Guest Artist Series

School of Music

Dr. Bobbie Bailey & Family Performance Center 2013-2014 Guest Artist Series

ksumusic.com

David Coucheron, violin; Julie Coucheron, piano

Monday, September 16, 2013

Our 2013-2014 season proudly opens with the award-winning sibling duo of David and Julie Coucheron, two young artists who have forged successful international careers. Originally from Oslo, Norway, the pair has received critical acclaim as both performers and recording artists, having worked with some of the world’s most accomplished musicians and orchestras.

Mr. Coucheron, a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School, was appointed Concertmaster of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 2009, the youngest musician to hold such position in any major American orchestra. At twenty-five years of age, Ms. Coucheron has won first prize in all the national competitions she has attended, and has performed with Claude Frank, Emanuel Ax, Vladimir Feltsman, Elton John and Chistopher O’Riley.

Petr Nouzovský, cello; Patricia Goodson, piano Saturday, October 5, 2013

Czech cellist Petr Nouzovský is one of the foremost cellists of the young Czech generation.

Amongst his early achievements are acollades such as New Master on Tour 2007, Europäische Förderpreis für Musik 2007 and a laureate at the Val Tidone Competition 2011. His busy concert schedule includes some 150 concerts a year in the Czech Republic, Russia and around Europe and he is featured on 15 recordings.

American pianist Patricia Goodson, an active solo recitalist and chamber musician throughout Europe and North America, joins Nouzovský for this concert. Goodson’s playing has been praised by critics as ‘powerful and seductive’ and ‘breathtakingly virtuosic’, and has been featured on radio (NPR, BBC, Czech Radio, among others) and television (US, Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic).

The duo will present a program titled “Degenerate Music,” featuring performances of chamber works highlighting music created by Jewish composers and influenced by Jewish culture that was banned by the Nazis before and during World War II.

Robert Spano, piano; Jessica Rivera, soprano; Kelly O’Connor, mezzo-soprano Thursday, October 17, 2013 Soprano Jessica Rivera and mezzo-soprano Kelly O’Connor are favorites of Atlanta audiences, having performed frequently with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. For this performance, the ladies join Atlanta-favorite Robert Spano for a special recital featuring classic operatic vocal repertoire as well as newly commissioned works. Spano, who for the last twelve seasons has led the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as its Music Director, will take a seat at the keyboard to accompany Rivera and O’Connor in presenting this exciting program, which will feature new works by David Bruce and Jonathan Leshnoff written specifically for this collaboration.

Jessica Rivera, who has been hailed as “vocally luminous” (New York Times), has performed on many of the great international concert and opera stages through her various operatic roles, performances with major orchestras, recitals, and collaborations with many esteemed composers and conductors. Grammy® Award-winning mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor’s has enjoyed great critical acclaim from her many operatic and orchestral performances as a singer with “the potential to be one of the great singers of our time” and whose unique voice has been described as “seductive and haunting” (The Denver Post).

Robert Spano is one of the brightest and most imaginative conductors of his generation. An accomplished pianist, Mr. Spano performs chamber music with many of his colleagues from the Atlanta Symphony, Boston Symphony and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Spano was named Musical America’s 2008 “Conductor of the Year,” and makes his home in Atlanta.

Jeremy Denk, piano with KSU Symphony Orchestra

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

American pianist Jeremy Denk has steadily built a reputation as an unusual and compelling artist, with a broad and thought-provoking repertoire. He has appeared as soloist with many major orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and London. He regularly gives recitals in New York, Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, and around the United States. Denk is known for his witty and personal music writing, which has appeared in the New Yorker, the front page of the New York Times Book Review, Newsweek, and on the website of NPR Music. He looks forward to performing and curating as artistic director of the 2014 Ojai Music Festival, for which he is also composing the libretto to a semi-satirical opera. His performance at Kennesaw State University will include a performance of a Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 25 with the Kennesaw State University Symphony Orchestra

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Robert Spano, conductor; Wu Han, piano

Piano Concerto (Britten) - Wu Han, piano; Symphonie fantastique (Berlioz)

Friday, January 24, 2014

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, currently in its 68th season, consistently affirms its position as one of America’s leading Orchestras by performing great music, presenting great artists, educating, and engaging. The Orchestra performs more than 200 concerts each year for a combined audience of more than a half million, and is known for the excellence of its live performances, presentations, renowned choruses, and its impressive list of GRAMMY® Award-winning recordings.

