The Todd Hill Orchestra has been entertaining for twenty-four years. The Orchestra has been featured at a number of venues, ranging from Mississippi Casinos to upscale Concert Halls. The vast majority of the musicians in the Orchestra have been members for more than fifteen years, eight members have served over twenty years.

The Todd Hill Orchestra

The musical numbers they played were upbeat, with that crisp clean sound that is the signature of the Big Band Era. The Brass Section raised the roof on the concert hall, at least once or twice during the evening. Director Todd Hill played the Piano, and for most of the evening provided vocals when needed. Derek Jones provided the vocals for one number, during the rest of the evening he played either the Alto Sax or the Clarinet, he also had several outstanding sax solos.

A number of the Orchestra members were former Austin Peay students, and one lead trumpet player Richard Steffen is a faculty member in the APSU Music Department.

If you missed the show last night, the Todd Hill Orchestra graciously allowed me to provide the following video of them performing Dizzy Gillespie’s A Night in Tunisia.

Click here to view the embedded video.

They also have a CD available at their web site, http://toddhillorchestra.com/Home.html

The show was the first of a series of five outstanding concerts that are being brought to town by the Clarksville Community Concert Association (CCCA)

The CCCA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting musical performances of high merit to Clarksville-Montgomery County. The CCCA receives funding by the APSU Center of Excellence for the Creative Arts, series subscriptions, corporate donors, private contributions, and ticket sales.

Gabriela Montero

The next concert in the series is set for October 8th at 7:30 p.m., and features the lovely and talented pianist Gabriela Montero. She along with Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman, and clarinetist Anthony McGill played at the Obama inauguration. The song by John Williams was pre-recorded due to the extremely cold weather.

Montero frequently interacts with the audience during her performances, to the point of asking them to suggest a melody, then improvising the song for them. “When improvising,” Gabriela says, “I connect to my audience in a completely unique way – and they connect with me. Because improvisation is such a huge part of who I am, it is the most natural and spontaneous way I can express myself. I have been improvising since my hands first touched the keyboard, but for many years I kept this aspect of my playing secret. Then Martha Argerich overheard me improvising one day and was ecstatic. In fact, it was Martha who persuaded me that it was possible to combine my career as a serious ‘classical’ artist with the side of me that is rather unique.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

I hope to see you there!

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Music

All programs are scheduled in the Music/Mass Communication Building.

Individual Music Lessons. Students receive one-on-one instruction for 30 minutes each week. Lessons available on bassoon, cello, clarinet, flute, guitar, horn, oboe, piano, saxophone, trombone, trumpet, tuba/euphonium, violin/fiddle or voice. Lessons take place weekday afternoons and evenings. There are 14 lessons per semester and an end-of-semester recital. Lessons begin Aug. 31.

• Ages: 4 and older for violin lessons
• 7 and older for guitar, piano and other instruments
• 13 and older for voice lessons
• Adults are welcome as beginners or continuing students in all areas.

Fee: $280/semester

Organ Lessons – Jared Wilson, instructor

For pianists with two-three years experience. Lessons taught at Madison Street United Methodist Church. The Rieger-Kloss organ, installed in 2001, is composed of more than 3,500 individual pipes, playable from a three-manual console and pedal board. Its magnificent tones, voices and textures enable it to play the liturgy of the church as well as concert literature spanning all major music periods. Students will not only have the opportunity to study on this instrument, but they will also be able to practice and perform on it. Lessons scheduled as above.

Fee: $280/semester.

Group Violin Lessons - Emily Hanna Crane, instructor

For students enrolled in individual lessons, this class is based on the Suzuki Method, primarily for students in books 1 and 2. More advanced students will enjoy reviewing old favorites and can participate with leadership and assisting the instructor. 4:30-6 p.m., Tuesdays, Sept.8 and 22, Oct. 6 and 27, Nov. 10 and 24, Room 237.

Fee: $60.

Beginning Class Piano for Ages 4-6 – Mary Catherine Bartkowski, instructor.

4:30-5:30 p.m., Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 8, Room 231.

Fee: $140/semester.

Beginning Class Piano for Adults – Simone Parker, instructor.

7-8 p.m., Mondays, beginning Sept. 14, Room 231.

Fee: $140/semester.

