MACON – Mercer University’s Townsend School of Music will present more than 65 concerts for its 2011-12 season, including a yearlong concert series featuring national artists celebrating the 10th anniversary of the McCorkle Music Building. The 2011-12 Townsend season continues the popular Fabian String Series of the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings and the Masterworks at Noon series.
The season calendar is available at music.mercer.edu and is featured in the August-September issue of Macon Magazine. To download the full PDF calendar, go to music.mercer.edu/calendar. To order tickets, contact Mercer Ticket Sales at (478) 301-5470.
“Our new Townsend School of Music concert calendar represents a star-studded season of global artists,” said John H. Dickson, dean of the Townsend School of Music. “In addition to our outstanding music school ensembles and faculty recitals, our concert season offers creative musical collaborations with the community, including the Choral Society’s performance of Messiah and concerts by our Mercer Children’s Choir and the Mercer/Macon Youth Symphony Orchestra. Please allow Mercer’s Townsend School of Music to lead you into a world of beauty and artistry that will inspire your musical passions.”
The Fabian Strings Series consists of 10 concerts featuring world-renowned strings artists, beginning with the concerts of the Robert McDuffie Labor Day Festival for Strings on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. and Sept. 5 at 3 p.m. in Neva Langley Fickling Hall of the McCorkle Music Building. In addition, the Fabian Strings Series includes fall performances by the Orion String Quartet, Sept. 29; the Distinguished Artists of the Center in concert, Oct. 18; the Chamber Masterwork: “The Trout,” Nov. 21; and Wedded Bliss on Dec. 6. The series resumes in 2012 with Adam Neiman and Friends on Jan. 24; Robert McDuffie in recital Feb. 11; the Ehnes String Quartet on March 16; Trio RPM on April 13; and Hsin-Yun Huang in recital April 17. All of the Fabian Series performances are held in Fickling Hall at 7:30 p.m., with the exception of the Trio RPM concert, which is at noon, and are $10 general admission or free with Mercer ID. The Robert McDuffie recital is $25 general admission or free with Mercer ID. Those interested in purchasing tickets to all 10 shows in the Fabian String Series can do so for $80 by contacting Mercer Ticket Sales at (478) 301-5470.
In celebration of McCorkle Music Building’s 10th Anniversary, Grammy-winning group Chanticleer will perform a concert Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. It has been called “the world’s reigning male chorus” by The New Yorker magazine and was named 2008 Ensemble of the Year by Musical America. A birthday party for McCorkle Music Building will immediately follow in the gallery. Tickets are $25 general admission and free with Mercer ID.
Additionally, as part of the 10th Anniversary Concert Series, the McDuffie Center for Strings Orchestra, Mercer Singers and other ensembles will be performing A Grand Mercer Christmas on Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. at The Grand Opera House. This traditional event has been called the highlight musical performance of the Middle Georgia holiday season. Tickets are $12 general admission and free with Mercer ID.
The 10th Anniversary of McCorkle Music Building Series also includes Ancient Masterpieces with Ensemble Chaconne on Feb. 7, 2012; Anton Nel at Fickling on Feb. 21, 2012; and Quintessential Jazz with Brad Leali on April 3, 2012. Each of the three concerts is $10 general admission or free with Mercer ID. Tickets for the entire series of five concerts may be purchased for $50.
Townsend faculty recitals and ensemble concerts are held throughout the year in Fickling Hall, typically free of charge, and include a variety of performances, from University ensembles, including Mercer Singers, Mercer Orchestra, Mercer Women’s Choir, Mercer Wind Ensemble, Mercer Opera, Mercer Percussion, Mercer Jazz and Mercer Flute Choir. For concert information call (478) 301-5751.
The Masterworks at Noon returns with the Townsend season as well, with performances featuring jazz, choral, string, piano and brass delicacies. All series performances are held on Friday at noon and run less than an hour. The performances for the 2011-12 season include: Class Brass with the Mercer Faculty Brass Quintet on Sept. 9; Piano Politics with Greg Pepetone on Jan. 20, 2012; Twelve O’Clock Jazz with Sammy K on Feb. 24, 2012; The Blue and the Grey…Music of the Civil War Soldier with the Mercer Singers on March 23, 2012; and String Classics with Trio RPM on April 13, 2012.
Townsend School of Music
Mercer University’s Townsend School of Music and the Townsend-McAfee Institute for Graduate Studies in Church Music offer undergraduate and graduate professional music studies in a comprehensive university environment. The School is nationally recognized for its outstanding faculty, award-winning students, performance ensembles and state-of-the-art facilities. It is home to the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings. Mercer University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.
About Mercer University
Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University enrolls more than 8,200 students in 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies – on major campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah and at four regional academic centers across the state. Mercer is affiliated with two teaching hospitals — Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah and the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, and has educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta. The University operates an academic press and a performing arts center in Macon and an engineering research center in Warner Robins. Mercer is the only private university in Georgia to field an NCAA Division I athletic program. For more information, visit www.mercer.edu.
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