The brilliant pianist Wu Han ranks among the most esteemed and influential classical musicians in the world today. She joins the ASO in a performance of Benjamin Britten’s Piano Concerto, the composer’s only piano concerto which was premiered by Britten himself. The concert concludes with the mighty Symphony fantastique, a revolutionary masterpiece and one of the best-known works of Hector Berlioz. The ASO is sure to shine in Morgan Hall – this is a performance not to be missed!

Guest composer: Chen Yi February 17-21, 2014

Rules, as the saying goes, were meant to be broken.

There are artists who discard the idea of traditional boundaries and instead choose to explore the sounds that move them, often through embracing innovative ideas and blending together varied musical or cultural traditions.

As the world of music continues to evolve, artists must continually find new ways for their voices to be heard amidst the growing landscape. The 2014 Kennesaw State Festival of New Music proudly presents some of these exceptional artists, whose creative approaches to music making lead us boldly into new territory. Join us as we explore music that challenges definition and breaks barriers.

KSFNM: KSU Wind Ensemble Tuesday, February 18, 2014 David Thomas Kehler, conductor John Lawless, marimba

Opening the 2014 Kennesaw State Festival of New Music, the Wind Ensemble will perform works by new music composers Ben Hjertman, Christopher Theofanidis, and Florent Schmitt, as well as a performance of Tu by KSFNM featured guest composer Chen Yi.

KSFNM: KSU Symphony Orchestra Wednesday, February 19, 2014 Michael Alexander, conductor Helen Kim, violin

Continuing the Festival, the Symphony Orchestra’s performance will include a duo of pieces composed

by KSFNM featured guest composer Chen Yi: Symphony No. 3 and the world premiere of Violin Concertino, commissioned as a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Professor of Violin, Helen Kim, at KSU.

KSFNM: KSU Jazz Ensembles Thursday, February 20, 2014

The KSU Jazz Ensembles will present a program featuring the music of jazz composer and bandleader Maria Schneider. Maria Schneider is widely considered one of the most important figures in jazz music today, having earned vast critical acclaim and multiple GRAMMY® awards for her groundbreaking work with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, formed in 1993. Schneider’s compositions depart from the usual big-band jazz vocabulary, blending sounds to form a unique musical tapestry that is all her own.

KSFNM: Tift Merritt, guitar; Simone Dinnerstein, piano Friday, February 21, 2014

Pianist Simone Dinnerstein and singer-songwriter Tift Merritt have joined forces to create a unique collaboration uniting the folk/Americana and classical worlds on their recent release, Night. Though Dinnerstein (a Juilliard-trained classical pianist from Brooklyn) and Tift Merritt (a singer-songwriter from North Carolina whose father taught her to play by ear) could not come from more different musical backgrounds, the duo met in 2008 and immediately realized their shared passion for music and performance. Exploring the common terrain between their two worlds and uncovering new musical landscapes, Dinnerstein and Merritt have been performing and honing the material for Night since 2010.

On the process of creating this work together, Merritt says, “We were coming from completely different directions and taking the risk of extending ourselves into foreign territory to find each other. We both felt very exposed and vulnerable but in very opposite ways and places. And, that risk, ultimately, was very exciting.” Dinnerstein adds, “This album has been about pushing our creative boundaries.”

Night features new songs written especially for the duo by Brad Mehldau and Patty Griffin, along with Tift’s own songs as well as classical selections. The album also includes the world-premiere recording of The Cohen Variations by Daniel Felsenfeld, based on one of Simone’s favorite songs, Leonard Cohen’s “Suzanne.”

American Brass Quintet Friday, March 21, 2014 Recently named the 2013 recipient of Chamber Music America’s highest honor, the Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award for significant and lasting contribution to the field, the American Brass Quintet is internationally recognized as one of the premier chamber music ensembles and an icon in the brass world.

