Music groups to wrap semester with series of concerts

A good concert or ensemble performance may be just what everyone needs before moving through final exams and the holidays, and many Skidmore students will join to present musical performances in the week before exams begin.

Director Janet McGhee will lead the Skidmore College Community Chorus and Vocal Chamber Ensemble in a performance of music by "The Three B's: Bloch, Bernstein and Britten!" at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, in Filene Recital Hall.

The program of mostly Jewish music includes Bernstein's lively "Chichester Psalms" with Alissa Belcastro '12, soprano, plus percussion, harp and piano; Eric Whitacre's gorgeous "Five Hebrew Love Songs" with Jane Esterquest '13, violin; Britten's enchanting "Ceremony of Carols" with Zoe Coppola '10, harp; and excerpts from Ernst Bloch's dramatic Sacred Service, with Taylor Strasburger '11, Maxwell Stevens '11, and Robert Zilinyi '12 sharing the cantor's role.

General admission for the choral concert is $5; $2 for seniors and students, and free with Skidmore student ID.

Earlier, at 3 p.m. Dec. 5, Anthony Holland's composition students will present their newly completed works in a recital of "world premieres" in Filene Hall. Admission is free.

Several small musical ensembles plan performances during the final week of classes, all with free admission in Filene Hall. Performing will be the following: Skidmore Flute Ensemble with Jan Vinci, coach, at 7:30 Sunday, Dec. 6; Skidmore Jazz Ensemble with Mark Vinci, director, at 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7; and the Skidmore Guitar Ensemble with Joel Brown, coach, at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9.

Finally, the Skidmore College Orchestra will wrap up the semester's music performances with a program titled "Music of Victory" at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11, in Filene Recital Hall. Holland, who directs the orchestra, will conduct Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 and Tchaikovsky's enormously popular 1812 Overture. General admission for the orchestra concert is $5; $2 for seniors and students, and free with Skidmore student ID.