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USM Connoisseur Series Updated Opening Announced
The Connoisseur’s Chamber Music Series is committed to bringing to the Hattiesburg and The University of Southern Mississippi communities the very best in national and international artists.
The 2015-16 season will be presented in a variety of venues on the Southern Miss Hattiesburg campus. Many of the ensembles will provide an educational outreach program to students in Hattiesburg and its surrounding communities. Thanks to a generous grant from Partners for the Arts, admission to all events is free.
The series, originally scheduled to open on Sept. 8 in Marsh Auditorium with a performance by the Tetraphonics Saxophone Quartet from Cologne, Germany, has been postponed. Regrettably, one of the members has fallen ill and is not allowed to fly, forcing the cancellation of their American tour.
“We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to possibly rescheduling at some later point,” said Dr. Lawrence Gwozdz, professor of saxophone at USM.
Now, the series will open just one week later, on Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Marsh Auditorium, when the Blair Woodwind Quintet from Vanderbilt University comes to campus. Described as “refreshing, alive, and filled with the joy of making music,” the quintet, founded in 1971, has an extensive repertoire and has performed throughout the South and Midwest, on radio and television, and released a critically acclaimed recording. The quintet is composed of Philip Dikeman, flute; Jared Hauser, oboe; Bil Jackson, clarinet; Leslie Norton, horn; Peter Kolkay, bassoon.
“It is an exciting opportunity to have such a high profile group visiting our school to give masterclasses and a recital,” said Dr. Danilo Mezzadri, associate professor of flute.
The Connoisseur Series will continue into the spring semester with the following events: The Ritz Chamber Players on Feb. 2, The Deanna Witkowski Trio on March 28, Tromba Mundi Trumpet Ensemble on April 5, and the American Quartet on April 18. Patrons are advised to mark their calendars for these outstanding performances.
