The Masterworks Festival features the Southern Arkansas University Chamber Singers and Heritage Singers, and the 150-voice Masterworks Festival Chorus. The Festival Chorus will be accompanied by a string orchestra and organ as they perform Franz Schubert’s “Mass in G Major.” Soloists for the concert include Jenna Tucker, David Crouse and Greg Oden. Dr. Allen Clements will serve as conductor and Sharon Ard will be the accompanist.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Clements at 235-4246.

The David R. Gillingham piece “Concerto for Marimba and Percussion Orchestra” will be performed by Wu and the SAU Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Michael Britt, in addition to a solo recital. The evening also features an open master class for high school students at 5:30 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public.

The SAU student chapter of the ACDA currently has seven members, Katy Larkin, Jennifer Sheridan, Daniel Clark, D’Eric Warren, Lisa Ortigo, Wesley Lewis and Jessica Stovall, the organization’s president. These seven members attended the convention and performed on Feb. 22 as members of the Collegiate Honor Choir, a group consisting of 300 college students from seven states.

In addition to performing with the Honor Choir, chapter president Jessica Stovall was selected to be one of 9 student conductors for the convention. This honor permitted her to conduct a vocal piece at a sight-reading session.

“It was a very good opportunity and wonderful experience for me to be able to conduct a large room full of current a future choral directors,” said Stovall.

The convention consisted of several instructional sessions and performances, including one by the King’s Singers, a famous singing group from Europe.

The open house will include several performances by members of the band as well as comments from Southern Arkansas University President Dr. David Rankin.

Faculty and students have been practicing and holding rehearsals in the 14,377 square-foot band hall since January. J.P. Wilson, director of bands, anticipates growing opportunities to highlight his program and promote music education in the region.

“We are just excited that we have enough room to be able to invite other schools to host competitions. We’ve got two huge rooms and the smaller room is bigger than our old space was. That’s amazing,” Wilson said.

The public is invited to attend this event at the new band hall located behind Dolph Camp Hall, facing the pond to the north of the University Village.

Visitors may participate in a drawing to receive a free copy of T. T. Tyler Thompson’s definitive history, Horns Up!! College Bands of the Arkansas Heartland.

The schedule of the open house includes:
• 1 p.m. clarinet quartet in hallway
• 1:30 p.m. jazz band in secondary rehearsal room
• 2 p.m. comments by Dr. Rankin
• 2:15 p.m. wind ensemble in primary rehearsal room
• 3 p.m. percussion ensemble in primary rehearsal room
• 3:30 p.m. concert band in primary rehearsal room

For more information, contact the Dean of Liberal and Performing Arts, Southern Arkansas University, 870-235-4200.

The concert will feature the SAU Heritage Singers and Chamber Singers. Dr. Allen Clements will act as conductor and Sharon Ard will be the accompanist. Admission is free and open to the public.

ENCORE, a song a dance troupe from the Theatre and Mass Communication Department, is under the direction of Judy Vasser and performs each year for Upward Bound students. This year’s concert will include up-tempo selections of rock music, show music, hip hop dances, and country selections. The concert will also feature several talented soloists.

This semester, ENCORE has 40 students and is celebrating 26 years of entertaining high school students throughout the Ark-La-Tex.

There is no charge for this performance. Family and friends are invited. For more information, contact Judy Vasser at 870-235-4259.

The AIB is held in conjunction with the Arkansas All-State convention for high school musicians at the Arkansas Music Conference in Hot Springs, Feb. 14-17.

SAU students participating in the event include Jerry Crawley, a junior music education major from Teague, Texas; Manchusa Loungsangroong, a freshman music major from Bangkok, Thailand; Ashley Martin, a junior early education major from Wasilla, Alaska.; Rachel O’Dell, a sophomore music education major from Atlanta, Texas; Jimmy Rosendo, a sophomore music major from Irving, Texas; Jon Ed Rowe, a senior computer information systems and management double major from Magnolia; Lance Taylor, a junior computer information systems major from Magnolia; Cody Sturdivant, a sophomore music major from Groesbeck, Texas; Al Torres, a senior music education and print journalism double major from Corrigan, Texas; Jennifer Turner a junior music education major from Texarkana; and Josh Withem, a freshman music major from Fort Worth, Texas.

These students, along with musicians from other Arkansas universities, will rehearse and perform with renowned composer and clinician, Samuel R. Hazo.

The Wind Ensemble, conducted by J.P. Wilson, will perform a brief concert of standard and contemporary wind band literature.

The concert is free and open to the public.

On Wednesday, Feb. 14, 11 students from the ensemble will participate in the Arkansas Intercollegiate Band. This honor band consists of college students from every university in Arkansas. The group performs in conjunction with the Arkansas All State Music Conference in Hot Springs.

The quartet of musicians, all members of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, will perform Haydn’s Quartet in D Major, nicknamed the “Lark,” and George Crumb’s “Black Angels.” The latter work is most distinctive, having been composed in 1969-70, near the end of the Vietnam War era, and reflects the tensions of that time.

The musicians will perform on amplified string instruments as well as a variety of percussion instruments. The second half of the concert will feature violinist Andrew Irvin, French hornist David Renfro, and pianist Carl Anthony in a performance of Brahms’ Trio in E-flat Major.

The concert is free and open to the public.