A Festival of Lessons and Carols

Sunday, 12/14/2014 at 6:00 pm
Emmanuel Baptist Church
4th & Jackson
Alexandria, Louisiana

Rapides Symphony Orchestra

Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 2:30 pm
Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center
1202 Third Street
Alexandria, Louisiana

Alexandria Museum of Art

James Michalopoulos
Rapt in Color exhibit
11/22/2014 at 6:30 pm

Provided background music during the exhibit opening.

Guest Artist Master Class

Choral Hall
The Blair School of Music
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, Tennessee
November 12, 2014, at 3:00 pm

Paul Christopher, guest artist

PROGRAM

Suite No. 4 in E flat Major for unaccompanied cello . . . . J.S. Bach
Prelude
Sarabande

Ann Yes, cello

Kol Nidrei . . . . M. Bruch

Juliano Stewart, cello

Polly Brecht, piano

Concerto No. 1, Op. 49 . . . . D. Kabalevsky

Allegro

Blake Kitayama, cello

Polly Brecht, piano

Concerto in D Minor . . . . E. Lalo

Introduction, andante-allegro vivace

John Yang, cello

Polly Brecht, piano

RSO Concerto Competition

NSU Concerto Competition Results

Dr. Bakenhus wrote, "Congratulations to all who performed at the 2014 Concerto Competition! Everyone was well prepared and the judges, including myself, enjoyed hearing you play! I wish we could have everyone perform with us. We are truly blessed here at NSU to have so many talented young musicians. The winners who will be performing with the NNSO on March 23, 2015:  

Román Carranza . . . Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane

Milovan Paz . . . . Dvorak’s Cello Concerto mvt I

Honorable Mention (Not performing with us but they deserve recognition for an exceptional performance!!!):

Carlos Garcia . . . . Bottesini Concerto No. 1

Emilio Castro . . . . Saint Saens Introduction and Rondo"

NNSO Concerto Competition

11/16/2014 @ 2:00pm
Magale Recital Hall
Natchitoches, Louisiana

Low string students competing to perform with the orchestra on 3/23/2015 concert include:

Kol Nidrei . . . . . Max Bruch
Colin Horton, cello
Mr. Michael Rorex, piano

Allegro from Cello Concerto No. 1 . . . .  E. Lalo
Alonso Restrepo, cello
Ms. Elen Bogaczova, piano

Tarantelle in G Minor . . . . G. Bottesini
Ricky Ventura, bass
Mr. Michel Rorex

Allegro from Concerto No. 1 in F# Minor . . . . G. Bottesini
Carlos Garcia, bass
Ms. Elen Bogaczova, piano

Allegro from Cello Concerto in B Minor . . . . A. Dvorak
Milovan Paz, cello
Mr. Paul Christopher, piano

Elegy No. 1 in D Major . . . . G. Bottesini
Cameron Normand, bass
Mr. Michael Rorex, piano

Allegro from Cello Concerto in G Minor . . . . D. Kabalevsky
Alba Maloff, cello
Mr. Michael Rorex, piano

Elegie, Op. 24 . . . . G. Faure
Samantha J. Carpenter, cello
Ms. Elen Bogaczova, piano

Faculty Guest Artist Recital at Vanderbilt

11/13/2014 at 8:00 pm

Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall

Blair School of Music

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee

PROGRAM

Bertha's Lied . . . . . . . . Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880)

                             Rêverie au bord de la mer

                             Deux âmes au ciel

Glissées (1970) for violoncello solo . . . . Isang Yun (1917-1995)

                                                                          

Folk-tale (Canto populaire) . . . . Arnold Bax (1883-1953)

  

                            Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Opus 117 . . . . Gabriel Fauré

                            Allegro

                            Andante

                            Allegro vivo

                            Kottos for violoncello solo (1977) . . . . Iannis Xenakis (1922-2004)

Paul Christopher, cello

Elena Bogaczova, piano

Guest Artist Recital

Cherry Theatre

Columbia State Community College

Columbia, Tennessee

November 11, 2014, at 7:30 pm

PROGRAM:

Berthas Lied . . . . . . . . Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880)

                             Rêverie au bord de la mer

                             Deux âmes au ciel

Kottos for violoncello solo (1977) . . . . Iannis Xenakis (1922-2004)

                                                                          

Folk-tale (Canto populaire) . . . . Arnold Bax (1883-1953)

  

                            Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Opus 117 . . . . Gabriel Fauré

