Horizons Concert Series has range

Melanie Custard

The NAU School of Music announces its spring performances for the 2011 Horizons Concert Series. These diverse programs range from international music to cutting edge, avant-garde selections.

All performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Ashurst Hall, unless otherwise noted.

The spring series starts with a “Journey Back in Time” on Jan. 18.  A Dutch early-music ensemble, Haagsche Hofmusieck, will perform Baroque music on period instruments. On Jan. 31, Vicki Ray will present “Cutting-Edge Keyboard,” a contemporary music presentation of piano and electronics.

The 2011 Chinese Music Festival, presented by the NAU School of Music and Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, will take place Feb. 13-18, featuring performers from the Shenyang Conservatory of Music. The festival starts with the NAU Symphony Orchestra performance of “Lan Hua Hua Erhu Concerto” and “The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto” at 3 p.m. Feb. 13, in Ardrey Memorial Auditorium.

The festival continues with the Horizons Concert Series presentation of a rare collaboration among traditional Chinese and Native American musicians. The performance features Jia Xiao Cheng, violin; Yin Zai Shen, erhu; Liu Gang, pipa; Tianshu Wang, piano, and special guest, R. Carlos Nakai, native flute.

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra will conclude the festival with its performance “East Meets West” at Ardrey Memorial Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18.

Abbie Conant, soprano/actress/mime/trombonist, with William Osborne, composer/piano, will present the musical theater piece called “Startling, But True,” on Feb. 21. Jeffrey Swann, piano, with special guest Ida Kavafian, violin, will perform “French Literature Meets Music” on April 11. The evening will focus on Marcel Proust and the music that inspired his novels.

“Icarus Refried” featuring “The Art of Performance” will be performed by John MasseriniMelanie Kloetzel, assistant professors, and Benjamin Alexander, lecturer in NAU’s theater department. The avant-garde clarinet and dance interaction with the visual arts, recording sound, film and lighting designs will be at 8 p.m April 28 and April 29, at the Clifford E. White Theater. This performance is co-presented with NAU Theater.

Individual tickets for the Horizons Concert Series are $17.50 for adults, $12.50 for seniors and NAU faculty and staff, $5 for children and free for NAU students with an ID. For tickets to all events, call (928) 523-5661. For information on the season, please visit nau.edu/music/horizons.