SU Music Festival Presents 'A Musical Fantasy' May 5-12

SALISBURY, MD---The world of make-believe comes to life during Salisbury University’s spring music festival, “A Musical Fantasy: From Pirates to Clowns … Anything Goes!” May 5-12 in Holloway Hall.

The SU Opera Workshop inaugurates the festival with Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance Saturday-Sunday, May 5-6, in the Great Hall. Co-directed by Dr. William Folger, SU director of choral studies, and SU voice instructor John Wesley Wright, curtain is 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, May 5, 3 p.m. matinee only Sunday, May 6. Admission is $15, $12 for seniors age 62 and older. SU ID holders receive one ticket free.

SU music students are showcased during an honors recital 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, in Holloway Hall Auditorium. Vocalist Michael Pistorio sings Schumann’s Du bist wie eine Blume, accompanied by Susan Zimmer on piano. Guitarist Jason Balish plays Dyens’ Songe Capricorne. Josh Kahn plays Peters’ Yellow After the Rain on marimba, while vocalist Caitlyn Howard sings Schubert’s Gretchen am Spinnrade, accompanied by Ed Isaacs on piano. Trumpeter Tom Davis joins Zimmer to present Bach’s Concerto in D Major, movements 2 and 3.

The Salisbury Pops follows with music from Hollywood and Broadway at 7:30 p.m. Directed by Lee Knier, selections include Fucik’s Entry of the Gladiators, Anderson’s Bugler’s Holiday, Norman’s James Bond Theme, Garland’s In the Mood and Mancini!, a medley of classics by Henry Mancini including The Pink Panther, Moon River, Baby Elephant Walk and Peter Gunn. Guest soloist Edna Huang, principal clarinetist with the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, is featured on Von Weber’s Concertino for Clarinet.

The Jazz Brazz Big Band highlights standards, as well as contemporary and Latin jazz, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 10, in Holloway Hall Auditorium. Dr. Jerry Tabor directs Carmichael’s Stardust, Zito’s Brazilian Fantasy and Smukal’s Mi Corazon, among others.

Admission to the Salisbury Pops and Jazz Brazz Big Band concerts is free and the public is invited.

The festival culminates with the Salisbury Symphony Orchestra’s family concert with comedic actor Dan Kamin as “The Classical Clown” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 12, in Holloway Hall Auditorium. Sparks fly as Kamin battles Dr. Jeffrey Schoyen, SSO director, for control of the orchestra. By the end of the concert, the clown conducts and the conductor has turned into a clown, all against a musical backdrop of classics by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Strauss and others.

The SSO concert is sponsored by James M. Crouse, D.D.S., P.A.; and the SU Alumni Association, Delmarva Chapter. Grant funding is provided by the Maryland State Arts Council, Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council and Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour.

Tickets are $20, $15 for seniors age 60 and up, and $5 for children 12 and under. Advance tickets are available to purchase and print online at www.SalisburySymphonyOrchestra.org. Tickets also may be purchased at the Information Desk of the Guerrieri University Center. SSO ticket holders receive 20 percent off dinner at SoBo’s Restaurant the evening of the performance.

A free parking shuttle is available from SU’s Wayne Street Garage beginning at 6:30 p.m. and returning following the performance for the Salisbury Pops, Jazz Brazz Big Band and SSO concerts.

For more information call 410-543-6385 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.