FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (9/02)                                                   
Contact:  Lynn Stewart, Centenary News Service,
318-869-5120, or Hurley School of Music, 318-869-5235
  

Centenary's Friends of Music Concert Series Announces Season

American Chamber Players

American Chamber Players, formed in 1985 from a core group of artists of The Library of Congress Summer Chamber Festival, will perform at Centenary on Jan. 26, 2003.

SHREVEPORT, LA --  Season and single tickets are now on sale for the 2002-03 season of the Friends of Music Concert Series. Sponsored by the Hurley School of Music at Centenary College, Friends of Music will present four concerts this year. 

Oct. 13: Zenaida
The season will open at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 13, with a performance by Zenaida, a group from Baton Rouge led by harpist Sally Lyons Wood. Members of Zenaida are flutists Sarah Beth Hanson and Kristen Kean, violinist Kelly Smith Toney, violist Jennifer Cassin, cellist Dan Cassin and Sally Wood.  They will play a program of music primarily from the romantic period, including selections by Debussy, Ibert, and Berlioz. Zenaida has recently released its first CD, Twilight.

Nov. 3: New Friends Chamber Players
On Sunday, Nov. 3 at 3 p.m., the New Friends Chamber Players will perform the second concert of the season. This Shreveport-based group presents a wide variety of musical literature. The name of the group refers to the fact that they frequently search out compositions that may be new to audiences, but deserve much wider performance. Last season’s presentation of the stunning sextet by Hungarian composer and pianist Erno von Dohnanyi is an example of such discoveries. Led by cellist Ruth Drummond and French horn player Tom Hundemer, the New Friends Chamber Players have appeared frequently on this concert series, always to high acclaim.

Jan. 26, 2003:  American Chamber Players
The season continues with the appearance of the American Chamber Players on Sunday, Jan. 26 at 3 p.m. Formed in 1985 by violist Miles Hoffman from a core group of artists of The Library of Congress Summer Chamber Festival, the members of the American Chamber Players have toured throughout North America, engaged and re-engaged by prestigious concert series from Florida to British Columbia.  Leader Miles Hoffman is the cultural commentator for National Public Radio’s The Morning Edition and has been a commentator on NPR’s Performance Today for 13  years.  

The American Chamber Players perform a wonderfully varied repertoire ranging from familiar masterpieces to neglected gems to newly commissioned American works, and their recordings are distributed internationally on the Koch International Classics label.  The New York Time said, “They appealed to the heart and the head, offering a warm, seductively luxurious sound and an impressive precision and unity of purpose.”  

April 4, 2003:  Constance Knox Carroll
On Friday, April 4 at 7:30 p.m., the final concert of the season will bring back to Shreveport one of its favorite performing artists, pianist Constance Knox Carroll. Ms. Carroll is Barineau Professor of Keyboard Studies at Louisiana State University. Prior to teaching at LSU, Ms. Carroll served for over two decades on the faculty of Centenary College as artist-in-residence. She has also maintained an active performing career, presenting recitals and master classes across the country. This concert will occur during a special reunion weekend for music students at Centenary College, as part of the College’s celebration of the 150th anniversary of music at Centenary.

All concerts will be in the newly renovated auditorium of the Hurley School of Music.  Renovations have greatly increased the luxury of this hall.  As a  consequence of larger and more comfortable seats, seating capacity has been reduced to 252. Ticket purchasers may now also specify a seat selection, with seating availability preference to season ticket holders.  

Season tickets for the Friends of Music Concert Series are $35 for adults and $15 for students.  Single concert tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.  Tickets are on sale at the music office of the Hurley School of Music.  Call 318-869-5235 to order by credit card, or send a check to Friends of Music; Hurley School of Music; 2911 Centenary Boulevard; Shreveport, La., 71104.  The series is free only to Centenary students, faculty and staff.
 
 

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