Northwestern State University will be the featured institution at the annual Louisiana Music Educators Association Annual Conference in Baton Rouge.
Four Northwestern State music ensembles, the NSU Chamber Choir, conducted by Dr. Nicolaus B. Cummins, the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Douglas Bakenhus, the NSU Jazz Orchestra, directed by Galindo Rodriguez, and the Northwestern State University Wind Symphony conducted by Dr. Jeffrey C. Mathews, will perform for the state’s music educators and top high school music students on Nov. 17-19.
The conference will also feature performances by the All State mixed choir, women’s chorale, jazz ensemble, orchestra, concert band and symphonic band.
NSU music faculty Dr. Adam Hudlow, Dan McDonald, Oliver Molina, Dr. Greg Handel and Mathews will be guest clinicians.
“We are thrilled to showcase our stellar student musicians and faculty for the music education community throughout Louisiana,” said Handel, the interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Mrs. H.D. Dear Sr. and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts. “This is an opportunity for us to perform for all the students attending LMEA as part of the All-State ensembles, and for all the music educators in attendance. Louisiana is a large state, geographically, and this presents a unique opportunity for those throughout the entire state to hear and see what is happening in the Creative and Performing Arts at NSU.”
Handel added that “this is a tremendous time for us to showcase ourselves and promote to students what a fantastic school we have and what is available to them if they come study with us at NSU.”
The Chamber Choir will perform two new pieces, “Teach Me to Love” by David Rossow, “Joseph and Grace” by Shayne Lynch featuring Soprano Nadya Cesario of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and tenor Jenson Wall of Denham Springs.
The choir will also perform “Indodana” arranged by Michael Barrett and Rolf Schmitt, “You’ll have more friends than you know,” arranged by Jamey Ray, “When You Wish Upon a Star” arranged by Nancy Wertsch, “Bogoroditse Djevo” by Arvo Part, “Alleluia” by Frdrik Sixten, “O Vos Omnes” by Giovanni Croce, “Three Sacred Hymns: II. O Lord, Jesus Christ” by Alfred Schnittke and “Gather at the River” arranged by Stacey Gibbs featuring alto BobbiMaria Cameron of Slidell, tenor Gabe LeMoine of Kaplan and bass Aaron Rogers of Natchitoches.
The symphony orchestra will perform “Music for the Royal Fireworks” by George Frideric Handel, “Symphony No. 104 in D Major ‘London’’’ by Franz Joseph Haydn, “Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, Nov. 7 and 8” by Antonin Dvořák and “Sensemayá,” by Sivestre Revueltas.
The Jazz Orchestra will perform Cole Porter’s “Love for Sale” arranged by Pete Meyers with Kenyon Johnson of DeRidder on tenor saxophone, Jack Salyer of Duncanville, Texas, on alto saxophone and Addison Pelegrino of Burleson, Texas, on drums, “Fascinating Rhythm” by Ira and George Gershwin and arranged by Sammy Nestico and featuring Johnson, “Samba de Haps” by Mark Taylor featuring Ronald Rodriguez of Cartegena, Colombia, on piano and Jack Dyre of Canton, Texas, on baritone saxophone and “Ev’rytime We Say Goodbye” by Porter and arranged by Glenn Kostur and featuring Associate Professor of Music- Saxophone Dr. Paul Forsyth.
Also on the Jazz Orchestra’s program are “Pegasus” by Hank Levy featuring Salyer and Galindo Rodriguez on flugelhorn, “At Last” by Harry Warren and arranged by Mike Carubia and featuring Instructor of Voice D’nissa Hester, “We’ll Be Together Again” by Carl T. Fischer with lyrics by Frankie Laine and arrangement by Bob Florence and featuring Hester and “Begin the Beguine” by Porter and arranged by Bill Holman featuring alumnus Dr. Ray Vasquez on trumpet.
The Wind Symphony will play “Homage to Perotin” by Ron Nelson, “Zion” by Dan Welcher, “Riff Raff” by Ryan George and “Festive Overture” by Dimitri Shostakovich.
