Music, drama and comedy abound in the 2011-2012 season for Fort Hays State University’s Department of Music and Theatre.
All performances, except where otherwise noted, are at 7:30 p.m.
FHSU Theatre will present “Italian American Reconciliation” from Thursday, Sept. 29. to Saturday, Oct. 1, and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, in the Felten-Start Theatre in Malloy Hall. Surrounded by round tables littered with empty bottles, half-drunk glasses of red wine, used napkins and leftover balloons, the five characters in “Italian American Reconciliation” wrestle with interpersonal doubts in John Patrick Shanley’s romantic comedy.
The Hays Symphony Orchestra, featuring guest cellist Dr. David Littrell, professor of music at Kansas State University, is Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center in Sheridan Hall. Littrell judges solo and orchestra contests and is a clinician and conductor throughout the United States.
Dr. Pasha Sabouri from Concordia College Music Acadamy in Austin, Texas, will play violin on Tuesday, Nov. 1, at Palmer Recital Hall located in Malloy Hall, room 115. Sabouri has been a soloist for the opening of the Edinburg Festival in Scotland as well as with the Las Vegas Philharmonic, Henderson Symphony, the Early Music Ensemble at the Butler School of Music and the Ottawa Sinfonette.
St. Louis Brass will play on Tuesday, Nov. 8, at Beach/Schmidt. Founded in 1964, the quintet is one of America’s longest standing brass quintets and now performs concert tours throughout the United States each year, plus recording and international touring.
FHSU Music Theatre will present the Broadway musical “Guys and Dolls” from Thursday, Nov. 17, to Saturday, Nov. 19, and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20, in Felten-Start. “Guys and Dolls” depicts an absurd romance between a hardened gambler named Sky Masterson and a Salvation Army-type missionary girl, headquartered in the theater district.
Tubist Eric Fritz will perform in Palmer Hall Tuesday, Jan. 31. A Hutchinson native, Fritz received an undergraduate degree in tuba performance from the University of Southern California and a master’s from the famed Juilliard School of dance, drama and music in New York City.
Hays Symphony Orchestra’s Young Artist Competition Concert is on Saturday, Feb. 18, at Beach/Schmidt. The three finalists from the competition will perform with the Hays Symphony Orchestra during the concert.
FHSU Theatre will present “Much Ado About Nothing” from Thursday, March 1 to Saturday, March 3, and at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 4, in Felten-Start. The play is a comedy revolving around two pairs of lovers full of witty dialogue and comic moments.
Brad Dawson, assistant professor of music and theatre, trumpet; and Ben Markley, piano will perform Monday, March 5, in Beach/Schmidt. Markley, a jazz pianist rooted in the bebop tradition, earned a bachelor’s degree from FHSU in piano performance and is currently an instructor for FHSU’s Virtual College. He has taught at various music camps and been a guest soloist and clinician for many schools and universities throughout the Midwest.
The Hays Symphony Orchestra and the FHSU Choirs come together for their final concert of the season at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, in Beach/Schmidt. Both the orchestra and choirs are comprised of students, FHSU faculty and community members.
FHSU Music Spectrum is Tuesday, May 1, in Palmer Hall. Spectrum is a departmental concert produced each semester of original solo and small chamber music compositions by FHSU students.
Other events sponsored by the department: Sept. 8: Faculty Recital, Hilary Shepard, flute, Palmer Hall; Sept. 24: Hays Symphony Orchestra Pops Concert, Beach/Schmidt; Oct. 4: FHSU Music Faculty Showcase, Palmer Hall; Oct. 13: Faculty Recital, Benjamin Morris, cello; Dr. Irena Ravitskaya, piano; Ivalah Allen, soprano; and Hilary Shepard, flute; Palmer Hall; Oct. 21: FHSU Band and Choir Concert, Beach/Schmidt; Oct. 22: Faculty Recital, Matt Means, violin, and Dr. Irena Ravitskaya, piano, Palmer Hall; Nov. 10: FHSU Jazz Concert, Beach/Schmidt; Nov. 13, 2:30 p.m.: Faculty Recital, Kay Werth, oboe, and Dr. Irena Ravitskaya, piano, Beach/Schmidt; Nov. 14: FHSU Small Ensembles, Beach/Schmidt; Dec. 6: Faculty Recital, Dr. Kristin Pisano, clarinet, Palmer Hall; Dec. 8: FHSU Bands, Beach/Schmidt; Dec. 11, 3:30 and 6:30 p.m.: Cathedral Concert, St. Fidelis Cathedral, Victoria; Feb. 2: FHSU Percussion Concert, Beach/Schmidt; Feb. 3: Faculty Recital, Ivalah Allen, soprano, and Dr. Irena Ravitskaya, piano, Palmer Hall; Feb. 10: Faculty Recital, Dr. Irena Ravitskaya, piano, Beach/Schmidt; March 8: FHSU Choirs, Beach/Schmidt; March 13: Western Missouri University Trio, Beach/Schmidt; March 15: FHSU Bands, Beach/Schmidt; March 27: FHSU piano trio, Palmer Hall; April 6 and 7: FHSU Opera, Felten-Start Theater; April 10: Smokey Hill Chorale, Sternberg Museum of Natural History; April 12: FHSU Jazz, Beach/Schmidt; April 13: Faculty Recital, Dr. Irena Ravitskaya, piano; and Lane Weaver, trombone, Palmer Hall; April 16: FHSU Small Ensembles, Beach/Schmidt; April 26 to 28: FHSU Theatre, Felten-Start Theatre; May 4: FHSU Bands, Beach/Schmidt.
Tickets are $6 for the public, $4 for senior citizens and children 12 and older, and free for FHSU students and children under 12. Tickets may be purchased at the door prior to each performance.