12/18/2013 at 2:00 pm

Holiday Concert at Natchitoches Assisted Living
Mariah Metoyer, Edward Norwood, and Paul Christopher, cellists

Works by Saint Saens, Kummer, Constantinides and Christmas carols.

12/14/2013 at 7:30 pm

The South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra presents
The Nutcracker with the Shreveport Metropolitan Ballet
El Dorado Municipal Auditorium
El Dorado, Arkansas

12/10/2013 at 12:30 pm

MUS 1500 Student Recitals
Magale Recital Hall
Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM included an assortment of delightful Christmas favorites performed by String Class II

Andrew Johnson, Byron Walters, Steven White, violins
Marissa Bailey, Caitlin Turner, Rachel Zytkoskee, violas
Mr. Lincoln Hall, conductor
Mr. Paul Christopher, piano

12/8/2013 at 2:30 pm

Rapides Symphony Orchestra
Josh Zona, Music Director and Conductor
Coughlin-Saunders Auditorium
Alexandria, Louisiana

12/2/2013 at 7:00 pm

Lesche Club
Lemee House
310 Jefferson Street
Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Suite No. 1 in G major for Solo Cello . . . . J.S. Bach
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Menuets I and II
Gigue

Paul Christopher, cellist

Congratualtions to Jorge Rodriquez

The Natchitoches Times weekend edition, November 30-December 1, 2013, published an article titled, "NSU students take home awards in CIS (Computer Information Systems)"

The article states that The Association of Information Technology Region 3 Student Conference was held in Oklahoma City, OK, October 31-November 2, 2013. Further it explains that Region 3 is comprised of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

NSU students earned four awards including Jorge Rodriguez who placed third in Mobile Application Development! Additionally, several NSU students tested in the Microsoft Technology Association certification exams. Mr. Rodriguez earned certification in Windows Server and Windows Operating System!

11/20/2013 at 5:30 pm

Senior Recital
Jorge Rodriguez, cello
Magale Recital Hall
Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Variations on a Rococo Theme, Opus 33 . . . . P.I. Tchaikovsky

Elen Bogacz, piano

 

String Quartet, Opus 10 . . . . C. Debussy

Anime et tres decide

Assez vif et bien rythme

Andantino, doucement expressif

Tres modere

 

Emilio Castro, violin I

Roman Carranza, violin II

Mario Torres, viola

 

 



11/19/2013 at 4:30pm

Senior Recital
Milovan Paz, cello
Magale Recital Hall
Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Passacaglia . . . . Handel-Halvorsen

in collaboration with Roman Carranza, violin

 

Concerto in B Minor, Opus 104 . . . .A. Dvorak

Allegro

Adagio ma non troppo

Finale:Allegro moderato

in collaboration with Elena Bogaczova, piano

 



11/18/2013 at 7:30pm

A Tribute to Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791-1864)
Magale Recital Hall
Natachitoches, LA

PROGRAM

Sonata for Clarinet and String Quartet in E flat Major

Allegro moderato
Allegretto Scherzando

Dr. Malena McLaren, clarinet

Emilio Castro, violin I

Lincoln Hall, violin II

Mario Torres, viola

Paul Christopher, cello

 “Roberto tu che adoro” from Robert le Diable

 

Geneva McAuliffe, soprano

Mrs. Terrie Sanders, piano

 Réminisences à “Robert le Diable” . . . . .  Jacques Offenbach

Paul Christopher, cello I

Milovan Paz, cello II

Jorge Rodriguez, cello III

Colin Horton, cello IV

Samantha Carpenter, cello V

Adam LeBlanc, cello VI

 

Tribute to Giacomo Meyerbeer

Concert to honor composer known for French Grand Opera

11/13/2013

NATCHITOCHES – The Mrs. H.D. Dear Sr. and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts at Northwestern State University will present “A Tribute to Giacomo Meyerbeer” Monday, Nov. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall. Admission is free. The public is invited.

The tribute will feature NSU faculty Paul Christopher on cello, Dr. Malena McLaren on clarinet and Terrie Sanders on piano and Northwestern State students Emilio Castro and Lincoln Hall on violin and Mario Torres on viola and Milovan Paz, Jorge Rodriguez, Colin Horton, Samantha Carpenter and Adam LeBlanc on cello and soprano Geneva McAuliffe.

Works to be performed are “Sonata for Clarinet and String Quartet in E flat Major,” “Roberto tu che adaro” from “Robert le Diable” and “Reminisences a ‘Robert le Diable’’’ by Meyerbeer.

