THIBODAUX ā The faculty of the ¹ū¶³APP Department of Music will present the fifth annual Nocturne ā a recital in support of music scholarships ā on Friday, Feb. 18, in Talbot Theater on the university campus.
The evening will begin with a cocktail reception at 6:30 p.m., during which guests will be able to participate in a silent auction with final bids to be placed during the recitalās intermission.
The recital will begin at 7:30 p.m., showcasing the talents of the ¹ū¶³APP music faculty. After the program, guests will enjoy a coffee and dessert reception.
A variety of performance media and historical musical styles await the concertgoer. The program will include performances by harpsichordist Dr. Carol Britt, head of the Department of Music and associate professor of music; singers Dr. Kenneth Klaus, professor of music and director of choral activities; Valerie Francis, assistant professor of music; violinist James Alexander, adjunct instructor of music; saxophonist Paula Van Goes, assistant professor of music; percussionist Eric Gueniot, instructor of music and assistant director of bands, and pianists Dr. Luciana Soares, associate professor of music, Donna Sammarco, instructor of music, and Casey Haynes, staff accompanist.
The newest member of the Department of Music, Valerie Francis will open the concert with an aria and spirituals. In recognition of the 200th anniversary of Franz Lisztās birth, Soares will perform Lisztās transcription of Robert Schumannās Lied, āDedicationā for piano. Klaus will then sing Le Bestiaire, six short songs about animals by Francis Poulenc, accompanied by Sammarco. Britt will perform selections from J. S. Bachās Goldberg Variations on harpsichord, and the Alexander-Soares violin and piano duo will follow with Villa-Lobosās Sonata Desesperance. Sammarco and Haynes will end the first part of the program with āSpanish Danceā for piano four-hands by Moritz Moszkowski.
The second portion of the recital will begin with Gueniot performing on marimba a transcription of Bachās āPreludeā from Suite for Unaccompanied Cello. Van Goes will be joined by Sammarco in a performance of āGosto de Brasilā (āTaste of Brazilā) and Sammarco and Soares will follow with a performance of Joao Guilherme Ripperās āNocturneā for two pianos. The recital will conclude with Francis and Klaus performing the Papagena/Papageno duet from Mozartās The Magic Flute, accompanied by Britt.
Several sponsorship levels are available. A gift of $800 places the guest at the āPolonaiseā level, which includes eight tickets to Nocturne. A $500 gift designates the āMazurkaā level and includes four tickets.
Individual tickets are available for $50 each, which includes the concert and both receptions.
Cocktail attire is requested. Guests should R.S.V.P. by Friday, Feb. 4, by calling (985) 448-4600. Checks should be made payable to the ¹ū¶³APP Foundation and mailed to the ¹ū¶³APP Deaprtment of Music, P.O. Box 2017, Thibodaux, La., 70310.
For additional information, go to www.nicholls.edu/perform/nocturne/.