                            Allegro

                            Andante

                            Allegro vivo

                            Harmonious Blacksmith . . . . George F. Handel/Christopher

Paul Christopher, cello

Elena Bogaczova, piano

Music Appreciation Class Presentation

NSU Honors Chamber Winds Concert

Jeff Matthews, conductor

11/5/2014 at 7:30 pm

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, La

PROGRAM includes:

Concerto for Cello and Wind Instruments (1925) . . . . . Jacques Ibert

Pastorale

Romance

Gigue

Paul Christopher, cellist

Natchitoches - Northwestern Symphony Orchestra

November 4, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.
Magale Recital Hall

Program includes:

Sinfonia Concertante . . . . F.J. Haydn

Leah Forsyth, oboe
Douglas Bakenhus, bassoon
Andrej Kurti, violin
Paul Christopher, cello

True Classics Orchestra Concert

11/1/2014 at 7:30 pm
Rapides Symphony Orchestra
Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center
1202 Third Street
Alexandria, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Coriolanus Overture, Op. 62 . . . . L Beethoven

Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104 . . . . A. Dvorak
Madeleine Kabat, guest artist

Symphony No. 1, in C Minor, Op. 68 . . . . J. Brahms


The following link is a review of the concert: 

Rapides Symphony Orchestra – Outstanding Job with Brahms’ First Symphony!

Cello Master Class

Presented by Madeline Kabat, Guest Artist
Thursday, October 30, 2014 at 12:30 pm
Orchestra Room
School for the Creative and Performing Arts
Natchitoches, La

PARTICIPANTS:

Elegy . . . . G. Faure
Samatha Carpenter

Cello Concerto in D Minor . . . . E. Lalo
I. Prelude and Allegro maestoso
Alonso Restrepo

Cello Concerto in B Minor . . . . A. Dvorak
I. Allegro
Milovan Paz

Madeline Kabat, Maestro Zona, Christopher, Carpenter, Paz, Restrepo

Recruiting at Kilgore High School

Tristan Roberts, Orchestra Director and NSU alumni
Mitch Moehring, Orchestra Director and NSU alumni
Sherry Paetznick, Orchestra Director

Had a wonderful time talking to string students and visiting with my former students who are now running the orchestra program in Kilgore, Texas.

Faculty Recital

10/16/2014 at 7:30 pm
Magale Recital Hall
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM NOTES by Jackson Harmeyer

Bertha’s Lied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Jacques Offenbach

                                                                        (1819 – 1880)

Rêverie au bord de la mer                             

Deux âmes au ciel

Glissées for violoncello solo (1970) . . . . . . . .Isang Yun

                                                                        (1917 – 1995)

Folk-Tale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arnold Bax

                                                                        (1883 – 1953)

Sonata No.2 in G Minor, Opus 117 . . . . . . . . Gabriel Fauré

                                                                        (1845 – 1924)

Allegro

Andante                                                                       

Allegro vivo

Paul Christopher and Elena Bogaczova

Guest Artist Recital

October 13, 2014 at 7:30 pm

Spencer Gallery

Monticello Fine Arts Center

University of Arkansas at Monticello
Paul Christopher and Elena Bogaczova

PROGRAM

Bertha’s Lied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  Jacques Offenbach

                                                                        (1819 – 1880)

Rêverie au bord de la mer                             

Deux âmes au ciel

Glissées for violoncello solo (1970) . . . . . . . .Isang Yun

                                                                        (1917 – 1995)

Folk-Tale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Arnold Bax

                                                                        (1883 – 1953)

Sonata No.2 in G Minor, Opus 117 . . . . . . . . Gabriel Fauré

                                                                        (1845 – 1924)

Allegro

Andante                                                                       

Allegro vivo

L to R: Paul Becker, Elena B., Paul C. 

         










Cellist Paul Christopher will present at guest artist recital October 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Spencer Gallery of the University of Arkansas at Monticello Fine Arts Center. The recital is free and open to the public. Christopher will be accompanied by pianist Elena Bogaczova.

            Christopher is associate professor of low strings and music theory at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La. He holds a bachelor of music education degree from the New England Conservatory of Music and a master of music degree in cello performance from the University of Memphis.

            He is the assistant principal cello with the Peter Britt Festival Orchestra in Jacksonville, Ore., and has performed guest recitals and at conferences throughout the United States as well as Costa Rica, Honduras, and South Korea.  He has appeared on numerous recordings as a member of the Nashville String Machine with artists such as Faith Hill, Ricky Skaggs, Bruce Springsteen and George Strait. He has also recorded works by contemporary composers Dinos Constaninides, Don Freund, and Mark Prince Lee as well as five CDs for the Human Metronome label devoted to the cello music of Jacques Offenbach.