Just as Offenbach is associated with French operetta, Meyerbeer is associated French Grand Opera. Offenbach and Meyerbeer share a number of traits. They were both Germans of Jewish descent who changed their names, Jacob Offenbach to Jacques Offenbach and Jakob Liebmann Meyer Beer to Giacomo Meyerbeer, and both found their greatest success in Paris.

Meyerbeer began his operatic career as a composer of Italian opera, the most outstanding of which is “Il crociato in Egypt.” This work already exhibits elements of the French Grand Opera style including a large scale design, usually in five acts, which wrestles with philosophical concepts while featuring opulent staging, vocalism, ballet and instrumental display. The successful premiere of Rossini’s “Guillame Tell” in 1829 further convinced Meyerbeer that the future of music rested in this new genre.

Upon receiving a commission from the Paris Opera, Meyerbeer, in collaboration with his librettist Eugene Scribe, composed “Robert le Diable.”

The premiere in 1831 was one of the greatest successes in operatic history. Meyerbeer and Scribe collaborated on four more operas before Meyerbeer’s death in 1864. These works, “Les Huguenots,” “Le prophète,” “L’étoile du nord” and “L’africaine” established Meyerbeer as the most successful and influential composer from the 1830’s until the ascension of Wagner in the latter part of the 19th century.

Unfortunately a number of factors, including changes in musical taste and performance practice, the expense and difficulty in mounting his operas and virulent anti-Semitism led to their virtual disappearance from the active repertoire, thereby relegating Meyerbeer to a footnote in music history.

 



11/16/2013 at 7:30 pm

Shreveport Symphony Orchestra
Michael Butterman, Music Director
RiverView Theater
Shreveport, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde . . . . R. Wagner

Burleske . . . . R. Strauss
Asiya Korepanova, piano
Nina Wideman International Competition Gold Medalist

Don Juan . . . . R. Strauss

Four Last Songs . . . . R. Strauss
Twyla Robinson, soprano

11/12/2013 at 3:30 pm

Guest Artist Recital Series
Performing Arts Theatre
Bossier Parish Community College
Bossier City, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Clarinet Quintet in E-flat Major . . . . G. Meyerbeer (1791-1864)
Allegro moderato
Allegretto: Scherzando

Dr. Malena McLaren, clarinet
Emilio Castro, violin I
Lincoln Hall, violin II
Mario Torres, viola
Paul Christopher, cello

Reminiscences a "Robert le Diable" . . . . J. Offenbach (1819-1880)
Paul Christopher, cello I
Milovan Paz, cello II
Jorge Rodriguez, cello III
Colin Horton, cello IV
Samatha Carpenter, cello V
Adam LeBlanc, cello VI

11/7/2013 at 7:30 pm

Faculty Recital
Paul Christopher, cello
Elena Bogaczova, piano
Magale Recital Hall
Natchitoches, La

PROGRAM

Au Crépuscule, Opus 29, No.1 . . . . . . . . . . .  Jacques Offenbach

Introduction et Valse mélancolique, Opus 14

Sérénade, Opus 29, No. 2

Ballade, Opus 29, No. 3

 
Suite for Solo Cello (2013) . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Mark Prince Lee
Prelude
Andante
Attacca-Sostenuto
Caesura
Dénouement                                                   
Codetta

Choreography by Brett Alan Garfinkel

NSU Dance Company:
David Brumfield
Claire Cook
Kristen Richardson
Marlee Roberts

Pièce for Violoncello and Piano, Opus 39 (1897). . .     Ernest Chausson

Legend-Sonata in F# Minor (1943) . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Arnold Bax
Allegro risoluto
Lento espressivo
Allegro

11/5/2013 @ 12:30 pm

MUS 1500 Student Recital
Magale Recital Hall
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Natchitoches, Louisiana


PROGRAM includes

Réminiscenes à "Robert le Diable". . . . Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880)

Paul Christopher, Cello I
Milovan Paz, Cello II
Jorge Rodriguez, Cello III
Colin Horton, Cello IV
Samantha Carpenter, Cello V
Adam LeBlanc, Cello VI

10/23/2013 at 8:30 am

Recruiting at Caddo Magnet High School
Elaine Webb, Orchestra Diretor
Shreveport, Louisiana

10/26/2013 at 6:00 pm

Louisiana International Piano Competition Finals
Rapides Symphony Orchestra
Roberto Gianola, guest conductor
Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center
Alexandria, Louisiana

Three world-class finalists perform a concerto with the Rapides Symphony Orchestra in a duel for the top prize.

