Fall Arts Celebration to spotlight music faculty

Grand Valley music faculty will showcase their nationally-recognized talents during this year's Fall Arts Celebration music event September 21.

“People see our faculty in performances on campus and in the community, but they don’t really understand the scope of how nationally known some of these educators are,” said Danny Phipps, Music and Dance Department chair.

“Faculty Artistry Gems! Recognizing GVSU Music Faculty Performances in the Community”
Monday, September 21, at 7:30 p.m.
Louis Armstrong Theatre, Performing Arts Center, Allendale Campus
*Performance preceded by carillon concert from 7-7:20 p.m. featuring Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, university carillonneur

The evening begins with a celebration of the university’s long-standing artistic and community relationship with the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra (GRSO). Christopher Kantner, affiliate professor of flute and GRSO principal flutist; Richard Britsch, affiliate professor of horn and GRSO principal horn; and Sookkyung Cho, assistant professor of piano, will join together to masterfully portray “Souvenir du Rigi, Op. 34” by Franz Doppler.

Bill Ryan, director of Grand Valley’s New Music Ensemble, will be honored through a masterful rendition of his composition, “Simple Lines,” performed by Pablo Mahave-Veglia, associate professor of cello. For the past 20 years, Ryan has been a tireless advocate of contemporary music. As a composer, conductor, producer and educator, he has engaged diverse audiences throughout the country with his work.

This celebration of faculty artistry concludes with the award-winning Donald Sinta Quartet, featuring Dan Graser, assistant professor of saxophone. The quartet has quickly achieved international acclaim for its recitals, concerto performances, memorized presentations and championing of the latest collections from emerging young composers. The group made history as the first saxophone quartet to win first prize in the International Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition in New York City, while also being selected as grand prize winners at the 2013 Coleman International Competition in Los Angeles.

Since its start in 2003, Fall Arts Celebration has featured some of the preeminent writers, poets, musicians, dancers, artists and scholars of today. The tradition continues in 2015 with six signature events that aim to broaden horizons, help make sense of the new and unfamiliar, reflect on the past and charm with the classics.

All Fall Arts Celebration events are open to the public with free admission. For more information, visit www.gvsu.edu/fallarts, or call (616) 331-2185.