            Bogaczova is a native of the Czech Republic and comes from a family of professional musicians. She was accepted to the Conservatory of Bratislava at the age of 14 and later earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree at Northwestern State where she currently serves as an instructor of piano and staff accompanist.

MTNA Senior Strings Competition

Congratulations to Alonso Restrepo for being named Alternate in the Louisiana State Competition held October 11, 2014, at La Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana.

2014 Louisiana Music Teachers Association Convention

Louisiana Tech University
Howard Center for the Performing Arts
Ruston, Louisiana
October 10, 2014

2:30 A Journey through Eastern Europe: Music for Violin and Piano
Location: Recital Hall, Room 215
Presenters: Lin He, violin and Gregory Sioles, piano
Presiding: Paul Christopher, String Chair

A performance of duo literature for violin and piano written in the first third of the 20th century by some of the musical giants of Eastern Europe. Two sonatas will anchor the program: one written by Ernst von Dohnányi and the other by Leoš Janáček. These two works were written within two years of each other--in 1912 and 1914 respectively. Also featured on the program is a Rhapsody, which was composed by Béla Bartók in 1928.

Abendmusik Alexandria

Folk-Tale and Fauré

10/2/2014 at 6:00 pm
Hearn Stage at the Kress Theatre
Alexandria, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Folk-Tale for cello and piano . . . . Arnold Bax

Glissées for solo cello . . . . Isang Yun

Cello Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 117 . . . . Gabriel Fauré

Allegro
Andante
Allegro vivo

Elena Bogaczova, piano
Paul Christopher, cello

Holy Savior Menard School

Presented a performance lecture on the pleasures of cello playing to two Fine Arts classes on 10/1/2014 at 12:00 noon and 1:30 pm in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Recruiting at Pineville High School

Spoke with three string classes that met at 7:15 am, 8:15 am and 9:15 am.







Alesia Hudlow, NSU alum and Assistant Band Director

Jamabalya: Television interview

Sherman Desselle, NSU alum and KALB Morning Jamabalya Anchor

Jackson Harmeyer, NSU alum and Director of the new Abendmusik Alexandria chamber music series.





Promoting the upcoming Folk-Tale and Faure concert on the Hearn Stage at the Kress Theatre in Alexandria, Louisiana.

Congratulations to Alonso Cardozo, Carlos Garcia, and Ricky Ventura!

As a result of auditions for Rapides Symphony Orchestra, Maestro Zona offered three low string musicians a position on the substitute/extra list for the current season. Congratulations to Alonso Restrepo, Carlos Garcia, and Ricky Ventura!

Pops on the River

9/27/2014 at 7:30 pm
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Rapides Symphony Orchestra
Josh Zona, Conductor and Music Director
Alexandria Riverfront Center
707 Main Street
Alexandria, Louisiana

Recruiting at Caddo Magnet High School

9/25/2014 at 8:40 am and 9:30 am
Scott Wilhite, NSU Student Teacher
Elaine Webb, CMHS Orchestra Director
Paul Christopher, NSU Cellist
Shreveport, Louisiana

2015 Marjorie Stricklin Emerging Artist Competition

The Monroe Symphony League and Monroe Symphony Orchestra are pleased to announce the scheduling of the 2015 Marjorie Stricklin Emerging Artist Competition.  

This annual competition has a record of strong participation and excellence. The winner of the competition is awarded a financial prize at the competition, and also serves as the guest artist at the following season's Opening Concert of the Monroe Symphony Orchestra.

Rules for the 2015 event, as well as an application may be accessed from the website of the Monroe Symphony Orchestra.

You are invited and encouraged to share this information with others you think may be interested in competing in this event. The deadline for your application is Thursday, December 4, 2014.

Guest Artist Exchange Recitals

Sunday, September 21, 2014, at 3:00 pm

Howard Auditorium

Louisiana Tech University

Ruston, Louisiana

AND

Monday September 22, 2014, at 7:30 pm

Magale Recital Hall

Northwestern State University

Natchitoches, Louisiana

Dennette Derby McDermott, flute

Paul Christopher, cello

Cain Budds, guitar

 PROGRAM

Six Variations on the Theme op. 42 . . . . Johann Baptist Wanhal

Nel cor più non mi sento                                      (1739-1813)

The History of The Tango . . . . Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)                              

Bordel 1900               

Café 1930

Nightclub 1960

Concert d'aujourd'hui

Quatre pièces intimes (1997) . . . . Dušan Bogdanović (1955-   )

Prière

Mouvement   

La Harpe de David

Chant

Sonata for Guitar and Violoncello (1969) . . . . Radamés Gnattali 

Allegretto comodo                                             (1906-1988) 

