School of Music giving Prism Concert this Saturday

by Elena Ponce

Saturday, Sept. 30 3 p.m. King Concert Hall African Drumming Ensemble Faculty Piano Trio Wednesday Night Jazz Ensemble Fredonia Wind Ensemble Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble

SUNY Fredonia will be showcasing ensembles from its School of Music in a Prism Concert Saturday, Sept. 30 at 3 p.m. in King Concert Hall as a part of Family Weekend. Free and open to all, the concert will feature a variety of samplings from the Fredonia School of Music student body and distinguished faculty.

Five of SUNY Fredonia’s musical ensembles will perform works by DeLugg, McPartland, Gershwin, and Shostokovich.

• The African Drumming ensemble will perform African Xylophone and Drumming Selections under the direction of School of Music faculty member Bernard Woma.
  
• The Faculty Piano Trio, comprised of Jitka Frankova (piano), Janet Sung (violin) and Natasha Farny (cello), will be performing. Ms. Sung has appeared as a solist with the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Aspen Chamber Symphony, the Pusan Philharmonic (South Korea) and the Omsk Philharmonic Orchestra (Russia). Ms. Farny has performed as soloist in famous venues around the world, including Symphony Hall in Boston, Alice Tully Hall in New York City and Mendelssohn Haus in Leipzig.
  
• The Wednesday Night Jazz Ensemble will perform under the direction of Fredonia’s Director of Curricular Jazz, Bruce Johnstone. Johnstone formed a group called “New York Mary” that went on to produce two albums that were rated pick of the month on “Billboard” and “Cash Box.” His recordings have earned 5 star ratings and have swept through Europe.
  
• Dr. Paula Holcomb is the director of the Fredonia Wind Ensemble and has conducted in 39 States, South America, Australia, Mexico, and Europe. Dr. Holcomb joined Fredonia’s faculty in 1999 and has recently earned the A. Frank Miller award from Kappa Kappa Psi.
  
• The Fredonia Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble is under the direction of Raymond Stewart, who is in his sixth year as Assistant Professor of Music at SUNY Fredonia. Mr. Stewart has recorded eight CDs and worked with such composers as Frank Zappa, Milton Babbitt, Elliott Carter, and Elliott Sharp.