Summer break is upon us. The talented students of the music, art and theater departments have scattered across the country in seek of family, fun and jobs.
The Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College, however, is still running strong, and many of our faculty have already lined up summer enrichment opportunities.
One such faculty member is FLC upper strings professor, and concertmaster of our own San Juan Symphony, M. Brent Williams. He will be quite busy as the newly named assistant director of the Music in the Mountains Conservatory, which is housed at FLC.
Williams is excited about the caliber of teachers, guest lecturers and guest artists they have lined up. This group boasts principal players from major symphonies, Grammy winners and international soloists.
The Conservatory is a three-week music intensive designed to immerse students from intermediate to advanced levels in the world of music. During this time, they’ll be matched with other students of similar abilities and placed into two unique chamber groups. Each of the many chamber groups will meet six days per week; four of those on their own and two with faculty coaches. Of particular importance to the students is that one of their groups will work on standard music, masterpieces from well-known composers; while the other will expose them to works of lesser-known composers and/or featuring little-used combinations of instruments.
In addition to the chamber groups, the students will attend a lecture nearly every day. These will include important topics to every musician such as how to practice efficiently, best audition practices, how to start and maintain a viable chamber group, and ways to implement your music into your citizenship efforts, etc. There will also be six master classes given by musicians such as Jinjoo Cho, violinist; Erin Hannigan, oboist; and Wendy Warner, cellist. And just in case that’s not enough, they’ll get one-hour private lessons each week. In addition, many of them will be busy perfecting pieces for the concerto competition, the winner of which gets to play with the Music in the Mountains Festival Orchestra.
The myriad music opportunities are amazing, and any student would be thrilled to be part of this summer conservatory, but what else are they going to do while here? The organizers haven’t forgotten that these young students are also very energetic; there will be hikes, river rafting, climbing, horseback rides and other fun opportunities to leave the instruments in the lockers, get outside and get some of our glorious sunshine. If you know of a musician who would benefit from this experience, encourage them to sign up right away. If you are interested in helping provide this opportunity to young musicians, Music in the Mountains is a 501c3 organization and your donations may be tax-deductible. Visit www.musicinthemountains.com/conservatory to donate, sign up or learn more.
The Concert Hall’s May lineup includes a guitar and cello duo, a little bit of country, some Texas blues/rock ’n’ roll.
First up is the Richter Uzur Duo at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Guitarist Brad Richter and cellist Viktor Uzur are revered as consummate performers and accomplished composers who approach the concert stage with effortless virtuosity, soulful musicality and self-effacing humor. The duo’s unique programs combine elements of classical music, rock, Eastern European folk and North American indigenous music.
At 7:30 p.m. May 10, the dance floor will be open for Chatham County Line. The band brings a deep reverence for traditional American roots music and timeless bluegrass instrumentation to insightful, poetic original songs that are powerfully contemporary, yet rich with the complex resonance of the band’s southern heritage.
Closing out the May concert hall offerings at 7:30 p.m. May 18 is The Levi Platero Band, a family blues-rock power trio from Tohajilee, New Mexico, within the Navajo Nation. Lead Levi Platero was only 12 years old when the band took the stage during a concert at “The Gathering of Nations,” and met with a tremendous response.
blaylock_sl@fortlewis.edu Shauna Blaylock is the publicist/event coordinator for the FLC Music Department.
Tickets
Purchase tickets for Concert Hall, Theatre Department and Music Department performances at the Durango Welcome Center, 802 Main Ave.; online at www.durangoconcerts.com or call 247-7657.
