Shreveport Symphony Brass Duo in-school ensemble Apr 2011

In-School Ensemble Brass Duo at Stoner Hill Elementary 4-28-2011

Susan Rogers, horn and Rick Rowell, trumpet 

Rick Rowell demonstrating one of his many trumpet mutes

History of the Horn from valveless hunting horn to the modern valve double horn

Rick and his D hose pipe

photos by Cathey Sholar with my camera, edited by Susan Rogers

Our thanks to SSO's Cathey Sholar for attending all the school ensemble programs this year, providing the musicians with bottled water and taking photos. As soon as I receive photos of the other participating ensembles I will post them in a separate page on this blog.

Longview Symphony Orchestra Youth Concert 4-28-2011

The Longview Symphony Orchestra presented its annual childrens' educational concert in Belcher Auditorium at LaTourneau College last Thursday morning with Music Director Tonu Kalam on the podium. From Music of the Royal Fireworks to Strauss to "Hoedown" the area school children tapped and clapped along. Principals of each section played a few bars from a well known instrumental excerpt and finally two students came to the podium to conduct the orchestra for the last 16 measures of Copland's "Hoedown".

In a time when music and arts programs are being targeted for extinction in our public school systems and colleges, it should make all of us work even harder to ensure that these cuts don't extend to our orchestra educational programs. Our future audiences deserve our full attention.

LV students arriving for the program

Michael Davidson - subbing for LV

trombone section

LV percussion - Doug, Chan, Anthony

Colin

Guest student conductors

 

Celebrating a family wedding 4-30-2011

We have been visiting with family and friends for the past four days in celebration of my oldest son Hal's wedding last Saturday to Patty Murphy and in the process welcoming a new daughter-in-law and two additional grandchildren to our family. I will be sharing a few wedding photos this week along with some from last Thursday's Longview Educational Concert which I played. All I need is time to download a few hundred photos from my camera. No, I did not take the official wedding photos. My brother-in-law from Atlanta donated his time as a wedding gift.

Until another post then, enjoy the day and celebrate life.

Leaving the chapel to the tune of bubbles

Hal and Patty

Centenary Hurley School of Music - a recital by flutist Sally Horak, cellist Paul Christopher and pianist Dr. Francis Yang Tuesday April 26 7:30 PM

The Hurley School of Music, Centenary College of Louisiana, presents in recital flutist Sally Horak, 'cellist Paul Christopher and pianist Dr. Francis Yang, Tuesday evening 4-26-2011 at 7:30 PM. My thanks to Paul Christopher for providing the program repertoire with photos.

Free and open to the public



SSO 3rd Horn Kristine Coreil with daughters and Tom Hundemer - intermission

Tom Hundemer presenting flowers during the bows

 

PROGRAM

Partita in A Minor for solo flute, BWV 1013 .... J.S. Bach

Allemande

Corrente

Sarabande

Bourée anglaise

Sally Horak, flute

LLEF .... Hilary Tann (1947- )

Sally Horak, flute

Paul Christopher, cello

Suite No. 1 in G major for solo cello, BWV 1007 .... J.S. Bach (1685-1750)

Prelude

Allemande

Courante

Sarabande

Menuet I and 2

Gigue

Paul Christopher, cello

Trio in G Minor, Opus 63 .... C.M. von Weber (1786-1826)

Allegro moderato

Scherzo: Allegro vivace

Shepherd’s Lament: Andante espressivo

Finale: Allegro

Sally Horak, flute

Paul Christopher, cello

Dr. Francis Yang, piano



The thunderstorm of all thunderstorms with tornado warnings swept through Shreveport/Bossier during this concert and continued NE through the South wreaking havoc. For those of us in the Anderson Auditorium it was certainly one of the safest places to be hanging out.