Adagio

Con Spirito  

Garden Music (1998) . . . . Gary Schocker (b. 1959-    )

Ruins

Aubade

Serenade

Scattering

Dr. Cain Budds, LA Tech U

Shreveport Symphony Orchestra

9/20/2014 at 7:30 pm
RiverView Theater
Michael Butterman, Conductor
Mayuko Kamio, Violin Soloist
Shreveport, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Cloud Scraper . . . . James Eakin

Violin Concerto No. 2. Op. 63 . . . .  S. Prokofiev

Scheherazade, Op. 35 . . . . N. Rimsky-Korsakov

The violin rules the night at Saturday's season opening of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra. The evening will feature Tchaikovsky Competition Gold Medalist Mayuko Kamio playing Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 and the SSO's newly appointed Concertmaster Matt Albert playing the difficult solo part in Rimsky-Korsakov's epic symphonic poem, Scheherazade.

The show begins with a world premiere of Shreveport native James Eakin's composition "Cloud Scraper. "James Eakin's music is dramatic, colorful and thoroughly engaging. The SSO is privileged to present the world premiere of 'Cloud Scraper' by this accomplished native Shreveporter, and we look forward to welcoming him home for the performance," said SSO Music Director Michael Butterman.

Recruiting at NCHS

Monday, 9/15/2014, at 11:00 am
Natchitoches Central High School Orchestra
Syll-Young Olson, String Director
Natchitoches, Louisiana

Faculty Showcase Recital

Monday, 9/15/2014, at 7:30 pm and Tuesday, 9/16/2014, at 12:30 pm
Magale Recital Hall
Natchitoches, LA

PROGRAM includes selections by Jacques Offenbach:

Berthas Lied

Deux âmes au ciel (Two souls in heaven)

Rêverie au bord de la mer (Daydreaming at the seaside)

Paul Christopher, cello and Elena Bogaczova, piano

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Faculty Showcase to be held Monday

By David West

09/12/2014

NATCHITOCHES – The Mrs. H.D. Dear Sr. and Alice E. Dear School of Creative and Performing Arts will present its annual Faculty Showcase Monday, Sept. 15.

A wine tasting and reception sponsored by Maggio’s begins at 5:30 p.m. Those attending can view the faculty art show in the Orville Hanchey Gallery featuring work by Matt DeFord, Leslie Gruesbeck, Clyde Downs, Brooks DeFee, Corbin Cohver and Mirla Gonzalez and graduate assistants Lily Thompson and Tiffany Divine.

A recital will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Magale Recital Hall with performances by Terrie Sanders, Kristine Coreil, Francis Yang, Dennette McDermott, Malena McLaren, Doug Bakenuus, Paul Forsyth, J. Mark Thompson, Elena Bogaczova, D’Nissa Hester, Paul Christopher, Andrej Kurti, Michael Rorex and Greg Handel.

Sponsorship for the Faculty Showcase is provided by CP-Tel, the inaugural member of the CAPA Corporate Circle.

9/13/2014 at 7:30 pm

South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra
Kermit Poling, Conductor and Music Director
El Dorado Municipal Auditorium
El Dorado, Arkansas

PROGRAM

Congratulations to Milo van Paz!

Milo van Paz, NSU graduate student, successfully auditioned for the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra last week. He played in the final round and then was placed on the orchestra's substitute list. He will be first call when a regular section cellist is unable to perform a concert.

9/9/2014 at 7:30 pm

Guest Artist Recital featuring Seojung Park, violin and Haena Jee, piano
LSMSA Recital Hall
Natchitoches, Louisiana

Program™
           

Violin Sonata No.3 in D minor, Op.108 . . J. Brahms

I. Allegro

II. Adagio

III. Un poco presto e con sentimento

IV. Presto agitato

Passacaglia for violin and cello . Handel/Halvorsen

Assisted by Paul Christopher, cello

Intermission™

Violin Sonata in A major . . . . . . . . . . . . . C. Franck

I.Allegretto ben moderato

II. Allegro

III. Recitativo-Fantasia: Ben moderato

IV. Allegretto poco mosso

Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 . . . . P. Sarasate

8/24/2014 at 3:00 pm

'Cellos Up Front!
First United Methodist Church of Longview
Heritage Room
400 N. Fredonia Street
Longview, Texas

Cello students of Pam Martin and Joanie Russell and the ensemble, ROCK STOPS will perform.  Guest artist Paul Christopher will perform his arrangement of Handel's Harmonious Blacksmith and discuss pursuing a career in music.