OXFORD, Miss. – The “Composers at Ole Miss” spring concert
is slated for Tuesday (March 18) at the University of
Mississippi’s Ford Center for the Performing Arts rehearsal
hall.
Featured composers are guest Kevin Frey, who divides his
time between the Lafayette County town of Taylor and
California, and tenor Christian Feazell, graduate music
major from Oxford.
The 8 p.m. concert highlighting the original works of UM
faculty, students and alumni, is free and open to the
public. Seating is limited.
This year’s program also celebrates the achievements of
internationally renowned composer Nancy Van de Vate, the
first student to earn a master’s degree in music
composition at Ole Miss, said Burt Levy, program
coordinator.
“We are continuing our celebration of Nancy’s achievements
by presenting two arias from her recent operas,” Levy
said.
Soprano Nancy Maria Balach and pianist Stacy Rodgers, both
members of the UM music faculty, will perform an aria from
Van de Vate’s “Where the Cross is Made.” Rodgers also is to
accompany baritone Bradley Robinson, associate professor of
music, on an aria from act II of “Hamlet,” an opera that
Van de Vate is composing.
Feazell is slated to perform two pieces from his “Blake
Song Collection,” and The Mississippians, UM’s principal
student jazz ensemble, plan to perform Frey’s two pieces
written for jazz bands.
“‘Please . . .’ is an up tempo piece that will have you
tapping your feet and ‘Marty’s into S’now’ is a waltz for
jazz band,” Levy said.
The program ends with The Mississippians performing “23
Degrees North-82 Degrees West,” a piece by Bill Russo.
The Composers concerts began in 2000 to offer the
university community an annual program of new music and to
provide a means for UM composition students to showcase
their work, Levy said.
For more information or assistance related to a disability,
call the Department of Music at 662-915-7268. To learn more
about music education at UM, visit