Sounds of Easter Brass at St. Marks Cathedral, April 24, 2011

Searching for the sounds of glorious brass for your Sunday morning Easter service? St Marks Episcopal Cathedral in Shreveport has been highlighting Brass and Timpani with its adult and youth choirs conducted by its Music Minister and organist Don Smith for many years and I have the honor of contracting and playing with these fine professional musicians. The personnel may change from year to year depending on players' family obligations, but the inspired congregation members never fail to crowd around the ensemble for the final Postlude with organ and brass following the benediction to listen to and thank us for our participation.

10 AM service at St Marks - Fairfield at Line

St. Marks musicians

Trumpets - David Densnore and Steve Smitha

Horn - Susan W. Rogers

Tenor Trombone - Dan Vinson

Bass Trombone - David Jones

Timpani - Chandler Teague
Organist - Don Smith

In rehearsal - St Marks choirmaster/organist Donald Smith

Brass and Timpani

L-R Chandler Teague, David Jones, Dan Vinson, Susan Rogers, Steve Smitha, David Densmore

FUMC Shreveport - Faure' Requiem Good Friday 11:00 AM

First United Methodist Church of Shreveport presents:

 the Faure' Requiem with choir, soloists and orchestra

 conducted by Music Director Will Andress, Good Friday at 11:00 AM in the sanctuary.

Thank you, Bill Lacefield, for this contribution to my for musical arts blog.

Tosca to be presented by Shreveport Opera April 16, 2011, 7:30 PM

Orchestra rehearsals begin this week for the opera "Tosca" composed by Giacomo Puccini with the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra in the pit for the last Shreveport Opera production of the 2010-2011 season.

Riverview Theatre 7:30 PM Sat. April 16

tickets and information @

www.shreveopera.org

An evening of love, lust, jealousy, political intrigue and all the good stuff in three Acts. A knife instead of a kiss, a lie in place of the truth and the finality of death instead of life in Rome during the time of the Bonapartists and the monarchists.

Cast

Stella Zambalis - Tosca

Antonia Nagora - Cavaradossi

Gary Simpson - Baron Scarpia

Dean anthony - Spoletta

Andre Chiang - Sciarroni

AmyDavis - Shepherd boy

Horace English - Angelotti

**Steve Aiken - Sacristan

SSO conducted by Jerome Shannon

** S.Opera Executive Director Steve Aiken as Sacristan

- - and be sure to turn off all those pesky cell phones

Shreveport Opera conductor Jerry Shannon, 2011

Stella Zambalis as Floria Tosca

Gary Simpson as Scarpia and Dean Anthony, stage director, as Spoletta

Antonio Negaro as Mario Cavaradossi

Horace English as Casare Angelotti

Andre' Chiang as the jailer

An unusual instrument,the cimbasso, is written into the orchestra score along with the traditional trombone part helping to provide the lower pitches in the music. The cimbasso incorporates 4 mechanical rotary valves plus another half valve instead of the traditional slide to facilitate the range of pitches similar to the Horn (a conical bore instrument) but maintains the sound integrity of the tubular designed trombone.

Centenary College Hurley Wind Ensemble rehearsal room

SSO's Dr. J. Mark Thompson will be playing both the cimbasso and trombone

SSO 2nd trumpet Dick Watson

SSO violinist Henry Edwards

"Tosca" conductor Jerome Shannon with two production members

SSO 'cellist Brett Andrews

Into the pit at Riverview Theatre

Uh, is he painting the wall up there or repairing it?

Staples, anyone?

Conductor Jerry Shannon - Are we ready?

percussionist Anthony Robinson handling multiple parts simultaneously

thank you, thank you, Debbie, for waving your magic wand over the stand lights

SSO Principal Trumpet Rick Rowell

adds nourishment to his 2nd valve

performance photos

harpist Marian Shaffer

SSO 2nd Clarinet Sandra Clark

Introductions to S Opera sponsors and board members with Board of Directors President Bob Robinson before the curtain goes up for Tosca

Bows