Were it not for such trifling considerations as sleeping and eating, music lovers could happily ensconce themselves in Minot State University's Ann Nicole Nelson Hall well into next week.
Along with visiting artist Yehuda Hanani's performance of Beethoven's complete works for piano and cello Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon -- ticket prices are $10 each or $25 for all three -- several other concert events are scheduled as well.
Jazz Ensemble
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Submitted Photo - - The talents of Minot State University Music Division faculty member Adam Estes will be on display this weekend in MSU’s Ann Nicole Nelson Hall.
The 20-member Minot State University Jazz Ensemble presents "Swing into Spring" today at 7:30 p.m. in MSU's Ann Nicole Nelson Hall, featuring what MSU music faculty member Adam Estes characterized as "a very eclectic program."
"It begins as chamber music, morphs into swing then back into chamber," he said. "It's stretching the kids for sure."
One of the more intriguing titles on the program may be "Hunting Wabbits (A Bad Hare Day)" by Gordon Goodwin.
"We're featuring Teresa Hargrove singing 'Fly Me to the Moon,'" he added. "We have a ballad featuring trombones, and 'Mack the Knife,' too."
The concert is free and open to the public.
Choirs Concert
The MSU Division of Music will also present a Choirs Concert in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
The Sunday evening concert will feature the MSU Concert Choir under the direction of Ken Bowles.
Also, the MSU Women's Chorus will perform under the direction of Cherie Collins, along with the MSU Singers under the direction of Rebecca Petrik.
The concert is free and open to the public.
Concert Band
The stage at Ann Nicole Nelson Hall will then be filled with some 50 members of the MSU Concert Band Monday at 7:30 p.m. for that group's Spring Concert, under the direction of Joe Alme.
The program includes such familiar and unusual pieces such as "Sabre and Spurs March" by John Phillip Sousa, "Cajun Folk Songs" by Frank Ticheli and "The Symphonic Gershwin" arranged by Warren Barker.
Estes, alto saxophone soloist, will perform "Tosca Fantasy," a composition that highlights the most famous melodies associated with that opera by Puccini.
"It's a very vocal, lyrical saxophone," Estes said.
The concert is free and open to the public.
Percussion
Minot State University percussion students will then present their Spring Concert Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall.
According to MSU percussion instructor Avis Veikley, the Percussion Ensemble, Marimba Ensemble and spring semester Percussion Methods class will perform.
"If you are a percussionist, you don't play a single instrument," she said. "You learn dozens everything from drums and cymbals to the keyboard instruments like xylophone and marimba. When we do a concert we take over the entire stage."
The concert will feature a number of unusual instruments, such as a ceramic African udu drum, Trinidadian steel pans, and a collection of hand-made percussion instruments built by MSU art students as a sculpture class project with instructor Doug Pfliger, she added.
The Marimba Ensemble will perform "Cinco de Mayo" by Earl Hatch and "Song of Praise" by Michael Aukofer. The latter features Tim Olson on udu drum.
Rounding out the program will be "My Lady White" by David Maslanka, performed by Justin Goetz on solo marimba, and a demonstration of the sculpture class instruments by percussion students.
The concert is free and open to the public.