On May 3, at 7 p.m. in Walker Recital Hall, the Small Ensembles Concert will feature members of the D’Angelo Music Department.
Nathan Hess, D.M.A., who is in charge of the Small Ensembles Concert in addition to being the chair of the Music Department, said “This concert is like no other in the semester line-up of performances in the D’Angelo Department of Music.”
The ensembles will include the Carpe Diem Women’s Choir, the String Chamber Ensemble, the Brass Ensemble, the Flute Ensemble, the Clarinet Choir and the Saxophone Quartet.
“There is great variety not only in the instrumentation of the groups but also in the styles of the repertoire performed,” said Hess.
The Women’s Choir is directed by Rebecca Ryan, director of the Sullivan Conservatory and director of Choirs, who will be taking the group to Ireland in May.
The Women’s Choir will perform three spiritual pieces: “Steal Away” as arranged by Robert Nelson; “Nothin’ Gonna Stumble My Feet” as arranged by Brady Gilpin; and Harry T. Burleigh’s “There Is a Balm in Gilead.”
Burleigh’s piece is an especially important piece as the composer was from Erie.
“Nothin’ Gonna Stumble My Feet” will be conducted by Kevin Timko, a senior Music Therapy major.
The string octet is directed by Jonathan Moser, visiting instructor of music, violin, viola, string techniques, music history, chamber music and the Mercyhurst Chamber Orchestra.
The string octet will perform a movement from Mendelssohn’s Octet, a famous piece written by the composer at the age of 16.
“This is an evening of chamber music ensembles—smaller groups with no conductor, involving nuanced communication and listening skills, all blending together to form a balanced texture.
“This is a much-anticipated evening by everyone in the department,” Hess said.