult. For more information, visit www.cuanewvoices.com/festival2014.html .
CUA Symphony Orchestra
The CUA Symphony Orchestra, u nder the direction of David Searle, assistant professor and director of orchestral activities and conducting studies, will perform Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. at Little Flower Parish, 5607 Massachusetts Ave., Bethesda, Md. Performance selections will include: Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, Mozart's Flute Concert in D with 2013 Concerto Competition winner Troy Paolantonio , and Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 1 with 2013 Concerto Competition winner Anna Nizhegorodtseva.
Musical: Godspell
The Musical Theatre Division will present Godspell on Friday, Feb. 21, and Saturday, Feb. 22, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 23, at 2 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 28, and Saturday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March. 2, at 2 p.m. in Ward Recital Hall. Music by Stephen Schwartz and book by John-Michael Tebelak. Tickets will be available Feb. 1. Tickets can be purchased at music.cua.edu. Prices are $20 general admission; $15 alumni; $10 seniors and non-CUA students. For more information visit http://music.cua.edu or call 202-319-5416.
Opera: Don Giovanni
The Voice Division presents Mozart's Don Giovanni Thursday, March 20 - Saturday, March 22, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, March 23, at 2 p.m. in Hartke Theatre. Tickets will be available Feb. 1. Tickets can be purchased at music.cua.edu. Prices are $20 general admission; $15 alumni; $10 seniors and non-CUA students. For more information, visit http://music.cua.edu or call 202-319-5416.
CUA University Chorus Concert
The CUA University Chorus, joined by the Upper School Chorus of the Brookewood School and the Sanctuary Choir of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, under the direction of N. Thomas Pedersen, head of Musical Theatre Division, will perform April 3, at 8 p.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 10401 Armory Ave., Kensington, Md. Works performed will include Schubert's Mass in G.
Composition Division Recital
The Composition Division of the music school will present a concert of newly composed student compositions on Saturday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. in Ward Recital Hall.
CUA Chamber Choir Concert
The CUA Chamber Choir, under the direction of Leo Nestor, director of choral studies and the Institute of Sacred Music, will perform Friday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m. in St. Vincent de Paul Chapel. The choir will perform the music of Demantius, Vecchi, Brahms, Howells, Murrill, Britten, Lauridsen, and Nestor.
CUA Town and Gown Community Chorus
The CUA Town and Gown Community Chorus, under the direction of Kevin O'Brien, lecturer, will perform the music of Benjamin Britten on Friday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. in St. Vincent de Paul Chapel.
CUA Symphony Orchestra
The CUA Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of David Searle, assistant professor and director of orchestral activities and conducting studies, will perform Monday, April 28, at 7:30 p.m. in Hartke Theatre. Performance selections will include Debussy's La Mer and Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1 with soloist Martin Labazevitch.
CUA Wind Ensemble
The CUA Wind Ensemble, conducted by co-directors John Mitchell and Michael Smith, associate professor and head of the Music Education Division, will perform on Tuesday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the Great Room, Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center. Performance selections will include works by Malcolm Arnold and Robert Sheldon.
CUA Women's Chorus
The CUA Women's Chorus, under the direction of Kevin O'Brien, lecturer, will perform a concert In Praise of Music on Friday, May 2, at 7:30 p.m. in St. Vincent de Paul Chapel. Performance selections will include part-songs by Johannes Brahms, David Conte, Gustav Holst, Franz Schubert, and Russell Woollen.
CUA University Singers and CUA Chamber Choir
The CUA University Singers and CUA Chamber Choir, under the direction of Leo Nestor, director of choral studies and the Institute of Sacred Music, will perform at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., on Saturday, May 3, at 7:30 p.m. In honor of the occasion of the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, the choirs will be performing Plainsong, Music of Gabrieli, Handl, Haßler, Palestrina, Victoria, Monteverdi, James MacMillan, Grayston Ives, and Leo Nestor.
Washington International Piano Series at CUA
A series of performances by CUA piano faculty and guest artists. All concerts will be performed on the new 9-foot Steinway D concert grand in Ward Recital Hall.
CUA Musicology Colloquium
The Musicology Division of the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music presents a musicology colloquium at 11 a.m. on most Mondays during the spring semester. Speakers this semester include Pamela Starr, professor, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and Charles Youmans, associate professor, Pennsylvania State University. Colloquium meets in Room 211 of Ward Hall, and all meetings are open to the public. The full schedule is available at http://musicology.cua.edu/events/colloquium-main.cfm .