Recitals 4 You: 2025

Saturday, October 25, 2025

Sectionals for District One Honors Orchestra

District One: All District Honors Orchestra

High School and Middle School Ensembles

October 24, 2025, at 11:30-12:30 pm and 1:30-2:30 pm

The Assembly

102 Blanchard Street

West Monroe, Louisiana

High School PROGRAM

Finale from Serenade for Strings ... P. Tchaikovsky, arr. C.L. Grusselle

Curse of the Rosin Eating Zombies from Outer Space ... Richard Meyer

Sea of Stars ... Liam Ramsey-White

Forever Joyful! ... Brian Balmages

Middle School PROGRAM

Celtic Dance ... Mark Williams

Honor and Glory ... Soon Hee Newbold

Beach Spring ... Deborah Baker Monday

Yee Haw ... Jeremy Woolstenhulme

Bass Sectionals lead by Karla Gonzalez

Viola Sectionals lead by Kerri Christopher

Cello Sectionals lead by Paul Christopher

Natalie Johnson Talliferro, Neville High School Orchestra Director and NSU Alumna

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Student Recitals

MUS 1500 Student Recitals

Magale Recital Hall

October 21, 2025, at 12:00 pm

Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM included:

Sonata in C major for Two Violoncelli ... W.A. Mozart (1756-1791)

I. Allegro

Brad Powell and Paul Christopher, celli

Monday, October 20, 2025

Guest Artist Guitar Recital

Cain Budds, guitar

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

October 27, 2025, at 5:30 pm

PROGRAM

Castle of the White City (1985) ... Susan Bogdanovic (b. 1955)

Lute Suite in E major, BWV 1006a (c. 1740) ... Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Prelude

Loure

Gavotte en Rondeau

Menuets I and II

Bouree

Gigue

Capriccio Diabolico, Opus 85 (1935) … Mario Castelnuevo Tedesco (1895-1968)

Dos Aires Cubano (1962) … Leo Brouwer (b.1939)

I. Guajira Criolla

II. Zapateo

Campfire Songs (2010) ... Michael Karmon (b. 1969)

I. Blazing

II. Embers

III. Dark

Assisted by Paul Christopher, cello

Friday, October 17, 2025

Something Wicked

Rapides Symphony Orchestra

Coughlin Saunders Performing Arts Center

1101 Fourth Street

Alexandria, Louisiana

Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 7:30 pm

PROGRAM ...with Halloween just around the corner, “dark” classics are on the program.

Bach - Toccata and Fugue in D minor

Herrmann - Psycho: A Narrative for String Orchestra in Three Parts

Moussorgsky - Night on Bald Mountain

R. Strauss - "Dance of the Seven Veils" from the opera Salome

Saturday, October 11, 2025

Faculty Recital

Paul Christopher, cello

Monday, October 13, 2025, at 5:30 pm

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Life Dances for Solo Cello (2024)... Andrew List (b. 1956)

Struggle

Reflection

Freedom’s Reel

Composition for Violoncello Solo (1962) ... Ursula Mamlok (1923-2016)

Broadly

Capricious

With tenderness

With energy

One Coat of Paint (2004) ... Christian Wolff (b. 1934)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Assisted by Oliver Molina, percussion

This performance is dedicated to Ken Green.

Thursday, October 9, 2025

Guest Artist Recital

Paul Christopher, cello

Howard Recital Hall

La Tech School of Music

Thursday, 10/9/2025, at 7:30 pm

Ruston, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Invocation for Solo Cello (1987) ... Mel Powell (1923-1998)

Composition for Violoncello Solo (1962) ... Ursula Mamlok (1923-2016)

I. Broadly

II. Capricious

III. With tenderness

IV. With energy

Campfire Songs for Cello and Guitar (2010) ... Michael Karmon (b.1969)

I. Blazing

II. Embers

III. Dark

Dr. Cain Budds, guitar

On for Violin Solo (1962) ... Nam June Paik (1932-2006)

