The Music Department at the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith will feature a guest trombonist Nov. 6 and a Chamber Ensemble Concert on Nov. 11, according to Dr. Edward White of Fort Smith, interim head of the department.

 

“Part of our mission as a music department is to contribute to quality of place, and these two events are a perfect example of that,” White said. “The atmosphere of the master class and chamber ensembles will appeal to those who prefer the small performance venues to the big shows. Both of these performances are opportunities to hear classical music at its most intimate.”

 

Nov. 6: Guest trombonist John Fedchock

 

Composer, arranger and solo artist John Fedchock will present a trombone lecture and master class at 4 p.m. Nov. 6 in room 105 of the Breedlove Building.

 

Topics will include the trombone, jazz music and the types of careers available in the music industry. The event is free and open to the public.

 

Fedchock is jazz trombone instructor at Purchase College - State University of New York in Purchase, N.Y. He graduated from The Ohio State University with degrees in music education and jazz studies. He also holds a master’s degree in jazz studies and contemporary media from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y.

 

A strong advocate for arts in education, he conducts seminars and workshops at colleges and universities across the country. White said that along with Fedchock’s prominent performing credentials, Fedchock's extensive jazz education background and comfortable teaching demeanor have made him a popular favorite among teachers and students alike.

 

Coordinators for this event are Dr. Alexandra Zacharella, UAFS director of bands, and Dr. Matt Vangjel, director of the UAFS Jazz Band, both of Fort Smith. For more information, contact Zacharella at 479-788-7972 or Vangjel at 479-788-7538.

 

Nov. 11: Chamber Ensembles Concert

 

The UAFS Chamber Ensembles will perform at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 at UAFS at Second Street, 101 N. 2nd St.

 

The free event will feature a seven-person percussion ensemble, five small brass ensembles, a nine-person flute choir, a saxophone duet and an eight-person clarinet choir.

 

Dr. David Carter of Tulsa directs the saxophone duet and clarinet choir. The duet will perform Larry Teal arrangements of J.S. Bach’s “Two-Part Inventions.” The clarinet choir will perform Peter Schickele’s “Monochrome III.”

 

UAFS percussion instructor Josh Knight of Fort Smith will lead the percussion ensemble in performances of John Alfieri’s “Fanfare for Tambourines,” Blake Tyson’s “Cloud Forest” and “Sharpened Stick” by Brett Dietz.

 

The brass ensembles, co-directed by Dr. Alexandra Zacharella and Dr. Matt Vangjel, both of Fort Smith, will perform a variety of repertoire of classical brass works.

 

Directed by Virginia Hudson of Fayetteville, the flute choir will perform their transcription of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings."

 

According to Carter, “The Chamber Ensembles at UAFS are a great way to showcase the work of the individual instrumental studios in the Music Department. Participating in chamber music ensembles puts unique demands on the individual players and helps develop dedicated professionalism in each of the student performers.”

 

Participants include:

 

Alma: Greg Bowles, tuba; Brent Rowland, trombone; Kyle Scott, saxophone; Trevor Stewart, clarinet; and Sarah Summers, clarinet.

 

Booneville: Kyle Jones, flute.

 

Conway: Mykala Parker, trumpet.

 

Elkins: Nicole Hutchison, flute.

 

Fort Smith: Justin Ball, percussion; Spencer Barker, trumpet; Jenapher Burnett, flute; Dalton Graves, euphonium; Chris Ha, percussion; Jennifer Harvey, clarinet; Ben Hines, percussion; Kaitlin Jones, flute; Erika Marin, flute; Emily McClure, percussion; and Jacob Webb, tuba.

 

Greenwood: Luke Alexander, trombone; Jered May, horn; Andrew Morgan, trumpet; and Holleigh Willis, flute.

 

Hackett: Matt Oliver, percussion.

 

Huntsville: Laura Ramirez, clarinet.

 

Jonesboro: McKendreah Brodie, clarinet.

 

Key West, Fla.: Tiffany Tucker, horn.

 

Lamar: Samantha Kendrick, flute.

 

Lavaca: Shanice McFerran, clarinet.

 

Mulberry: Virginia Jones, saxophone.

 

Norman, Okla.: Kimberly Grooms, clarinet.

 

Pocola, Okla.: Laken Emerson, flute.

 

Roland, Okla.: Courtney Hicks, flute.

 

Stigler, Okla.: Ethan Shaw, trumpet.

 

Van Buren: Caleb Capps, trombone; David Doss, percussion; Justin Dowdy, euphonium; Jenson Smith, percussion; and Candis Sunday, clarinet.

 

For more information, contact Carter at 479-788-7544.