The Department of Music’s robust spring calendar of concerts spans a range of genres, beginning with two concerts on Friday, May 9, during Steinmetz Symposium.
The Steinmetz Chamber Music Showcase is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., that day in Emerson Auditorium. Students will perform live pieces for chamber ensembles or share digital recordings that they prepared as part of their academic pursuit of music. The event is free and open to all.
On Friday evening at 7 in Memorial Chapel, the Union College Orchestra and Choir will perform “Be Still, My Soul,” a dynamic program of masterworks from Bach to Rachmaninoff. This is a ticket event.*
Other concerts are:
Saturday, May 10, 11 a.m., Emerson Auditorium
Jazz Ensemble Steinmetz Concert
The ensemble will showcase student vocalists in the music of Lesley Gore, Etta James, Amy Winehouse, Lake Street Dive and Queen. This event is free and open to all.
Sunday, May 18, 11 a.m., Emerson Auditorium
Early Music Ensemble (Reunion Weekend concert)
This concert, led by André Laurent O'Neil, adjunct professor. features major composers from the High Baroque Era, each represented by the genre they put their stamp on for other composers to emulate. The ensemble presents a concerto grosso by Arcangelo Corelli, a cantata movement by Johann Sebastian Bach and a work from Tafelmusik by Georg Philipp Telemann. This event is open to the public, with a reception to follow and donations* requested.
Friday, May 30, 7 p.m., Emerson Auditorium
Zakuro-Daiko Japanese Drumming and Global Fusion Band’s “Celebration of Spring”
The concert will feature a selection of original works inspired by Ghibli Studios “Totoro” (1988), spring pieces for taiko and performance of the ensemble's core compositions. It is a ticketed event.*
Tuesday, June 3, 5 p.m., Emerson Auditorium
Student Recital, Hollander Prize Competition
The Union College Student Recital is a celebration of passion, perseverance and the power of music. The Hollander Prize Competition honors outstanding musical achievement, featuring some of the College’s most talented student musicians. The event is free and open to all.
Wednesday, June 4, 8 p.m., Emerson Auditorium
Jazz Ensemble / Jazz Workshop
This jazz program includes compositions and performances from students in the Jazz Workshop course as well as the full band playing the music of Carlos Santana and Frank Sinatra. It is free and open to all.
Thursday, June 5, 1 p.m., Emerson Auditorium
Music Department Student Project Showcase
Students will present projects completed in independent studies and senior projects. The event is free and open to all.
Thursday, June 5, 7 p.m., Emerson Auditorium
Chamber Music Workshop Concert
This is a public performance of works written for an intimate setting. Students have prepared pieces by Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu, French composer Camille Saint-Saens, English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, Brazilian composer Antonio Machado and others. Led by André Laurent O'Neil, the concert is free and open to the public.
Friday, June 6, 12:50 p.m., Memorial Chapel
Grace Yutong Wu Senior Recital
Wu’s recital will take the audience on a musical journey from the timeless works of Bach to contemporary music from her home country, China, bridging the traditions of Western classical music and the vibrant spirit of modern Chinese composition. It is free and open to all.
*Ticketed events: The Music Department welcomes donations for tickets. The monies directly support the ensembles. Donations for online presale tickets are $15 for the general public, $10 for Union faculty, staff and alumni, and $5 for students, seniors, and children under 12. A sliding scale donation option for a ticket will be available at the door only. While the support is appreciated, attendance is welcome regardless of financial contribution.