Spring 2001 at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music offers an assortment of musical events, including three diverse festivals: Jazz Week 2001, the Chamber Music Festival and the New Music Festival, Imagine 2001 and a Schubertiade, an evening of Schubert vocal music.
Jazz Week 2001 is scheduled from Feb. 27-March 3, showcasing the talents of U of M jazz students and faculty. "Blue Ascendence," a students ensemble with vocalists, will perform on March 3 along with the Contemporary Piano Ensemble. Jazz groups and combos from local high schools and The University of Tennessee, Knoxville will also participate. The University Jazz Combos will also be performing on April 9 and the Faculty Jazz Players are scheduled for March 28.
Imagine 2001, scheduled for March 21-24, offers new compositions from The U of M and the Memphis Community. David Lobel leads the Memphis Symphony Orchestra at Harris on March 22. "Eclipse," a contemporary music ensemble from the Central China Conservatory, Bejing China, closes the festival on March 24.
Junior vocal performance major Amy Gregory said the Imagine Festival brings new sounds to the area.
"I always look forward to the Imagine Festival because it gives us the opportunity to hear new music by 20th Century Composers who are often overlooked by the general public," Gregory said.
U of M chamber ensembles will participate in the Chamber Music Festival on April 24-25, both in the Harris Concert Hall and The U of M Art Museum. The Ceruti String Quartet will perform Jan. 29 and will also participate in the festival. Brass concerts on Feb. 5 and March 5 and a woodwind concerts on March 19 and April 17 offer more chamber music for small-ensemble music lovers.
Concerts International continues its series of performances at Harris with the Prazak String Quartet on Feb. 13, the Arden Trio on March 13 and the Audubon Quartet with Marcus Thomson, viola, on April 10. Other guest artists include guitarists Lorenzo Micheli on Feb. 1 and Stephen Robinson on April 6, both sponsored by the University Guitar Society and the Student Activities Council.
The Moran Woodwind Quintet will perform on Feb. 17. Cellist Janos Starker will present a master class on Feb. 9 and Charles Riecker, recently retired from the Metropolitan Opera, offers vocal master classes on Jan. 31, Feb. 1, March 28-29 and April 24-25.
The opera division presents Jacque Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman toward the end of the Spring term, from April 20-22 and a night of opera scenes on March 8. The U of M Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Concert and Varsity Bands and Honor Band Concert perform on Feb. 21, 22 and 24, respectively.
The University Symphony Orchestra, under Pu-Qi Jiang, is slated to perform on March 26. Sound Fuzion, led by Larry Edwards, will be at the Rose Theatre on April 5. A Gospel Choir Concert is scheduled for March 30 and a Camerata Concert (early vocal music) on April 3.
Randal Rushing's voice studio will present a Schubertiade, an evening of music solely dedicated to the vocal works of Franz Schubert on April 24.
