A Worldwide Yuletide Concert

Rapides Symphony Orchestra

Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center

Alexandria, Louisiana 

December 7, 2025, at 2:30 pm

PROGRAM

Christmas Eve/Sarajevo ... arr. Phillips

Festive Sounds of Hanukah ... arr. Holcombe

Finale from St. Paul's Suite ... G. Holst

Wonderful Night ... Traditional

Waltz Finale and Apotheosis from The Nutcracker ... P. Tchaikovsky

    Jarred Kennedy, student conductor

Champagne Gallop ... HC. Lumbye

Deck the Halls ... Traditional

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas ... L. Feist

    NSU Steel Drum Ensemble

Stille Nacht (Silent Night) ... arr. Hagen

Cantique de Noel (O Holy Night) ... arr. Ryden

Mele Kalikimaka ... arr. Higgins

Sweet Little Jesus Boy ... arr. MacGimsey, arr. Hamlet

    D'Nissa Hester, soprano

Holiday Greetings ... arr. Swearingen

Let There Be Peace on Earth ... Miller & Jackson, arr. Ades

Musical Stories

Mount Vernon Music Youth Outreach

402 Leftwich Street

Mt. Vernon, TX 75457

December 3, 2025

  9:00 am - West and South ES at the High School, 202 Tiger Dr., Daingerfield, TX 75638

10:00 am - Ore City ES, 1000 US 259, Ore City, TX 75683

  1:00 pm - Hughes Springs ES, 871 Taylor, Hughes Springs, TX 75656

PROGRAM

The Tortoise and the Hare ... Rex Willis

Rumpelstiltskin Meets Mozart ... Rex Willis 

 

Mark Miller and Andres Bravo, violins

Ute Miller, viola

Paul Christopher, cello

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

4505 Elizabeth Street

Texarkana, Texas

PROGRAM

Requiem ... Marc Andre-Bougie

 

Congratulations to Jesus!

November 19-26, 2025 

 

Morelia, Michoacán a 21 de octubre de 2025

 A QUIEN CORRESPONDA:

 Por medio de la presente, el Festival de Música de Morelia Miguel Bernal Jiménez, con sede en la ciudad de Morelia, Michoacán, certifica e invita oficialmente a los integrantes de la Orquesta Filarmónica Joven de Colombia a participar en el concierto de clausura de la 37ª edición del Festival, que se llevará a cabo el sábado 22 de noviembre de 2025 a las 20:00 horas, en el Teatro Mariano Matamoros, Morelia, México.

La presencia de la orquesta está programada del miércoles al domingo 23 de noviembre de 2025, periodo durante el cual se realizarán ensayos, actividades de montaje y el concierto de clausura.

El Festival de Música de Morelia Miguel Bernal Jiménez es un evento internacional de carácter cultural y artístico, reconocido por promover el intercambio musical entre artistas y agrupaciones de distintos países. La participación de la Orquesta Filarmónica Joven de Colombia representa una colaboración oficial entre ambas instituciones, en un contexto exclusivamente artístico y educativo.

Esta carta puede ser utilizada por los integrantes de la orquesta para justificar sus ausencias en sus centros de estudio o trabajo, así como para acreditar el motivo de su viaje ante las autoridades migratorias mexicanas.

Sin otro particular, agradecemos su amable atención y quedamos a su disposición para cualquier información adicional que se requiera.

VERÓNICA BERNAL VARGAS, DIRECTORA GENERAL

Galeana 56, Col. Centro, C.P.58000, Morelia, Mich., México | Tel. +52 (443) 317 8087 y 321 1633

f e s t i v a l m o r e l i a . m x

Graduate Cello Students Recital

Alejandro Restrepo and Maira Avellaneda, cellists

Friday, November 21, 2025, at 5:30 pm

LSMSA Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM

Arpeggione Sonata in A minor, D. 821 (1824) ... Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Allegro Moderato

Adagio

Allegretto

Maira Avellaneda, cellist

Karla Gonzales, pianist

Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 (1717-1723) ... JS Bach (1685-1750)

Prelude

Sarabande

Gigue

Alejandro Restrepo, cellist

Kol Nidrei, Opus 47 (1880) … Max Bruch (1838-1920)

Alejandro Restrepo, cellist

Michael Rorex, pianist

Cafecita (Bambuco) … Denier S. Hurtado Aguirre

Alejandro Restrepo and Maira Avellaneda, cellists 

Masterclasses and Guest Artist Recital

The Lott Quartet

Sunday, November 16, 2025

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

1:00 pm Masterclasses

Suite for Double Basses ... Colin Brumby

Jonathan Chaparro, Zavion Sowell, William Shupak, Karla Gonzalez

Kol Nidrei, op.47 ... Max Bruch

Alejandro Restrepo Cardozo, cello

Cello Suite no. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 ... JS Bach

    Allemande

Aill Harris, cello

Arpeggione Sonata, D. 821 ... Franz Schubert

Maira Avellaneda Pabon, cello

Cello Suite no. ? ... JS Bach

    Gigue

Santiago Roviera Ortiz, cello

String Quartet no. 8 in C minor ... Dmitry Shostakovich 

Jesus Calderone Pena, cello

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

7:30 pm Recital

MUS 1500 Student Recitals

November 11, 2025, at 12:30 pm

Magale Recital Hall

Natchitoches, Louisiana

PROGRAM included:

String Quartet in D minor, op. 76 no.2 (1796-97) ... Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

"Erdody/Fifths/Quinten Quartet" 

    I. Allegro 

  

Armonia String Quartet: 

Carlos Diaz Del Valle, violin 

Oscar Carballo, violin 

Ronald Zaldana, viola 

Santiago Rovira, cello

 

Gold Medal Performance

Marshall Symphony Orchestra

Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 7:00 pm
Marshall Memorial City Hall Performance Center
Marshall, Texas

Sunday, November 9, 2025, at 3:00 pm
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Jefferson, Texas

PROGRAM

Symphony No. 8 in G major, op. 88 .... A. Dvorak (1841-1904)

    Allegro con brio

    Adagio

    Allegretto grazioso-Molto vivace

    Allegro ma non troppo

Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, op. 11

    Allegro maestoso

    Romanze-Larghetto

    Rondo - Vivace

Dmitry Yudin, guest pianist

Congratulations to Santiago Rovira and Jesus Pena!

Columbian Youth Philharmonic

Cello Section Audition Winners

European Tour in 2026

November 5, 2025

L to R: Sontiago and Jesus

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

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

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

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

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.

 

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)

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

 

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

 

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

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

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

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

 

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

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