Get the PDF Department of Music – Vocal Music Program Bedford North Lawrence High School 595 Stars Blvd., Bedford, IN 47421 812-279-9756
September 8, 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BNL FALL CHORAL CONCERT The Bedford North Lawrence Department of Music is proud to announce musical selections for the Vocal Music Program's Fall Concert at the BNL Performing Arts Center on Sunday, October 12, 2008 at 2:30 PM. Admission is free, and donations to the BNL Vocal Music Program will be gladly accepted at the door. The concert will last approximately one hour. Vocal Music Program Director Brian Samarzea [sah-MAR-jah] has selected a program of folk songs and spirituals for the concert. “There are many branches that feed into contemporary American music,” explains Mr. Samarzea. “We are starting this year by exploring the roots of traditionals like folk songs and spirituals.” The audience may be surprised to find The Beatles In My Life on a program of folk songs and spirituals. Originally released on The Beatles 1965 album Rubber Soul, the song has taken on a life of its own like most Lennon/McCartney songs have. Lennon started with a long, rambling, and as he admitted himself, dull reminiscence of his own childhood in Liverpool. When he brought the lyrics to McCartney, the two of them worked it down to its essential elements and came out with the enduring reflective ballad we know today. Lennon's haunting tenor backed by the distinctive Beatles harmonies translate well into a full choral arrangement. “Our big feature in this program,” continues Mr. Samarzea, “is Salmo 150 by Ernani Aguiar [er-NAN-ee AH-gwee-ahr]. Aguiar was born in Brazil in 1950. Because of the place and time of his birth, he became part of that school of musicians and composers who came out of Brazil and the rest of South America that strongly impacted western music in classical, jazz, and popular music. Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos [ay-EE-tor Vee-ah LOH-bohs] had made a significant impact on Western music by the time Aguiar was born. At the same time, other composers like Lalo Schifrin [LAH-loh SHIF-rin] (Argentina) and Antonio Carlos Jobim [ZHOH-beem] (Brazil) were expanding the South American influence into movies, early television, and popular music. As a student of music, Aguiar would have been exposed to all of these composers.” Salmo 150 is based on the text of Psalm 150 which encourages the reader to praise God's power with music. As such, Aguiar wrote a short and demanding piece that emphasizes the voices of each choral section with rich textures of smooth phrases in the higher voices sung against the rhythmic lyrical percussion of the lower voices. Mr. Samarzea explains, “Salmo 150 is one of the more difficult pieces in the ISSMA competition songbook. The talent of any choir is stretched by this piece, and I'm very pleased at the progress we are making in its rehearsal. The students are very excited to hear it coming together and can't wait to sing it for an audience.” Mr. Samarzea has also included in the program a selections of songs that will be included in the Program's December Concert which will be presented as a Madrigal Dinner. “Madrigal Music,” explains Mr. Samarzea, “is one of the oldest traditions in Western vocal music, originating during the Renaissance period around the 1500's. Nearly all of what we know as classical vocal music originated from the composers and singers of that time. It was a time when the composers began to take the stories of the day and set them to music. Over time, this became solo vocal music and opera, and the rest is Music History.” At a Madrigal Dinner, guests will be treated to a delightful experience out of time. Guests will be welcomed into an atmosphere suggestive of the Elizabethan 1600's that will include vocal and instrumental performances, wandering performers and artists, and dinner. The Madrigal Dinner performances are scheduled for December 12th and 13th. ----- The BNL Vocal Music Program and Performing Arts Center welcomes all audience members to attend these events. Tickets will be available for each event depending on the performance and venue. Additional program information is available by calling (812) 279-9756 or visiting https://sites.google.com/site/bnlmusicdept/. Brian Samarzea is an Minnesota native and has been the Director of the Bedford North Lawrence Vocal Music Program since 2006. He studied music at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. He is also the Music Director of Morgantown United Methodist Church and serves as Adjunct Faculty for the University of Indianapolis. He has performed at the Bolshoi in Moscow, in New York City and in Tokyo. He can be reached at (765) 349-9868 or samarzeab@nlcs.k12.in.us. Additional Media Contact: Stephen M. Paulsen, Proscenium Arts and Entertainment, (812) 275-2298, proscenium@mindspring.com.
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