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

Out of the Deep

Texarkana Regional Chorale

3rd Floor, Tri-State Iron & Metal Atrium

Texas A&M-Texarkana University Center

7101 University Avenue

Texarkana, Texas

PROGRAM

Measure Me, Sky! ... Elaine Hagenberg

Out of the Deep ... John Rutter

Paul Christopher, cello

Rockin/ Jerusalem ... Andre J. Thomas

Verleih' uns Frieden ... Felix Mendelssohn

Serenade & to the Extinguished Stars ... Anton Arensky

Paul Christopher, cello

Ain'a That Good News! ... arr. W.L. Dawson

Music ... Marc-Andre Bougie

Paul Christopher, cello

Look Down, Fair Moon ... Mari Esabel Valverde

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Guest Cellist Presentation

Music Hall

Stilwell Humanities Building

Texarkana College

September 30, 2025, at 5:00 pm

PROGRAM

JS Bach ... Solo Cello Suite No. 1

Paul Christopher answers your questions about cello music

Sunday, September 28, 2025

Beethoven's Two Fifths

South Arkansas Symphony Orchestra

314 East Oak Street

El Dorado, Arkansas

September 27, 2025, at 7:00 pm

PROGRAM by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Symphony #5 in C minor, Op. 67

Allegro con brio

Andante con moto

Scherzo: Allegro

Allegro - Presto

Piano Concerto #5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73, "Emperor"

Allegro

Adagio un poco mosso

Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo

Yizhen Chen, 2024 Wideman Piano Gold Medalist

Friday, September 26, 2025

Recruiting in Alexandria, Louisiana

Bolton High School

2101 Vance Avenue

Alexandria, Louisiana

September 25, 2025, at 10:00 am

Ms. Jasmine Johnson, Orchestra Director and NSU alumna

Monday, September 22, 2025

Love and Lust in Opera....

Rapides Symphony Orchestra

Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center

1101 Fourth Street

Alexandria, Louisiana

September 20, 2025, at 7:30 pm

Don Giovanni ... WA Mozart

Brief video of Act I Finale

Masterclass with Marcos Machado

September 19, 2025, at noon

Double Bass Masterclass with Marcos Machado

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Coaching and Concert

Caldwell Arts Academy: K-8 Fine Arts Magnet School

331 So. College

Tyler, Texas

September 17, 2025, at 11:30 am

Coaching for Middle School All-State

PROGRAM

Ute and Mark Miller

NSU alums: John Davide Floyd, orchestra & Jaime Neeley, band

Monday, September 15, 2025

Guest Artist Double Bass Recital

Dr. Marcos Machado, Double Bass

Dr. Ellen Price Elder, Piano

Thursday, September 18, 2025, at 7:30 pm

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Georgian Dance ... Artemy Aivazian

Melody ... Myroslav Skoryk

Nero Barocco ... Mateo Musumeci

Garden Scene ... Erich W. Korngold

Tarantella ... Reinhold Gliere

Carmen Fantasy ... Frank Proto

Prelude

Aragonaise

Toreador's Song

Micaela's Aria

Bohemian Dance

Misty ... Errol Garner

Saturday, September 13, 2025

Out of the Gate

Monroe Symphony Orchestra

September 13, 2025, at 7:00 pm

John Mason Hodges, Conductor

Hotel Monroe, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Brandenburg Concert No. 4 in G Major, BWV 1049... JS Bach

Allegro

Andante

Presto (Gavotte)

Horn Concerto No. 2 in E flat Major, K. 417... WA Mozart

Rondo

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Faculty Showcase Recital

September 9, 2025, at 7:30 pm

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM included:

Invocation for Cello Solo ... Mel Powel (1923-1998)

Paul Christopher, cello

Passacaglia ... G. Handel & J. Halvorsen (1685-1759)

Andrej Kurti, violin & Sofia Tchetchelashvili, viola

Duo for Violoncello & Double Bass in D Major ... G. Rossini (1792-1868)

II. Andante molto

Paul Christopher, cello & Karla Gonzalez Bueno, double bass

Sunday, September 7, 2025

Flute Guest Artist Recital and Master Class

Dr. Elizabeth McNutt

Monday, September 8, 2025, at 7:30 pm

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Cassandra’s Dream Song (1970) ... Brian Ferneyhough (b. 1943)

Sintra (1969) ... Ursula Mamlok (1923-2016)

I. With Intensity

II. Very fast

III. Calmly

Vidimus Stellam (2020) ... Sungji Hong (b. 1973)

Enchanted Preludes (1988) ... Elliott Carter (1908-2012)

Nidi (1979) ... Franco Donatoni (1927-2000)

II.

PROGRAM NOTES:

The score of Cassandra’s Dream Song is constructed of two sheets of music: the lines of the first are to be played in sequential order with the lines of the second inserted, in any order, between them. Thus, the choices of the performer are integral to the form of the piece. The notation of the score is extremely dense and difficult to realize, especially as Ferneyhough asks for a great variety of timbres (many of which occur simultaneously). Some of the instructions given are contradictory, which is intended to yield unpredictable results. According to Ferneyhough's notes to the score, a “beautiful" performance is not the goal: the difficulties of this music should not be concealed by compromises or inexactitudes. Instead, a successful performance is one that rigorously attempts to reproduce as many of the details as possible, maximizing the various levels of intensity. By trying to realize the score accurately, certain "divergencies and impurities" will occur which are essential to the work.

