NACOGDOCHES - Stephen F. Austin State University music faculty members Jeremy Fain, Geneva Fung and J.D. Salas will present recitals in February as part of the SFA School of Music's Cole Performing Arts Series.
Bassoonist Fain will present an evening of music by his favorite composers at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, in Cole Concert Hall. Among the pieces he will perform are "Recit, Sicilienne, et Rondo" by Eugene Bozza, "Five Pieces in Folk Style" by Robert Schumann, "Rhapsody for Bassoon" by Wilson Osborne and "Trio for Oboe, Piano and Bassoon" by Michael Head.
"I picked these because I am a huge fan of lyricism, and each movement and piece has something beautiful to say," Fain said. "Not many people know of these pieces, so I really wanted to share these melodies with everybody."
Fung (piano) and John W. Goodall (oboe) will perform with Fain.
Fung, SFA staff piano accompanist, will present "Geneva Fung and Friends: Animals in Music" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, in Cole Hall. In collaboration with SFA faculty members, she will perform chamber music featuring animals in music, including Camille Saint-Saëns' "Carnival of the Animals."
Fung described the performance as "a family friendly event," which will also feature "Aesop's Fables" by Anthony Plog, "Fuzzy Birds Sonata" by Takashi Yoshimatsu and "The Little White Donkey" Jacques Ibert.
Performing with Fung will be music faculty members Christina Guenther, flute; Christopher Ayer, clarinet; Jennifer Dalmas, violin; Brandon Pierce, violin, Melissa Nabb, viola; Evgeni Raychev, cello; Carlos Gaviria, double bass; Brad Meyer, percussion; Linda Parr, piano; Charles Gavin, horn; Nathan Nabb, saxophone; and David Howard, narrator.
Salas, assistant professor of tuba and euphonium studies at SFA, will perform new commissions for tuba and piano and tuba in chamber music in a recital at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in Cole Hall.
The performance, entitled "Tunes, Lullabies and Tangos," will include the world premieres of Jason Thompson's "I Regret …," which was composed especially for Salas by his former student, and "Lullaby for Ranjani" by J.R. Wright. The program will feature the Texas premiere of "Stubb's Rigadig Tune," which was composed through a consortium-commissioned project involving many tuba/euphonium professors across the country.
Performing with Salas will be music faculty members James Pitts, piano; Deb Scott, trombone; Charles Gavin, horn; and Scott Harris and Brad Meyer, percussion.
The program also features "Triangles," which "employs jazz styles and rhythms," according to Salas, and "Three Tangos for Tuba & Piano" by Astor Piazzolla, which "takes the tuba and piano on a new and interesting drive through the classical tango countryside," he said.
These concerts are presented by the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music. Tickets for the Cole Performing Arts Series events are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students. For tickets or more information, call the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407.
Axe ’Em, Jacks!