Date of Concert: Tuesday, November 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Location: Connie Kossen Auditorium (inside Poindexter Hall)

Selections

Watermelon Man                                               Hancock/Kamuf  
Soloists: Aubrey Parker, Alto Sax & Ri’Carrdo Byrd, Tenor Sax

Hancock said, “I remember the cry of the watermelon man making the rounds through the back streets and alleys of Chicago. The wheels of his wagon beat out the rhythm on the cobblestones.”  

Brazil                                                                       Barroso/Stitzel
Solo: Aubrey Parker, Alto Sax

Ary Barroso wrote “Aquarela do Brasil” in early 1939, when he was prevented from leaving his home one rainy night due to a heavy storm. The song only became famous after it was included in Walt Disney‘s 1942 animated film Saludos Amigos.  

It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing     Ellington and Mills/Lopez
Soloists: V Gammel & Charlene Stork, Vocals and Zachariah Harden, Drumset

According to Ellington, the song’s title was the credo of trumpeter Bubber Miley, who was dying of tuberculosis at the time. In 2008, Ellington’s 1932 recording of the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.  

Moondance                                                             Morrison/Story
Soloists: Aubrey Parker, Alto Sax; Ri’Carrdo Byrd, Tenor Sax;
Tyre Smith, Trumpet; Isabella Thompson, Trombone  

You’re Still A Young Man                        Castillo and Kupka/Story
Soloists: Tyre Smith, Trumpet & Ri’Carrdo Byrd, Tenor Sax  

Castillo states, “I had a girlfriend that was six years older than me. I was 18, she was 24 and that’s actually what happened. The story is the young guy’s saying, ‘I’m not too young, I’m not wasting my time and I do love you like a man can truly love a woman.'”  

Chameleon                       Hancock, Mason, Maupin and Jackson/Mantooth
Soloists: John Lollar, Piano & V Gammel, Guitar  

Frosty the Snowman                            Nelson and Rollins/Mantooth
Soloists: John Lollar, Piano & Tyre Smith, Trumpet

Frosty the Snowman storyline begins with a group of children find a hat and place it on Frosty’s head. Frosty laughs and plays with the children until the hot sun threatens to melt him. Frosty says goodbye to the children, reassuring them, “I’ll be back again someday.”  

Celebrate Me Home                             Loggins and James/Zingara                            
Vocalist: V Gammel  
“Aspects of Americana”

Date of Concert: Tuesday, November 1st at 7:30 p.m.

This event will be held in Connie Sills Kossen Auditorium (inside Poindexter Hall) and is free and open to the public.

The MUW Chamber Singers, conducted by Dr. William Reber, present a program that looks at various aspects of our American history and experience. The first part of the program begins with two traditional American songs, a 19th century revivalist hymn adapted by Aaron Copland and a folk song adapted by Jeff Funk.  The first part concludes with excerpts from the musical “Les Mis.”  While the composer of “Les Mis” is not American (French, actually), the Broadway musical is an American art form, one which we have given to the world.

Part Two is comprised of three solo songs by American composer Ricky Ian Gordon, representing different aspects of life from the late 80s to the early part of this century. Susan Hurley, MUW Assoc. Professor of Voice will be the soloist, accompanied by Dr. Reber

Part Three contains three songs: Moses Hogan’s setting of the spiritual “Steal Away,” Margaret Bonds’ choral setting of Langston Hughes poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” and William Grant Still’s “Plain-Chant for America.”

This concert features multiple genres of music and vocal and instrumental performances by our W Music Majors.

This event is held in Connie Kossen Auditorium (inside Poindexter Hall) and is free and open to the public.