First prize: Kumi Matsuo from Japan
Concerto in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 54 . . . .  R. Schumann

Second prize: Julan Wang from China
Concerto No. 1 in E flat Major . . . . F. Liszt

Third prize: Shizhe Shen from China
Concerto No. 1 in B flat Minor, Op. 23 . . . . P. Tchaikovsky

 

October 22 @ 12:30 pm

MUS 1500 Student Recitals
Magale Recital Hall
Northwestern State University of Louisiana
Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM includes:

Concerto in B minor, Opus 104 . . . . . A. Dvorak
I. Allegro

Milovan Paz, cello
Elena Bogaczova, piano

10/23/2013 at 7:30 pm

Guest Artists Recital
Paul Christopher, cello
Elena Bogaczova, piano

Anderson Auditorium
Hurley School of Music
Centenary College
Shreveport, Louisiana








PROGRAM

Au Crépuscule, Opus 29, #1 . . . . Jacques Offenbach
Introduction et Valse mélancolique, Opus 14
Sérénade, Opus 29, #2
Ballade, Opus 29, #3

Kottos for Violoncello Solo (1977) . . . . Iannis Xénakis

Pièce for Violoncello and Piano, Opus 39 (1897) . . . Ernest Chausson

Legend-Sonata in F# minor (1943) . . . . Arnold Bax

Allegro risoluto
Lento espressivo
Rondo: Allegro

10/11/2013 at 9:00 am

Louisiana Music Teachers Association
61st ANNUAL CONVENTION
McNeese State University in Lake Charles
October 10-12, 2013
 
The Music of Iannis Xenakis
Location: Rm. 205
Presenter: Paul Christopher

An introduction to the music of the Greek composer Iannis Xenakis (1922-2001). The session will include biographical information and theoretical analysis, concluding with a performanceof Kottos for Solo Cello (1977).

Program notes by Jackson Harmeyer

 

10/8/2013 at 8:00 am

Recruiting at Kilgore High School
Kilgore, Texas
Tristan Roberts, Orchestra Director and NSULA Alumnus

10/5/2013 at 3:00 pm

The 2013 National Association of Composers
USA National Festival
Howard Auditorium
Howard Center for the Performing Arts
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, Louisiana

Concert 7 Program includes:

Four Interludes (1995) . . . . . . Dinos Constantinides
Paul Christopher, cello

Dr. Joe L. Alexander

10/3/2013 at 7:30 pm

Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Orchestra
Magale Recital Hall
Conductors: Dr. Bakenhus, Lincoln Hall, Mario Torres
Soloist: Dr. Coreil, French horn


According to Dr. Bakenhus, due to growth in the strings and orchestral program at Northwestern State, this year’s orchestra will feature two string sections, the Philharmonic Strings and the Symphony Strings. The combined sections have more than 60 musicians.

“We have a large number of talented freshman and sophomores due to the work faculty members Andrej Kurti and Paul Christopher have done in recruiting and teaching students,” said Bakenhus. “Creating an additional string section gives our music education students an additional opportunity to gain valuable leadership experience.”

Bakenhus said the growth was also made possible by the support of the Northwestern State administration and the Natchitoches-Northwestern Symphony Society. “The administration has been very supportive of the orchestral program and the private support provided by the Symphony Society is so valuable,” said Bakenhus. “The community has also aided the orchestra through their attendance at concerts. We had some of our best attended concerts last year and I hope this trend continues.”

The program is “Russian Sailor’s Dance from ‘The Red Poppy’” by Reinhold Gliere and arranged by Issac, “Suite No. 1” from “Carmen” by Georges Bizet with Torres conducting, “Horn Concerto No. 1 in E flat major” by Richard Strauss and Symphony No. 8 in G Major” by Antonin Dvorak and featuring Coreil.

Coreil has been a member of the Northwestern State faculty since the fall of 1994, teaching horn and music theory and conducting the Natchitoches-Northwestern Horn Choir. She has played with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Beloit-Janesville (Wisc.) Symphony Orchestra, the Cabrillo Contemporary Music Festival Orchestra in Santa Cruz, Calif., the Longview Symphony, the Texarkana Symphony, the Meridian Symphony and the Rapides Symphony. Coreil is a current member of the Shreveport Symphony, playing in the horn section for the past 14 years.

