Published on November 25, 2018
The Music Program at Eastern Connecticut State University sponsored several performances during the month of November, ranging from faculty recitals to guest ensembles. All performances occurred in the Concert Hall and other venues within the Fine Arts Instructional Center.
The Faculty Recital Series presented “Night Reflection: S.O.Y. Piano Trio Multi-Media Concert” on Nov. 2. Collaborating with Eastern theatre and visual arts faculty members, the trio (violinist Seulye Park, pianist Okon Hwang and cellist YunYang Lin) presented compositions inspired by, and evocative of, Ernest Bloch, Reynaldo Hahn, Astor Piazzolla and Gaspar Cassado.
The Faculty Recital Series continued on Nov. 3 with a performance by Eastern woodwind faculty. Faculty members Amanda Baker (flute), Christopher Howard (clarinet), Joshua Thomas (saxophones) and David Ballena (piano) presented an evening of music by American composers, including Simeon Bellison, Neil Thornock, Robert Muczynski and Arthur Kreiger.
Eastern Concert Chorale and Chamber Singers hosted a choral concert titled “Music Still Speaks” on Nov. 4. Joined by Choir Matrix Women’s Ensemble and Consonare Youth Chorus, the concert featured performances by each ensemble and a final selection performed by all four choirs.
The Charter Oak Brass Band celebrated their 30th anniversary season on Nov. 10 with a concert featuring highly anticipated new works. The band is a 28-piece musical ensemble whose distinctive sound comes from its all-brass instrumentation.
Eastern hosted the Willimantic Philharmonic Orchestra on Nov. 11. The orchestra is a non-profit community orchestra dedicated to the performance of symphonic orchestral music.
The Music Program presented guest ensemble Night’s Blackbird on Nov. 16. Night’s Blackbird is an early-music ensemble based out of Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania. Members of the ensemble also worked with Eastern voice students on the interpretation and presentation of several lute ayres.
November performances concluded on Nov. 19 with a major performance by the Concert Chorale, Chamber Singers and Eastern Wind Ensemble. The concert also featured the work of several student conductors.