Stones River Chamber Players to premiere new work at Feb. 23 concert

The Stones River Chamber Players, MTSU’s ensemble-in-residence, will continue their 2014-15 season with a free public concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, in Hinton Music Hall inside MTSU’s Wright Music Building.

The ensemble members, all of whom teach in MTSU’s School of Music, will present a world premiere work by MTSU composer-in-residence Paul Osterfield. “Seven Bagatelles” will be presented by MTSU music faculty Andrea Dawson on violin, George Riordan on oboe, Christine Kim on cello and Lillian Pearson on piano.

Click on the graphic above to listen to streaming audio performances by the Stones River Chamber Players.

“I am very pleased to have my music return to the Stones River Chamber Players’ programs with these works,” Osterfield said.

“I composed ‘Seven Bagatelles’ at the request of then-director of the School of Music, George Riordan. I took the concept of the Baroque trio sonata but treated the ensemble with more of a modern flair and approach.”

Along with the premiere performances, the Stones River Chamber Players will present Benjamin Britten’s “Serenade” and Richard Strauss’ “Till Eulenspiegel einmal anders.”

Tenor H. Stephen Smith, pianist Arunesh Nadgir and horn player Angela DeBoer will perform “Serenade,” while Dawson, DeBoer and Tim Pearson will be joined by Todd Waldecker on clarinet and Gil Perel on bassoon for the Strauss piece.

“This is a demanding work for both horn and voice,” DeBoer said of “Serenade,” adding that it is “one of the most evocative and intensely beautiful pieces in the repertory. Well worth the effort to perform!”

Waldecker called the Strauss work “a musical fable at its finest!”

The ensemble’s final concert for this season is set for Monday, April 6, at 7:30 p.m. in Hinton Hall.

You can listen to streaming audio performances by the Stones River Chamber Players at www.mtsu.edu/music/srcp.php.

For details on more MTSU School of Music performances and special events, call 615-898-2493 or visit the “Concert Calendar” link on its website.

— Gina E. Fann (gina.fann@mtsu.edu)