9/25/2013 at noon and 7:30 pm

Guest Artist Jeremy C. Baguyos, Double Bass, University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Bass Master Class at noon in room 219

Suite No. 1 in G major . . . .  J.S. Bach
Sarabande
Cameron Normand, Bass

Concerto No. 2 in B minor . . . . G. Bottesini
Moderato
Carlos Gomez Garcia, Bass

• Guest Artist Recital featuring Jeremy C. Baguyous
• Magale Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m.
• Natchitoches, LA

PROGRAM

Four Short Pieces for Solo Double Bass . . . .David Anderson (b. 1962)
            Prelude

            Scherzando

            Serenade
            Capriccio

 

Duetto for violoncello and double bass . . . . G. Rossini (1792-1868)
            Allegro
            Andante molto
            Allegro

assisted by Paul Christopher, cello

 

Ascent for double bass and electronics . . . . Jeremy Baguyos (b. 1968)

Hints and Hauntings for contrabass and stereo sound . . Kirsten Volness (b. 1980)

Death of Desdemona for bass and tape . . . . Frank Proto (b. 1941)

 

 

 

9/21/2013 @ 7:30 pm

Shreveport Symphony Orchestra
RiverView Theater
JENNIFER KOH, VIOLIN  Bio
Michael Butterman, conductor  Bio

Opening night sparkles with the virtuosity of Avery Fisher Career Grant winner Jennifer Koh and the famous violin concerto of Sibelius. Brahms’ Symphony No. 1, perhaps the greatest “first symphony” of all, features a finale of unparalleled nobility and triumph.

JEAN SIBELIUS Finlandia
JEAN SIBELIUS Violin Concerto
JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 1
“Jennifer Koh is a risk-taking, high-octane player of the kind who grabs the listener by the ears and refuses to let go.”
~The Strad

9/12/2013 at 12:00 noon

Recruiting at Southside High School
Steven Hughes, Orchestra Director
Fort Smith, Arkansas

 

9/11/2013 at 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

Pittsburg State University
McCray Hall
Sharon K. Dean Recital Hall
Pittsburg, Kansas

2:00 pm: J.S. Bach Master Class with Paul Christopher

Matthew Maroney, cello
Prelude from Suite No. 1 in G Major

William Mitchell, cello
Allemande from Suite No. 1 in G Major

Maria Goydy, cello
Prelude from Suite No. 3 in C Major

7:30 pm: Guest Artists Recital with Paul Christopher, cello and Elena Bogaczova, piano

PROGRAM                

Au Crépuscule, Opus 29, #1 . . . . Jacques Offenbach

Introduction et Valse mélancolique, Opus 14
Sérénade, Opus 29, #2
Ballade, Opus 29, #3

Kottos for Violoncello Solo  (1977) . . . . Iannis Xénakis

Pièce for Violoncello and Piano, Opus 39 (1897) . . . Ernest Chausson

Legend-Sonata in F# minor (1943) . . . .  Arnold Bax

Allegro risoluto
Lento espressivo

 

9/10/2013 at 6:15 - 6:45 pm & 7:00 pm

University of Nebraska at Omaha
Recital Hall

6:15 pm Pre-Concert Lecture on the Music of Jacques Offenbach

7:00 pm Guest Artists Recital with Paul Christopher, cello and Elena Bogaczova, piano

PROGRAM

 

Au Crépuscule, Opus 29, #1 . . . . Jacques Offenbach 

Introduction et Valse mélancolique, Opus 14
Sérénade, Opus 29, #2
Ballade, Opus 29, #3

Duetto in D Major for Violoncello and Double Bass . . . . Gioachino Rossini

Allegro

Andante molto

Allegro

 

Jeremy Baguyos, Double Bass

 

Kottos for Violoncello Solo  (1977) . . . . Iannis Xénakis

Legend-Sonata in F# minor (1943) . . . . Arnold Bax

Allegro risoluto
Lento espressivo
Allegro

 



9/9/2013 at 3:00 pm & 3:50 pm

University of Nebraska at Omaha
Strauss Performing Arts Center
Room 247 (Keyboard Lab)

3:00 - 3:50 pm Master Class with Paul Christopher

Sonata for Solo Violoncello . . . . George Crumb
Hannah Mayer, cello

Three Easy Pieces for Violoncello and Piano . . . . Paul Hindemith
Joseph Battern, cello

Concerto in A Major for String Bass and Piano . . . . Domenico Dragonetti
Adam Ballard, string bass

---

3:50 - 4:30 pm
Q&A: What it is like for classical musicians to work in the studio recording industry.