The ABQ’s fifty-three year history includes performances in Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and all fifty of the United States; a discography of over fifty-five recordings; and the premieres of over one hundred fifty contemporary brass works. Many of ABQ commissions are considered among the most significant contributions to the modern brass quintet repertoire.

Equally committed to the promotion of brass chamber music through education, the American Brass Quintet has been in residence at The Juilliard School since 1987 and at the Aspen Music Festival since 1970. Through its acclaimed performances, diverse programming, commissioning, extensive discography and educational mission, the ABQ has created a legacy unparalleled in the brass field.

Hailed as “the high priests of brass” by Newsweek, “positively breathtaking” by the New York Times, and “of all the brass quintets, the most distinguished” by the American Record Guide, the American Brass Quintet has clearly defined itself among the elite chamber music ensembles of our time.

KSU Symphony Orchestra performs the music of The Who

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Guests Tim Whalen, Jamie Ryan, Trey Wright, and Marc Miller join the KSU Symphony Orchestra for an evening of music from the legendary rock band, The Who. Feel the power of a rock band combined with a full symphony for a unique experience! Be ready to rock and sing-a-long at this concert to support the Maddie Brooks Proctor Scholarship for KSU music students.

School of Music Collage Concert Saturday, February 8, 2014

This signature event for the School of Music is a special night you do not want to miss. The evening showcases faculty soloists and student ensembles in a fast-paced blend of vignette performances, spanning an assortment of musical styles and instrumentation. Special lighting and staging create a theatrical effect as this exciting concert puts all of the talent in the School of Music on display in one night. Join us for a celebration of music at Kennesaw State!

How to purchase tickets.

Online: ticketing.kennesaw.edu

Phone: 770-423-6650. If you call after hours, please leave a message and your call will be returned.

In person: The College of the Arts Box Office is located in Room 125 (across from the Stillwell Theater) in the Joe Mack Wilson Building, (1000 Chastain Road, Building 31, Kennesaw, Georgia, 30144.) On the day of a performance, tickets can be purchased at the Bailey Center ticket office starting one hour prior to the concert.

For credit/debit purchases, we accept American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa. All sales are final – refunds will only be issued in the event of a cancellation. Please note that artists and/or programs are subject to change without notice.

Hours: Monday — Thursday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Friday, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Getting to the Bailey Center

The Bailey Performance Center is located north of Atlanta on the campus of Kennesaw State University. From I-75, exit 271, turn west onto Chastain Road. Turn right on Frey Road, then turn left at the third traffic light onto Campus Loop Road. The Bailey Center is on the left as you reach the roundabout. Patrons attending performances at the Bailey Center may park in Lots D, E, and J. Parking is free on weekends and after 7 p.m. on weekdays.

Support music at KSU! Become a Friend of the School of Music!

Friends of the School of Music is an organization of music lovers whose lives are enriched by music and are dedicated to fostering music education and performance at KSU. Become a founding member of Friends by January 1, 2014, and enjoy special privileges and behind the scenes opportunities. Get to know the KSU music faculty, students, and guest artists. The cost of membership is only $100! For more information, please contact Allison Fichter by email at afichter@kennesaw.edu or by phone at 770-423-6027.

Friends of the School of Music Allison Fichter, University Development 1000 Chastain Road Kennesaw, GA 30144 Volunteering The Office of Patron Services welcomes support from dedicated volunteer ushers. Training and incentives are available. High school and college students, adults and seniors are invited to participate. For information on how to get involved, please contact the box office at 770-423-6650.

School of Music Staff Staff: Michael Alexander, Interim Director Susan Grant Robinson, Associate Director for Administration David Daly, Director of Programming and Facilities Dominic Bruno, Operations Coordinator Joseph Greenway, Technical Director Julia Becker, Administrative Specialist June Mauser, Administrative Associate Dan Hesketh, Production Manager Bob Becklean, Production Assistant Jessica Drewry, Patron Services Manager for the College of the Arts

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