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OCA Presents the Cascade Clarinet Consort and the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra

The Oregon Center for the Arts (OCA) at Southern Oregon University presents Groove Machine, a concert by OCA’s in-residence ensembles the Cascade Clarinet Consort and the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra. The concert will be Tuesday May 30th at 7:30 PM at the SOU Music Recital Hall.

The Groove Machine concert will feature the music of American composer Marc Mellits. In addition to Black for two bass clarinets. Mellits’s Groove Canon, Mara’s Toys, December and Groove Machine from his work Revolution will be performed by the Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra.  Composer Marc Mellits is one of the leading American composers of his generation, and is often considered a miniaturist, composing works that are comprised of short, contrasting movements or sections.  His music is eclectic, all-encompassing, colourful, and always has a sense of forward motion.

The Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra (SSO) is renowned in the saxophone world for their commitment to expanding musical possibilities.  Tours of the SSO have included Asia, Europe and Mexico.  As the guests of the Longkou Jingsheng Musical Instrument Co., the SSO performed at the China Music Trade Show in Shanghai and at the northern seaside resort city of Yantai.  The Cascade Clarinet Consort (CCC) and SSO have performed with guest artists Edmund Welles and Globe Saxophone Quartet as well as live on the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Green Show, Britt Festival, Oregon Music Educators’ Conference and the KTVL-Medford Channel 10 Morning News. They were honored by being selected for a performance at the XVth World Saxophone Congress in Bangkok, Thailand and in 2012 a consortium of the SSO opened for Branford Marsalis at the XVIth World Saxophone Congress in St. Andrews, Scotland.

The local and internationally recognized Siskiyou Saxophone Orchestra attracts students from all over the world and is led by Yamaha Performing Artist and Professor at Southern Oregon University Rhett Bender. Go to saxophone.sou.edu for more information about saxophone and clarinet activities at Southern Oregon University. Professor Bender states that he is “particularly excited about this concert because it exploits the interlocking rhythms written by one of America’s most commissioned composers, Marc Mellits. His music for saxophone and clarinet is an engaging musical journey.”

All tickets are general admission and are being sold through the Oregon Center for the Arts Box Office. The box office is located in the SOU Music Building, off South Mountain Avenue, adjacent from the Theatre building, which is currently under construction. OCA Box office hours are noon to 6 PM Monday through Friday. Tickets can be purchased with a credit card over the phone by calling 541-552-6348 or online at oca.sou.edu/box-office.

 

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OCA Theatre Program Presents Summer People

The Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University Theatre program proudly presents Maxim Gorky’s depiction of turn of the century Russia, Summer People. This homage to Anton Chekov, runs May 11-14, 2017 at Southern Oregon University’s Stevenson Union Arena.

Something of a de facto sequel to Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard, Summer People depicts the ordeals and aspirations of Russia’s new middle class, represented by several families vacationing in their summer homes. They play chess, meet for picnics, and entangle themselves in perilous romances, all while facing the unmistakable specter of change—a change some fear, some welcome, and none can avoid.

Summer People is written by Maxim Gorky, and the translation of the play is by Nicholas Sanders and Frank Dwyer. According to dramaturg Tamar Peterson, “Maxim Gorky (1868-1936), a Russian and Soviet writer, born under the name Alexei Maximovich Peshkov, got his start writing as a journalist, favoring the alias, “Gorky,” which means “the bitter one.” Gorky’s career breakthrough came when he published his first book, Essays and Stories, in 1898. He believed that literature should be a form of political commentary and protest. His best-known work, The Lower Depths, which debuted at the Moscow Art Theatre in 1902, depicts the plight of down-and-out Russians living in a shelter near the Volga River.”

Summer People is directed by James Edmondson, a long-time resident director and actor with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. “We are particularly excited about the production of Summer People because it showcases the outstanding depth and skills of our student performers. It has been a rewarding experience to work with actors who demonstrate such dedication and discipline,” states Edmonson.

Performances take place Thursday-Saturday, May 11 through 13 at 8 PM; Saturday-Sunday, May 13 through 14 at 2 PM at the Stevenson Union Arena on the Southern University Campus at University Way. Tickets are: $21 regular, $18 senior, $6 student, general admission.

Tickets are being sold through the Oregon Center for the Arts Box Office. The box office is located in the SOU Music Building, off South Mountain Avenue, adjacent from the Theatre building which is currently under construction. Remaining tickets will be on sale one hour prior to performances at the entrance to the Stevenson Union Arena. OCA Box office hours are noon to 6 PM Monday through Friday. Tickets can be purchased with a credit card over the phone by calling 541-552-6348 or online at oca.sou.edu/box-office.

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5 Picks for Live Entertainment in the Valley

Mail Tribune – Posted December 2, 2016

SOU Chamber and Concert Choirs

The Southern Oregon University choirs, directed by Paul French, will present “Ancient Nova,” a program of secular and sacred holiday music, at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, in the Music Recital Hall, 405 S. Mountain Ave., on the SOU campus in Ashland. Look for music by American composers Erik Whitacre and Alvin Trotman, Korean composer Hyo-Won Woo and arrangements of traditional carols. Tickets are $10, $5 for seniors, and can be purchased online at oca.sou.edu/box-office or by calling 541-552-6348. Students get in free.

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Sounds of Crater Lake

Mail Tribune

Posted Jul. 29, 2016

The moods of Crater Lake, from the explosive sounds of its creation to the gentle stillness of a winter morning, were evoked this morning in the world premiere of a musical composition called “Natural History.” The setting couldn’t have been more natural, the open spaces at The Watchman, which overlooks Crater Lake, the focus of the work by New York City composer Michael Gordon. The work was commissioned by Britt Music & Arts Festival, and Gordon spent time visiting Crater Lake National Park last summer and winter to develop an appreciation for the lake and its history.

Learn more about the ‘Sounds of Crater Lake’ on the full article.

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Britt Orchestra Celebrates National Park Service Anniversary

Source Weekly

Posted Jul. 20, 2016

Established in 1902, Crater Lake is the fifth oldest national park and Oregon’s only national park. Its stunning blue water has inspired awe in nature enthusiasts, artists, and photographers from all over the world. On July 29, the Britt Orchestra and Music Director Teddy Abrams will introduce music lovers to the majesty of the park with the world premier of Michael Gordon’s composition, “Natural History.”

Learn more about the National Park Service Anniversary celebration on the full article.