A new season of performances by students, faculty and guest artists as well as master classes and symposiums has been announced for spring 2017 by the University of Alabama at Birmingham College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Music.
Faculty and students in the department perform in UAB’s Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center and in the Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Many performances are free, and those that are ticketed help support the department’s programs.
The Department of Music student ensembles consist of about 100 music majors and approximately 100 more students from many other majors, representing all colleges and schools at UAB, says Chair Patrick Evans, D.M.
The UAB Piano Series brings the world’s finest pianists to Birmingham. Professor of Piano and Artist-in-Residence Yakov Kasman, a Van Cliburn medalist, directs the series. On Sunday, Feb. 12, the UAB Piano Series will feature former Kasman students Cahill Smith, Kseniia Polstiankina, Maeve Brophy and Edward Forstman in honor of Kasman’s 50th birthday and his 15 years at UAB. The program will include works by Carter, Liszt, Medtner and Rachmaninoff. The third and final concert of the UAB Piano Series’ 2016-2017 season will be given by Esther Park on March 26, with a program of works of Beethoven, Schubert, Debussy and Messiaen.
Continuing the Department of Music’s collaboration with Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, the fifth Chamber Music @ AEIVA on Friday, April 7, will feature a concert in the gallery in conjunction with the exhibitions. The free Chamber Music @ AEIVA event includes a reception at 5 p.m., followed by a concert at 5:30 p.m., in UAB’s AEIVA, 1221 10th Ave. South. Enjoy free art, music and refreshments as the UAB Department of Music and AEIVA partner with the Birmingham Art Music Alliance to present a concert that connects chamber music with the large-scale installation “Facing the Hyperstructure” by Colombian-born artist Jessica Angel. The concert will feature UAB faculty and Alabama Symphony Orchestra members’ performing woodwind works written by regional composers.
For the most current information about Department of Music events, visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
UAB Department of Music’s spring 2017 season:
Saturday, Jan. 21
Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk
UAB Music presents “HAIL, BRITTANIA!” a celebration of early music from Great Britain, with works by Dowland, Purcell, Blow, Handel and Byrd, 7 p.m., St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1024 12th St. South. Performers include Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk and Elizabeth Packard Arnold, sopranos; Laudon Schuett, lute; Chris Steele, harpsichord; Brady Lanier, viola da gamba; and James Zingara, trumpet. The concert includes an appearance by the Highland Consort, directed by Fred Teardo. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music. This program has been made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the UAB Department of Music.
Wednesday, Feb. 1
UAB Department of Music Faculty Potpourri Recital, 12:20 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Saturday, Feb. 4-Sunday, Feb. 5
UAB Department of Music presents the 15th annual Clarinet Symposium hosted by Denise Gainey, DMA, in UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall and Alys Stephens Center. Events include workshops, recitals, a master class with Richard Stoltzman and the final concert Sunday at 2 p.m., in the Alys Stephens Center’s Morris K. Sirote Theatre. The concert is free and open to the public. Call 205-975-0558 for more information. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Friday, Feb. 10-Saturday, Feb. 11
James Zingara
UAB Department of Music presents the UAB Trumpet Symposium hosted by James Zingara, DMA, in UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Events include concerts, clinics, guest artists and an honors ensemble made up of middle and high school musicians. Call 205-934-2265 for more information. Two free, public concerts will be offered. At 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, Reese Land of the University of Louisville will perform with UAB faculty Zingara, Steve Roberts and Chris Steele. The program will include works by Eugene Bozza, Benjamin Britten, James Stephenson, Antonio Vivaldi, Jacques Ibert and Leroy Anderson. On Saturday, Feb. 11, at 3 p.m., the finale concert will feature the UAB Trumpet Ensemble and more than 50 performers. Both concerts are in the Hulsey Recital Hall. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Sunday, Feb. 12
UAB Piano Series concert featuring former students of Yakov Kasman, 4 p.m., in UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall. Cahill Smith, Kseniia Polstiankina, Maeve Brophy and Edward Forstman, in celebration of Kasman’s 50th birthday, will perform a program to include works by Carter, Liszt, Medtner and Rachmaninoff. General admission tickets are $15; $5 for students through grade 12 and UAB employees; and free to UAB Students. Call 205-975-2787 for tickets. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Tuesday, Feb. 14