9/6/2013 at 7:30 pm & 9/8/2013 at 3:00 pm

CAPA faculty to perform The Soldier's Tale

The Northwestern State University Faculty Chamber Players will perform Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale) Friday, Sept. 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 8 at 3 p.m. in Theatre West. Admission is free and open to the public. The Faculty Chamber Players is a collaboration of 13 NSU faculty from theatre and dance and music along with three Northwestern State students. Andrew Lewis is the director and J. Mark Thompson is artistic director.

“This is a huge collaboration between faculty in two areas of the school of Creative and Performing Arts,” said Lewis. “It’s exciting to see the faculty and students want to perform this work.” The Soldier’s Tale is a cautionary Faustian parable of good vs. evil, with the many temptations one faces in life.

Readers are Scott Burrell as the narrator, Christian Dantes of Shreveport as the Soldier, Pia Wyatt as the devil and Kathleen Kerner of Mandeville as a Princess. Dancers are faculty Brett Garfinkel as the soldier, Kirstin Riehl as the devil and Lillian Gray as the princess.

Musicians will be faculty members Malena McLaren on clarinet, Douglas Bakenhus on bassoon, Galindo Rodriguez on trumpet, Thompson on trombone, Andrej Kurti on violin, Peter Haas on double bass and NSU student Russell Lancaster of Carthage, Texas, on percussion. Jeffrey Mathews is the conductor.

Congratulations to Jorge Rodriguez

Jorge practiced orchestra excepts this summer and then successfully videotaped an audition for the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra's substitute list. Principal Cellist Ruth Drummond placed him on their call list for the upcoming season. Congratulations to Jorge!!

2013-2014 Tenure

Thirteen faculty members have received tenure effective with the start of the 2013-2014 academic year. Those from the School of Creative and Performing Arts include Paul Forsyth, Paul Christopher, and Greg Handel.

NSU to Receive Offenbach Collection

Students and scholars will be able to learn about influential composer

08/08/2013

NATCHITOCHES – A major collection of materials on composer Jacques Offenbach will be donated to the Mrs. H.D. Dear and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts at Northwestern State University of Louisiana by retired chemist Robert L. Folstein.

The collection has been gathered over the last 50 years with a major emphasis on recordings of Offenbach’s music. More than 4,000 recordings are included in all formats from early cylinders through to modern CD’s and DVD’s. Associated with the recordings are reference materials related to the recordings including published reviews and materials on the compositions such as printed scores, librettos, published studies and research papers, biographical studies, theater programs, photographs and posters. The collection covers Offenbach’s many operas and operettas as well as his instrumental compositions. There is a separate extension devoted to the pastiche works that others have created based on Offenbach’s operettas.

Offenbach was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the 19th century romantic period. He is known for his nearly 100 operettas and influenced composers such as Johann Strauss Jr. and Arthur Sullivan of Gilbert and Sullivan.

“This collection will be a huge asset to Northwestern State and the School of Creative and Performing Arts,” said Associate Professor of Music Theory and Cello Paul Christopher, who has known Folstein for several years. “Our students will be able to use these materials to enhance their education and scholars studying Offenbach will access them as they do scholarly research.”

Christopher has written articles that have been published in the Jacques Offenbach Society Newsletter. He has done premiere recordings devoted to the cello duos of Offenbach.

The collection includes the autographed manuscript of Offenbach’s early composition The Prayer of Moses, a trio for two violins and cello with piano and organ accompaniment; the work, based on themes from the Rossini opera, has been published under the Offenbach Edition Keck program at Boosey and Hawkes.

Also included is a bust of the composer that was commissioned by the French Offenbach Society in 1999. There were a limited number of castings made by sculptor Olivier Thiéry.

There are materials related to the composer himself including complete runs of the publications of the various societies that have been devoted to him and materials relating to the history of recording technology.

All of Folstein’s working files for his Annotated Offenbach Discography as well as copies of the several printed versions are also included. The university will maintain the collection as an integrated facility and make it available for use by students and performers.NSU to Receive Offenbach Collection

9/5/2013 at 4:00 pm

7/12/2013 - 7/22/2013 @ 7:30 pm

Les Miserable
First United Methodist Church
550 Common Street at Milam
Shreveport, Louisiana

6/16/2013 at 1:00 pm

Hug World's First Annual Concert
Eumseong-gung Ggot-dong-nae
Chungbuk, South Korea

PROGRAM includes:

Tchaikovsky Piano Trio

"Hug World is a volunteer organization that serves its purpose by suggesting various ways to lead the beautiful society of ours through human-respect based volunteer works and contributes to giving and showing happiness to everyone's family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc. by aiming our business to harmonize and to balance our society."