Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The School of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University will present “An Evening of Chamber Music for Voice, Viola and Piano” featuring guest artist musicians from the University of Florida performing at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.
“All three guest artists are faculty from the University of Florida, and they are currently traveling through Texas, visiting different universities with their concert program and giving master classes for students,” said Dr. Jennifer Dalmas, professor of violin at SFA.
The trio includes Lauren Hodges, viola; Evan Mitchell, piano; and Christopher Pfund, tenor. Among the works to be performed are Drei Romanzen Op. 22, for viola and piano by Clara Schumann; La Bonne Chanson by Gabriel Fauré; and Four Hymns for Tenor, Viola and Piano by Ralph Vaughan Williams.
Schumann composed the Three Romances, Op. 22 between 1853-1855 and dedicated them to the great violinist Joseph Joachim. These short character pieces are true chamber music that feature the two instruments equally. This transcription retains the original piano part and transposes some passages down one octave to explore the rich timbre of the viola.
La Bonne Chanson by Fauré is a song cycle based on nine poems by Paul Verlaine that focus on the experience of falling in love. A cyclical composition, there are five musical themes which recur throughout until they appear together in the final song.
Described as “romantic poems of divine love and longing,” Vaughan Williams’ Four Hymns for Tenor, Viola and Piano have also been described as “joyful and exultant in mood with quiet moments for mystical contemplation.” Williams wrote the hymns between 1912 and 1914; however, wartime delayed the premiere until 1920.
Hodges is associate professor of viola at the University of Florida where she also coordinates and teaches music appreciation classes. She has given master classes, clinics and performances at universities and music schools throughout the country.
Mitchell serves as assistant professor of piano at the University of Florida. Among his recent career highlights are solo performances on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts series in Chicago; at Merkin Concert Hall in New York City and at several major venues in Shanghai; concerti with the symphony orchestras of Dallas and Fort Worth; and recitals with distinguished musicians.
American tenor Pfund has performed to critical acclaim with countless major orchestras and oratorio festivals throughout North America including the Cleveland Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Houston Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, among others, and international engagements in the Czech Republic, Germany, Mexico and Brazil. Pfund has also enjoyed success on the opera stage and has numerous recordings. He is associate professor of music at the University of Florida teaching voice and serving as voice area coordinator.
Recital tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. To purchase tickets, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit finearts.sfasu.edu/events/2023/03#2111. For additional information, contact the SFA School of Music at (936) 468-4602.