Concerts performed by musicians attending a conference at East Central University March 1-3 [THURSDAY-SATURDAY] will be open to the public each night.
Each free concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Ataloa Theatre in the Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center and will feature works performed by, and some composed by, artists from Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas.
About 70 musicians will be at ECU for the College Music Society Regional Conference, hosted by ECU’s Music Department. The winners of student competitions, based on the papers, posters, lecture-recitals and compositions they present at the conference, will be announced at the Saturday night concert.
Several ECU musicians will perform each night.
Thursday night’s program will include Dr. Melody Baggech, Dr. Mark Hollingsworth and Mike Whitmore, “Quatrains” for soprano and two clarinets; and Dr. Benjamin Finley, “Hiking the Cascade Creek Trail” for nine non-resonant, found percussion.
On Friday night, the East Central University Chorale, directed by Dr. Steven Walker, will perform “The Mangroves Dance” and “In Dreams.” Alan Marshall (baritone) and W.T. Skye Garcia (piano) will perform Garcia’s “Songs of the Sea” with lyrics by John Masefield. Pianist Dr. Starla Hibler will perform the world premiere of “Hermetitos” for piano, written in 2011 by Ken Metz.
ECU performers on Saturday night will be Dr. Melody Baggech (soprano), Juliana Overmier (flute) and Dr. Starla Hibler (piano), “All Lovely Things;” Genevieve Craig, “Digression” for solo horn; and Juliana Overmier (flute) and Starla Hibler (piano), “Sorrow.”