What/When: From reflective ballads to patriotic favorites, two concerts by the University of North Texas College of Music will honor veterans, soldiers and their loved ones in celebration of Veterans Day, which is Nov. 11 (Tuesday).
The UNT Brass Band concert, "A Salute to American Veterans," takes place at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10 (Monday). The program includes popular tunes like The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the Armed Forces Medley.
The UNT University Singers concert takes place at 8 p.m. on Veterans Day, Nov. 11 (Tuesday). A newly commissioned work honoring the sacrifice of soldiers and their loved ones will be premiered during the second half of the program; additional works during the first half of the program will feature non-military related pieces, including sacred texts and folksongs from four different countries.
Where: Both performances take place in Winspear Hall, inside the Murchison Performing Arts Center, located at 2100 Interstate 35 Frontage Road in Denton. The concerts will also be streamed online
Tickets: Veterans and their families get free admission. $10 for adults; $8 for senior citizens, non-UNT students, children, UNT faculty, staff and retirees, and groups of 10 or more; free for UNT students with valid ID (students must pick up their tickets in person at the Murchison Performing Arts Center box office). Purchase tickets online or by calling the Murchison Box Office at 940-369-7802.
DENTON, Texas (UNT) – From reflective ballads and patriotic favorites to a newly commissioned work honoring the sacrifice of soldiers and their loved ones, musical pieces with military themes will be performed during two concerts by the University of North Texas College of Music in honor of Veterans Day, which is Nov. 11 (Tuesday).
The Brass Band concert, "A Salute to American Veterans," takes place at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10 (Monday). The University Singers concert takes place at 8 p.m. on Veterans Day, Nov. 11 (Tuesday). Both performances take place in Winspear Hall, inside the Murchison Performing Arts Center, located at 2100 Interstate 35 Frontage Road in Denton.
The Brass Band performance on Nov. 10 will include a program with repertoire commemorating major conflicts, pieces composed in memory of those who have given their lives in service to the United States and works celebrating military service members. Popular tunes such as The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Listen to the Mockingbird and the Armed Forces Medley are on the program, which will be directed by Brian Bowman, Regents Professor of music.
"Veterans and members of the military have always been an important force of what is great about our country," said Bowman, a former member of three U.S. military bands. "Veterans Day is a good time for us all to reflect on our freedoms and to be thankful to the men and women in service who, sometimes, have given everything, including their lives, to protect us and our rights."
The University Singers tribute to American veterans on Nov. 11 will premiere a newly commissioned work by UNT alumnus Kevin Walczyk, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated composer. It will be performed during the second half of the concert.
Drifting Gently Through the Endless Beauty is a cantata that incorporates biblical texts; draft column writings from Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent and journalist Ernie Pyle, who was killed during World War II near Okinawa Island in Japan; and an anonymous poem adopted by the U.S. Marines. Written for mezzo-soprano and baritone soloists, mixed choir, woodwind quintet, harp, piano and percussion, the multi-movement piece explores concepts of selfless sacrifice, grief and loss felt throughout the war and during its aftermath.
"These particular texts allow me to tell a story that pays homage to the sacrifice of the Marines in the South Pacific during World War II," said Walczyk, who received his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees at UNT. "The Psalms function as connecting tissue for the Pyle prose and the Marines' poem."
Additional works during the first half of the program will feature non-military related pieces, including sacred texts and folksongs from four different countries.
The performance will be conducted by Richard Sparks, chair of the Division of Conducting and Ensembles. Mezzo-soprano soloist Lauren McNeese, a graduate of and current doctoral student in the College of Music, has established her operatic career with major roles which include her Metropolitan Opera debut in Wagner's Parsifal in the 2012-2013 season. Baritone soloist Robert Cardwell, who is also a doctoral student in the College of Music, made his international debut this summer in the title role of Puccini's Gianni Schicchi with the Amalfi Coast Music and Arts Festival in Italy.
Veterans and their families get free admission. $10 for adults; $8 for senior citizens, non-UNT students, children, UNT faculty, staff and retirees, and groups of 10 or more; free for UNT students with valid ID (students must pick up their tickets in person at the Murchison Performing Arts Center box office). Purchase tickets online or by calling the Murchison Box Office at 940-369-7802.
About the UNT College of Music
The UNT College of Music is one of the largest and most respected comprehensive music schools in the country. More than 1,600 music students attend UNT each year, participating in more than 50 widely varied ensembles and pursuing specialized studies in performance, composition, music education or music scholarship. UNT faculty members and students have made appearances on the world's finest stages and have produced numerous recordings, many receiving Grammy awards and nominations. Distinguished UNT alumni can be found around the globe, in top music ensembles, opera companies, universities and schools.