Ensemble celebrates its 50th anniversary and faculty retirement

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University's Collegium Musicum celebrates its 50th anniversary and the retirement of WMU faculty member Dr. Matthew Steel with a concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30. The free public event will be held in the Dalton Center Recital Hall and is followed by a reception with refreshments.

Special guest artists include John Robison, a professor from the University of South Florida in Tampa and an expert performer on Renaissance and Baroque lute. Robison has played with the WMU Collegium Musicum twice before. Also joining is Emily Solomon, who graduated from WMU three years ago with an mater's degree in music, having participated in the Collegium for five years. She is now graduating from the University of Michigan School of Music with two degrees in harpsichord. Colin Brown, also a longtime member of the WMU Collegium before graduating and going on to earn a master's degree in Baroque performance practice in flute from Oberlin's College-Conservatory, will perform along with a newcomer to the Collegium, Ann Marie Boyle, who has participated in Early Music in the Kalamazoo area for several years. She now is co-director of Early Music Michigan. Soprano Boyle earned her master's from Indiana University's Early Music Institute.

Ann Marie will sing two lute songs by Giulio Caccini accompanied by John Robison. Emily Solomon will perform a fascinating harpsichord suite by French master Louis Couperin. Colin Brown will play movements from an elegant French suite by Hotteterre, and Robison will show his versatility by playing Baroque oboe in movements from a Telemann sonata.

The concert is also highlighted by performances of concertos with orchestra: Bach's intricate Brandenburg Concerto Number 4 and the two-trumpet concerto by Francesco Manfredini.

The repertoire of the 20-voice choir of the Collegium includes a madrigal, chanson, villotta, an aria and chorus from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, and beautiful sacred Latin works by Pierre de la Rue and Hans Leo Hassler.

For more information about the concert, visit wmich.edu/music or call (269) 387-4667.

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