Clarksville Youth Chorus for Ages 8-12 – Briana Larsen, director

All interested students, new and returning, should attend the informational meeting with a parent/guardian at 6 p.m., Monday, Aug. 31. Regular rehearsals 6-7 p.m., Mondays, beginning Sept. 14, Room 147.

Fee: $75/semester,  Some scholarships are available.

Clarksville Teen Singers – ages 13-18 – Jared Wilson, director

All interested students, new and returning, should attend the informational meeting at 7 p.m., Monday, Aug. 31. Auditions for new students will be held immediately following the meeting. Regular rehearsals 7-8 p.m., Mondays, beginning Sept. 14, Room 147.

Fee: $75/semester.

Clarksville Community Chorus – ages 18 and older -  Valerie Oyen-Larsen, director

Serious and lighter music, as well as seasonal selections, will be prepared for community and formal performances. Auditions for new members 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 3. Returning members need not reaudition. Regular rehearsals 7:30-9 p.m., Thursdays, beginning Sept. 10, Room 147.

Fee: $75/semester.

Beginning Middle School Orchestra – Lindsay Snapp, director

For students currently studying a string, wind or percussion instrument. All interested students should attend the informational meeting at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 31. Auditions will be held immediately following the meeting. Regular rehearsals 6:30-7:30 p.m., Mondays, beginning Sept. 14, Room 152.

Fee: $75/semester.

High School Flute Choir – JoAnn McIntosh, director

Students can perform in community events and in concert with the APSU Flute Choir. 6:30-7:30 p.m., Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 8, Room 147.

Fee: $75/semester.

Percussion Ensemble – ages 12 and older – Carlos Johnson, director

A great opportunity for students and adults, with or without experience, to participate in a performing group made up of percussion instruments. 7-8 p.m., Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 8, Room 152.

Fee: $75/semester.

Jazz Improvisation – Gary Clayton, director

For experienced instrumentalists, this class will offer instruction in basic jazz improvisation. Rehearse and perform some of the standards of the jazz repertoire in a group setting, and express your individuality by learning to play “off the page.” 6-7 p.m., Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 8, Room 147.

Fee: $75/semester.

Music Theory – JoAnn McIntosh, instructor. Designed for high school students and adults who already study an instrument or voice. 6:30-7:30 p.m., Thursdays, beginning Sept. 3, Room 235. Fee:

$75/semester.

Kindermusik

All programs are scheduled in the Music/Mass Communication Building.

Kindermusik Village: Age 6-18 months

Village provides a delightful environment unlike any other. Through a unique blend of multilevel activities that includes creative movement, vocal play, object and instrument exploration and a colorful literature component, your baby’s growth and development are stimulated and all of his senses engaged. 9 a.m., Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 8, Room 229.

Fee: $190/semester

Kindermusik Our Time: Age 18 months-3 years

Our Time encourages your child to uncover an engaging musical world while building confidence, self-control and communication skills. Singing, imitating sounds, rhyming and object identification foster language skills. Creative movement to various musical “moods” develop a sense of balance, timing and spatial awareness. Listening and turn-taking encourage blossoming social skills. 10 a.m., Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 8, Room 229.

Fee: $190/semester.

Kindermusik Imagine That!: Age 3-4

Imagine That! is designed for active, energetic, enthusiastic and imaginative 3- and 4- year-olds and encourages socialization, sharing and participating in group activities. Singing becomes a focus for enhancing the preschooler’s vocal development as her expressive language is beginning to emerge. Parents are invited to participate in the last 15 minutes of the 45-minute class for sharing time. 11 a.m., Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 8, Room 229.

Fee: $190/semester.

Visual arts

All programs are scheduled in the Trahern Building.

Individual Art Lessons – ages 7 and older.

Students receive one-on-one instruction for 30 minutes each week, beginning with drawing and progressing to other areas, tailored to the student’s own interests. 14 lessons per semester, weekday afternoons, beginning Aug. 31.

Fee: $280/semester.

Beginning Pottery – ages 8-14. Morgan Conwell, instructor.

A beginner’s level course that introduces young people to working with clay and establishing good techniques with hand building before progressing to the potter’s wheel. 10-11:30 a.m., Saturdays, Room 101.