Cahill Smith. Photo credit: Szymanski
UAB Music Guest Artist recital, featuring baritone Simon Barrad and pianist Kseniia Polstiankina, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Wednesday, Feb. 15
UAB Student Recital, featuring advanced students in the Department of Music, with Chris Steele, pianist. 12:20 p.m., Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Tuesday, Feb. 21
UAB Faculty Recital featuring Paul Mosteller, baritone, and Yakov Kasman, pianist, 7 p.m., in UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall. Concert will include songs by Schubert, Duparc and Rachmaninoff and “Songs and Dances of Death” by Mussorgsky. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Thursday, Feb. 23-Saturday, Feb. 25
UAB Department of Music presents the annual Jazz Summit, featuring legendary saxophonist Bob Mintzer and the Yellowjackets. Locations include the UAB Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall and Alys Stephens Center Jemison Concert Hall. A final, free concert will take place in the Jemison Concert Hall, at 2 p.m. Saturday. Call 205-934-6154 for more information. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
UAB Concert Choir
Friday, Feb. 24
UAB Choirs in concert, with Southside Choristers, 7 p.m., Southside Baptist Church, 11th Avenue South at 19th Street. Conducted by Brian Kittredge. Southside Choristers directed by Tim Banks. Concert includes the world premiere of Michael Trotta’s “Seven Last Words,” a multimovement, extended work for choir and orchestra. For ticket information visit www.scah.org/events. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Tuesday, Feb. 28
UAB Voice Studio Recital, 7 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Featuring the students of Won Cho, Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk and Paul Mosteller. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Wednesday, March 1
UAB Music Student Recital, 12:20 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Featuring advanced students in the Department of Music. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Yakov Kasman
Sunday, March 5
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerti No. 1 and 2, featuring student pianists Mira Walker and Jacob Skiles, with Yakov Kasman playing the orchestra reduction, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Tuesday, March 7
UAB Music Guest Artist recital, featuring clarinetist Sarunas Jankauskas, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Thursday, March 9
UAB Music Faculty recital featuring flutist Lisa Wienhold and pianist Chris Steele, with guest musicians, 7 p.m., UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall. Free. This replaces the canceled UAB Music Chamber concert featuring violinist Julia Sakharova and pianist Yakov Kasman. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Tuesday, March 21
UAB Music presents Marta Piroșcă, senior flute recital, with pianist Aleksandra Kasman and Mira Walker, cellist Michelle Cheng and percussionist Andrew Bullard, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Thursday, March 23
UAB Music Guest Artist concert: percussion duo Escape Ten, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Sunday, March 26
Esther ParkUAB Piano Series concert featuring Korean-American pianist Esther Park, 4 p.m., UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall. Park will perform a program of works by Beethoven, Schubert, Debussy and Messiaen. Juilliard graduate Park is the winner of the 2013 Jose Roca International Piano Competition and 2013 Russian International Music Competition. She is the winner of the 2009 “Prix Amadeo” and the 2009 Chopin Gesellschaft Klavierwettbewerb. She received top prizes at the third San Marino International Piano Competition, the third China Shanghai International Piano Competition, the sixth Paderewski International Piano Competition, the National Chopin Competition, Hilton Head International Competition and the 14th New Orleans International Piano Competition. General admission tickets are $15, $5 for students through grade 12 and UAB employees; free to UAB Students. Call 205-975-2787 for tickets. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Tuesday, March 28
UAB Music presents Eric Mobley senior composer and piano recital, with pianist Aleksandra Kasman and flautist Marta Piroșcă, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Wednesday, March 29
UAB Student Recital, featuring advanced students in the Department of Music, with Chris Steele, pianist, 12:20 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Thursday, March 30
Eamon Griffith
UAB Music presents Eamon Griffith, senior piano recital, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Sunday, April 2
