Eastman School of Music’s 10th anniversary celebration of its Italian Baroque Organ continues with an “Italian Baroque Christmas” concert on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Memorial Art Gallery. The concert features a varied program of organ, choral, and instrumental music for the Christmas season, with works by Cavazzoni, Gabrieli, Merula, Corelli, and Pasquini. The program will conclude with a performance of a favorite 18th century Italian Christmas carol (“Tu scendi dalle stelle’) with audience participation.
Performers include Associate Professor of Organ, Harpsichord and Improvisation Edoardo Bellotti; Naomi Gregory and Jacob Fuhrman, doctoral students in organ; baroque string players from Eastman’s Collegium Musicum, directed by Christel Thielmann; solo vocalists Kat Gorlova, Sarah McConnell, and Thatcher Lyman; and visiting guest artists Boel Gidholm, baroque violin, and Deborah Fox, theorbo.
Admission to the concert is included in Gallery admission, which is half-price on Thursday nights and free to UR student ID holders. Seating is limited and cannot be reserved in advance; arrival prior to 7:30 p.m. is advised to secure a seat. This concert is made possible by the Rippey Endowed Trust.
The next concert on the series will take place on January 21, 2016, and will feature internationally renowned Italian musicians Lorenzo and Vittorio Ghielmi, who will present music for organ and viol. This upcoming concert is sponsored by the Humanities Project, a program of the University of Rochester Humanities Center, and is a continuation of the 10th anniversary celebration.
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