Ouachita Stories

Ouachita Baptist University’s Division of Music will present a Chamber Ensembles Concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8 in McBeth Recital Hall on Ouachita’s campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

The Low Brass Ensemble, conducted by Casey Thomas, will open the concert with Rodney S. Miller’s “Pronouncement.” Thomas, visiting assistant professor of music, calls the selection “an exciting and highly energetic piece with a beautiful and lyrical middle section.”

The Saxophone Orchestra, conducted by Dr. Caroline Taylor, professor of music, will then perform J.M. Londeix’s arrangement of Giovanni Gabrieli’s “Canzona XV.” The Horn Ensemble will then perform Richard Bissill’s arrangement of “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Freddie Mercury and made popular by Queen. The Horn Ensemble is conducted by Dr. Craig Hamilton, OBU’s Lena Goodwin Trimble Professor of Music and director of bands.

The Low Brass Ensemble will return to present “Ave Maria.” Deborah Caldwell, a sophomore instrumental music education major from Siloam Springs, Ark., and Chris Sumner, a junior instrumental music education major from Needville, Texas, will then present “Dialogue for Two Trumpets” by Eugene Bozza, followed by the Flute Choir’s presentation of Ziggy Hurwitz’ arrangement of “St. Louis Blues” by W.C. Handy. Kristin Grant, instructor of music, conducts the Flute Choir.

The Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Ryan Lewis, will then perform the first and second movements of “Mitos Brasileiros (Brazilian Myths)” by Ney Rosauro, a piece based on Brazilian legends.

“The movements the ensemble will be performing are about a red-haired jungle dwarf with inverted feet and a headless horsewoman that terrorizes a village until a priest swears at her seven times,” notes Lewis, assistant professor of music. “The work incorporates traditional Brazilian and Western percussion instruments with found instruments such as tin cans, cooking pans and coconut shells.”

The Saxophone Quartet will return with “Andante et Scherzo” by Eugene Bozza, followed by the Flute Choir’s performance of Jay Unger’s “Ashoken Farewell.” The Clarinet Choir, conducted by adjunct instructor Dr. Michael Bartnik, will then perform Karl W. Schlabach’s “Caprice for Clarinet Choir.” Next, the Euphonium Ensemble, conducted by Casey Thomas, will perform an arrangement of George Bennard’s “The Old Rugged Cross” by Ouachita professor of music Dr. Sim Flora.

The Percussion Ensemble will conclude the concert with Chris Crocharell’s “Brooms Hilda,” a STOMP-inspired piece using six players with brooms.

“This piece for ‘janitors’ is an entertaining and unconventional piece reminiscent of the original Broadway group in rhythm, choreography and humor,” Lewis said.

Chris Manzen and Emily Tucker, a sophomore music major from Hot Springs, Ark., will assist the ensembles on piano.

For more information, contact the School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129.