‘Year of the American Composer’ to continue with SU Oratorio Society March 29

‘Year of the American Composer’ to continue withSU Oratorio Society March 29March 15, 2005Jaime Winne Alvarez jlwinne@syr.edu

To celebrate the “Year of the American Composer,” the Rose, Jules R. and Stanford S. Setnor School of Music in Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts will present the Syracuse University Oratorio Society, March 29 at 8 p.m. The performance will take place in the Rose and Jules R. Setnor Auditorium, located in Crouse College.

The recital, part of the Tuesday Night Concert Series, is free and open to the public. Parking is available in the Irving Garage.

Under the direction of Elisa M. Dekaney, the society will present a concert that reflects the choral traditions of the Americas. Members will perform pieces by Penderecki, Gorecki, Chesnokov, Morten Lauridsen, Paul Basler, Rene Clausen, Libby Larsen and Undine S. Moore, among others.

A highlight of the concert will be featured guest conductor and composer Andre J. Thomas; the program includes several of his songs. Thomas is the Owen F. Sellers Professor of Music, director of choral activities and professor of choral music education at Florida State University. He is a highly regarded choral adjudicator, clinician and director of choirs throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia, and has conducted choirs at the state, division and national conventions of the Music Educators National Conference (MENC) and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). His international conducting credits are extensive and include performances throughout Asia and Europe.

Thomas is also a composer and arranger whose music has been published by Hinshaw Music Company, Mark Foster Music Company, Fitzsimmon Music Company, Lawson Gould, Earthsongs and Heritage Music Company. He has produced two instructional videos on choral conducting and adolescent voices and is past president of the Florida ACDA and the Southern Division of ACDA.