Fee: $125 plus $25 materials. Offered twice per semester: first session Sept. 5-Oct. 10; second session Oct. 17-Nov. 21.

Ceramics – ages 15 and older. Melody Shipley, instructor

Beginner’s level and continuation courses that cover both hand-built vessels and the use of the potter’s wheel. Students begin with hand building, which affords familiarity with the material and techniques, then move to wheel throwing. 6-8 p.m., Thursdays, Room 101.

Fee: $135 plus $25 materials. Offered twice per semester: first session Sept. 3-Oct. 15; second session Oct. 22-Dec. 10.

Painting with Watercolors – ages 8-14. Morgan Conwell, instructor

Classes to gain familiarity with drawing and watercolor techniques. Students will also study different watercolor artists, including visits to APSU art galleries. Day/time TBA, Trahern 403.

Fee: $80. Offered twice per semester.

Introduction to Black-and-White Photography in the Darkroom – ages 15 and older. Jillian Romano, instructor.

Classes in technical use of students’ 35mm cameras, including camera controls, obtaining correct exposure, creating quality negatives and understanding various elements of composition. In the darkroom, students will learn to print and edit black-and-white photographs from their negatives. 6-8 p.m., Mondays, Trahern 106.

Fee: $135 plus $45 materials. Offered twice per semester: first session Sept. 14-Oct. 26; second session Nov. 2-Dec. 7.

Advanced Black-and-White Photography in the Darkroom – ages 15 and older. Jillian Romano, instructor.

For those who have taken black-and-white photography and are comfortable in the darkroom, this class will be more challenging. Holga Cameras, Cyanotypes and Polaroid transfers will be explored. 2-4 p.m., Saturdays, Trahern 106.

Fee: $135 plus $60 materials. Offered twice per semester: first session Sept. 12-Oct. 17; second session Oct. 24-Dec. 5.

Introduction to Digital Photography – ages 15 and older. Jillian Romano, instructor. Instruction in use and functions of students’ digital cameras and how to edit, print and scan photographs. 10 a.m.-noon, Saturdays, Trahern 212.

Fee: $135 plus $25 for materials. Offered twice per semester: first session Sept. 12-Oct. 17; second session Oct. 24-Dec. 5.

The Art of Portrait Photography – ages 15 and older. Suzan Davis, instructor.

Learn about composition and light to produce beautiful portrait photographs with a digital camera. 6-8 p.m., Thursdays, MMC 237. Dates TBA.

Fee: $135.

Arts and Theater – ages 8-12.

A collaboration of arts and theater instruction that will include puppet-making, script-writing and scenery design, culminating at semester’s end in a live stage production in the Trahern Theatre. 6-7:30 p.m., Thursdays, beginning Sept. 3, Trahern 413.

Fee: $100/semester plus $25 for materials.

Dance

All programs scheduled in the Memorial Health Dance Studio beginning Sept. 8. Each class lasts for an hour and will meet once a week for 14 weeks.

Creative Movement for Children – ages 4-5.

Emphasis is on movement and development of gross motor skills, space, time, energy, the body response to rhythms and stories and awareness of the body and how it moves through space. Simple rhythms, basic positions and terminology will also be taught. 3-4 p.m., Fridays.

Fee: $100/semester.

Beginning Ballet.

Students will receive quality dance instruction in beginning ballet technique in a small group environment.

Fee: $100/semester.

Beginning Ballet – ages 6-9 4:30-5:30 p.m., Wednesdays

Fee: $100/semester.

Pre-teen Beginning Ballet — ages 10-12 5:30-6:30 p.m., Wednesdays

Fee: $100/semester.

Beginning Ballet for Teens – ages 13-17 6:45-7:45 p.m., Thursdays

Fee: $100/semester.

Adult Beginning Ballet – ages 18 and older 6:45-7:45 p.m., Tuesdays

Fee: $100/semester.

A little night music by stellar performers Beegie Adair Trio, Dennis Solee, Keri Alkema, Imani Winds and Trio Verlaine headline a season of classical and pop music.

The Austin Peay State University Department of Music and the Center of Excellence for Creative Arts is proud to announce the venue for the Clarksville Community Concert Association’s 2008-09 Concert Series. The series begins at 7:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 15 in the Music/Mass Communication Building Concert Hall with the Beegie Adair Trio with Dennis Solee.