According to Ursula Mamlock's publisher,Sintra is a typical Mamlok work. In this three movement composition, slow-fast-slow, the alto flute has fast cadenza-like passages, while the cello writing alternates between arco, pizzicato and snap pizzicato, with both instruments sharing unusual trills and vibrati. The dynamics are extreme and constantly shift. This piece also demonstrates her interest in palindromes, which she shared with many serial composers.

Vidimus Stellam for solo flute was commissioned by the National Flute Association to be performed by the semi-finalists at the Young Artist Competition. The Latin title translates to "We have seen His star" and pertains to the Biblical account of the star hovering above the birthplace of Christ. I wanted to create a sound that imitates the effect of a rapidly flickering star in the night sky; the way the starlight intensifies and changes its brightness in complex patterns. I explored this natural phenomenon with everchanging musical gestures of soft microtonal glissandi and pitch bends, and also in dynamic sections with jet whistles, harmonic sweeps, and harmonic climbings. It is dedicated to Elizabeth McNutt, experimental flutist and friend, who has been an inspiration for the piece. -S.H.

Enchanted Preludes is a birthday present for Ann Santen, commissioned by her husband, Harry, and composed in gratitude for their enthusiastic and deeply caring support of American music. It is a duet for flute and cello in which the two instruments combine their different characters and musical materials into statements of varying moods. The title comes from a poem of Wallace Stevens: The Pure Good of Theory, “All the Preludes to Felicity,” stanza no.7:

Felicity, ah! Time is the hooded enemy,

The inimical music, the enchanted space

In which the enchanted preludes have their place. — E.C.

Nidi centers around the same three pitches, and is characterized by small notes, mordents, trills, excessively contrasted dynamics, and extreme registral writing. In the second movement, Donatoni also explores the timbral possibilities of piccolo by including multiphonics and unusual tremolos.

Dr. Elizabeth McNutt, flutist

NSULA All-State Clinics

September 5, 2025, at 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Middle School All-State Clinics

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Recruiting at Natchitoches Central High School

Recruiting for Low Strings

Natchitoches Central High School

Lincoln Hall, Orchestra Director & Alum

September 2, 2025, at 7:45 am

Friday, August 29, 2025

NSULA All-State Clinics

High School All-State Clinics

Saturday, August 30, 2025, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM for the NSU Faculty Concert at 11:00 am:

Duo in D major ... Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

II. Andante molto

Paul Christopher, cello and Karla Gonzalez Bueno, double bass

Cello sectionals with Mr. Christopher and Maira Avellaneda, graduate assistant

Monday, August 25, 2025

Ken Green Memorial Service

August 23, 2025, at 2:00 pm

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

Order of Service

Welcome and Opening Remarks ... Oliver Molina

Reflection ... Bill Brent

Eulogy Reading ... Kenny Green

The Downfall of Paris ... Traditional

Connecticut Halftime ... Traditional

NSULA Percussion Ensemble and Piccolos

Reflection ... Oliver Molina

Slideshow of Ken's photos through the years

Ken Green Percussion Endowed Scholarship ... Scott Burrell

Time to Share Your Favorite Memory

Ken Green Video

Closing ... Oliver Molina

About Kenneth H. Green:

Kenneth H. Green (May 26, 1961 - July 4, 2025) was a passionate and influential figure in music education, distinguished both as a performer and as a dedicated teacher. Born into a musical family in West Point, New York - his father being a longtime drummer in the United States Military Academy's Hellcats - Ken's passion for rudimental drumming was evident from a young age.

He honed his craft under the guidance of luminaries such as Nick Attanasio and John S. Pratt and played with various fife and drum corps across the Hudson Valley. Ken earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, where he studied with Jim Petercsak, and later received his master's degree from the University of Kansas.

Joining the faculty of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, in 1993, Ken devoted twenty-nine years to his roles as Associate Director of Bands and Professor of Percussion. During his tenure, he shaped countless students through his exceptional musicianship, unwavering dedication, and passion for percussion education. Throughout his career, Ken was not only a beloved educator but also a performer, arranger, clinician, adjudicator, and timpanist for the Rapides Symphony Orchestra in Alexandria, Louisiana.