UAB Music Faculty recital and lecture featuring internationally acclaimed opera and concert singer Won Cho, pianist Chris Steele and flutist Lisa Wienhold, 4 p.m. UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall. A multi-media lecture-recital featuring the spirituals of historic and artistic significance with an overview of history, development and its importance for the concert stage. Audio and video samples with a live performance of the Spirituals arranged by Burleigh, Johnson, Hogan, Hayes and Okpebholo will be presented. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Sunday, April 2
UAB Music presents Danielle Gilliam, senior piano recital, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Monday, April 3
UAB Music’s Jazz Ensemble in concert, 7 p.m., UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Jemison Concert Hall. Directed by Steve Roberts. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Wednesday, April 5
UAB Music Student Recital featuring advanced students in the Department of Music, with Chris Steele, pianist. 12:20 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Wednesday, April 5
UAB Brass Chamber Ensembles in concert, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Concert will feature Blazer Trumpets, Trombone Choir, Tuba and Euphonium Ensemble, and other brass ensembles. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Thursday, April 6
UAB Music’s Guitar Ensemble and Jazz Combos, directed by Maria Bitran and by Carlos Pino and Steve Roberts, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Friday, April 7
The art of Colombian-born artist Jessica Angel
Chamber Music @ AEIVA, 5 p.m. gallery viewing and reception, 5:30 p.m. concert, in UAB’s Abroms-Engel Institute for the Visual Arts, 1221 10th Ave. South. Enjoy free art, music and refreshments when the UAB Department of Music and AEIVA partner with the Birmingham Art Music Alliance to present a concert that connects chamber music with the art of Colombian-born artist Jessica Angel. The concert features UAB faculty and Alabama Symphony Orchestra members’ performing woodwind works written by regional composers. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Friday, April 7
UAB Computer Music Ensemble in concert, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Directed by Matthew Bryant. Featuring new works of electro-acoustic music and multimedia by student composers in the UAB Department of Music. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Sunday, April 9
UAB Gospel ChoirUAB Gospel Choir Spring Concert (Palm Sunday), 5 p.m., in 16th Street Baptist Church, 1530 Sixth Ave. North, Featuring music from the choir’s “MIRRORS” and “Nu-Soul City” recordings and classics by Joe Pace, Thomas Whitfield, Hezekiah Walker, with new works by Fred Hammond, Deitrick Haddon, Ricky Dillard and Kierra Sheard. Directed by Kevin P. Turner. Free.Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Monday, April 10
UAB Music presents a Russian/American faculty recital, featuring soprano Kristine Hurst-Wajszczuk and pianist Yakov Kasman. 7 p.m., UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall. On the program are works by Barber, Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff and a world premiere of a new song cycle by Lori Laitman, with guest artist Denise Gainey, clarinet. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Tuesday, April 11
UAB Piano Studio Recital/Piano Ensembles, featuring students of Yakov Kasman, and ensembles directed by Tatiana Kasman, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Friday, April 14
UAB Percussion Ensemble in concert, 7 p.m., UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Jemison Concert Hall. Directed by Gene Fambrough. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Monday, April 17
UAB Music presents the second annual Concert Band Invitational Festival, UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Jemison Concert Hall. Concerts will take place throughout the day, with a finale performance by the UAB Wind Symphony. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Tuesday, April 18
UAB Honors Recital, featuring winners of the 2016 Honors Recital Competition, 7 p.m., UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Wednesday, April 19
UAB Music Jazz Faculty in concert, 12:20 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.
Aleksandra Kasman
Thursday, April 20
UAB Music presents Aleksandra Kasman, senior piano recital, 7:30 p.m., UAB’s Mary Culp Hulsey Recital Hall. Works by Prokofiev, Myaskovsky, Beethoven and Brahms are on the program. Free. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.Friday, April 21
CANCELED: UAB Music Steel Band in concert
Saturday, May 20
UAB Music presents the fourth annual UAB Piano Day, for pre-college students and piano teachers, 10 a.m. master class with Yakov Kasman, and 2:30 p.m. Polyphonic Music Festival “Bach and Friends,” UAB’s Alys Stephens Center, Reynolds-Kirschbaum Recital Hall. Both events are free. For more information, email tatianakasman@yahoo.com. Call the Department of Music at 205-934-7376 or visit www.uab.edu/cas/music.