Entertainment News writes, “Beegie Adair is one of the finest piano players in the world.” Adair has recorded 24 CDs, ranging from Cole Porter standards to Frank Sinatra classics to romantic World War II ballads. She has accompanied such legendary performers as Chet Atkins, Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash and also worked with Lucille Ball, Dinah Shore, Mama Cass Elliott and Peggy Lee. Beegie Adair is accompanied by drummer Chris Brown, one of the most sought after drummers in the South and a veteran of the Maynard Ferguson Ensemble and bassist Roger Spencer, who has played with the Les Brown Band, Ray Conniff, the Page Cavanaugh Trio and Pete Jolly.

The Beegie Adiar Trio’s special guest, Dennis Solee, is an accomplished saxophone, flute and clarinet player who has accompanied Natalie Cole, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bob Hope.

Keri Alkema

Mezzo-soprano Keri Alkema will perform Friday, Nov. 21, at  7:30 p.m.  Alkema has been praised by the New York Times as “being an excellent female lead” and for having “an appealing brew of dark and creamy colors in her mezzo, which she yields with an incisive musicality.”

During the current season, Alkema plays Charlotte in Massenet’s Werther for a return engagement with the Chautauqua Opera, joins the Metropolitan Opera roster in its production of Die Walküre, covering the role of Siegrune and sings Handel’s Messiah with the Tucson Symphony. In Winter Park, Fla., she will be heard in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Florida Bach Festival and in Mozart’s Requiem with the Delaware Symphony. She also will offer a recital in Oberlin, Ohio, under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation.

In the 2006-07 season, Alkema made her New York City Opera debut as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, and her Naples Opera debut as Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly.  She sang Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody, Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Florida Bach Festival and Handel’s Messiah with the Virginia Symphony. She also participated in Opéra de Montréal’s Annual Gala concert.  In addition, Alkema gave a solo recital under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation in Winter Park.

Imani Winds will perform at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23, 2009. Since 1997, this Grammy-nominated wind quintet has taken a unique path, carving out a distinct presence in the classical music world with its dynamic playing, culturally poignant programming, genre-blurring collaborations and inspirational outreach programs. With two-member composers and a deep commitment to commissioning new work, the group is enriching the traditional wind quintet repertoire while meaningfully bridging European, American, African and Latin American traditions.

Imani Winds

In the previous season, Imani Winds performed extensively with jazz icon Wayne Shorter, culminating in a summer European tour of jazz festivals in Vienne, France, Lubeck, Germany, Kongsberg, Norway, Copenhagen, Denmark, Limerick, Ireland, and the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In 2008-09, the group will play several engagements with the Shorter Quartet, including dates at Carnegie Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Is Sanat Art and Culture Centre in Istanbul.

Trio Verlaine

Trio Verlaine will perform a classical concert with flute, harp and viola on Friday, March 6, 2009, at 7:30 p.m.  Trio Verlaine will perform a classical concert with flute, harp and viola. The members of Trio Verlaine are drawn together by friendship and a strong desire to further this unusual instrumental combination first dreamed of by Debussy. Members are Heidi Krutzen, principal harp CBC Radio Orchestra and Vancouver Opera, David Harding, professor of viola and chamber music, UBC, and Lorna McGhee, former co-principal flute BBC Symphony Orchestra, London.

They have appeared at many of North America’s finest chamber music festivals and series, including the Oregon Bach Festival, Music in the Vineyards, Sitka Summer Music Festival, Strings in the Mountains, Music in the Morning and Festival Vancouver. Trio Verlaine can be heard frequently on NPR in the U.S. and CBC radio in Canada. In addition to standard repertoire, Trio Verlaine’s exploration will include arrangements of works suited to this rare combination and the commissioning of entirely new works. Trio Verlaine recently had the honor of being granted a commission from Seattle Chamber Music Society. The new trio by American composer, Jeffrey Cotton, will be premiered at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival in 2008. Other upcoming highlights include a BC tour with guests Jonathan Crow (former Montreal Symphony concertmaster) and Matt Haimowitz (international cello soloist) as well as numerous summer festival appearances.

The 2008-09 concert series concludes at 7:30 p.m., Friday, April 3 with a performance by the John Proulx Trio. Proulx is a sought-after pianist, vocalist, recording artist and Grammy-winning composer in the Los Angeles area. Proulx’s debut CD, with legendary musicians Chuck Berghofer and Joe LaBarbera, was recently released on the Max Jazz label on Aug. 1, 2006.  He has performed with many others including Anita O’Day, Mark Murphy and Marian McPartland. Proulx currently plays in the Mike Barone, Randy Aldcroft and Kim Richmond big bands and loves interacting with the pool of great jazz musicians in Los Angeles.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Clarksville Community Concert Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting musical performances of high artistic merit and promoting interest in and enjoyment of live concerts throughout the community.

Advanced tickets may be purchased for any of the concerts listed. Subscriptions for up to five concerts are also available for individuals of groups. For more information about advanced tickets or purchasing a subscription, contact Sharon Nass, (931) 647-7288.

The Delfeayo Marsalis Jazz Quintet’s performance will begin at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 5 in the Music/Mass Communication Building Concert Hall. Tickets are $25 for adults, $12 for students and APSU students receive free admission with their student ID.

A native of New Orleans, Marsalis began studying trombone at the age of 13. He trained at the Eastern Music Festival and Tanglewood Institute and majored in performance and audio production at Berklee College of Music.

Marsalis began producing records at the age of 17. Since then, he has produced more than 75 major-label recordings for artists such as Harry Connick Jr., Marcus Roberts and Branford Marsalis.

He has toured internationally with jazz legends such as Art Blakey, Abdullah Ibrahim, Elvin Jones, Slide Hampton and Max Roach. During a tour with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Marsalis’s performance was filmed for the Ken Burns documentary, “Jazz.”

In addition to producing and touring, Marsalis has released three critically acclaimed solo albums and written musical scores for television, theater and ballet.

For more information about the artist, visit www.delfeayomarslais.com. For more information about the performance, contact Dr. Gail Robinson-Oturu, chair and professor of music at APSU, by telephone at (931) 221-7810 or by e-mail at .

The performance, which is part of the 47th Annual Mid-South Jazz Festival, will begin at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 3 in the Music/Mass Communication Building Concert Hall. The event is free and open to the public.

The Jazz Combo includes Bo Clayton, trumpet, Andy Robinson, saxophone, Trevor Reddick, bass, Rick Ball, drums and David Steinquest, professor of music at APSU, on vibraphone.

All of the musicians graduated from APSU and helped form the Jazz Combo, along with Steinquest, in the mid-1980s. Currently, Clayton plays trumpet in the Navy, Robinson plays throughout the Nashville area, Reddick has played with Lee Greenwood and Louise Mandrell and Ball has played with the Christian rock band Truth, according to Steinquest.

For more than four decades, The Mid-South Jazz Festival has brought top artists to the region including Gary Burton, Kurt Elling, the T.S. Monk Sextet and Sam Yahel and the Yellow Jackets.

The festival also has provided great exposure to jazz through instructional activities and performances for students, teachers and the community.

For more information about the performance, contact the department of music by telephone at (931) 221-7818.

Under the direction of Andrea Brown, assistant band director at APSU, the APSU Symphonic Band concert will be held Friday, Nov. 30th, at 7:30 p.m. in the concert hall of the Music/Mass Communication Building.

This performance will feature works such as Greensleeves arranged by Alfred Reed, A Fresh Aire Christmas arranged by Calvin Custer, In the Bleak Midwinter by Gustav Holst, Russian Christmas Music by Alfred Reed and Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson.

Under the direction of David Steinquest, professor of music, the Jazz Combo concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 5th in the concert theater of the Music/Mass Communication Building.

The Jazz Combo is a small jazz group with an emphasis on improvisation, Steinquest said.

“They play a variety of styles such as swing, jazz shuffles, bossa nova, sambas, ballads and funk. The people who are represented are contemporary jazz artists on a variety of instruments.”

The concert will feature works such as Gina’s Groove by John Clayton, Tai’s Tune by Jesse Davis, Coward of the County by Ron Miles, Waltz for Ruth by Charlie Haden, The Sweeper by Jason Marsalis and Kool by John Scofield. This concert also will feature special guest artist Gordon Lewis, adjunct professor of music, on bass.

For more information about the performances, call 221-7818.