The Marshall University School of Music’s lecture series, MUsic Mondays, returns to The Cellar Door, 905 3rd Ave., Huntington, at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18. This year’s series features two interlocking themes: “Music Faculty Favorites” and “Music and National Identity.”
Series organizer and lead presenter Dr. Vicki Stroeher, professor of music history at Marshall University, said several of her colleagues approached her about introducing some of their favorite works to the public in such a relaxed setting.
“I think it’s going to be quite a fun year for our discussions about music,” Stroeher said. “As performers, my colleagues have particularly rich experiences with some of their favorite works and so they will bring an interesting dimension to the series. I am particularly excited to talk about national identity in music, which is a timely topic. How does a composer establish a national identity in music? It’s a bit more complicated an endeavor than one might think.”
The first lecture of the series, “Rossini in Paris,” will be presented by Dr. Wendell Dobbs, professor of flute, and Dr. Júlio Ribeiro Alves, associate professor of guitar.
“Without iPhones and the like, people in 19th–century Paris had to make their own entertainment,” Dobbs said. “The operas of Rossini had such an effect on Parisians that publishers in France made arrangements that the general public could play at home. We’re going to present some of these and explore how they helped spread the gospel of Rossini.”
The fall series will continue through December with the following lecture topics: “Composers and National Identity: Three Case Studies,” presented by Stroeher Oct. 16; “A Prelude to What?” presented by Dr. Johan Botes, assistant professor of piano Nov. 27; and “Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Quintessential Englishness,” presented by Stroeher Dec. 11.
Seating is limited. Participants are invited to arrive early to enjoy conversation and refreshments. The School of Music requests a $10 donation, payable at the door. Checks should be made payable to Marshall University and all proceeds will go to support the music program. Marshall students receive free admission with an MUID.
For more information about MUsic Mondays, call the School of Music at 304-696-3117.
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Photo: Dr. Wendell Dobbs (left), professor of flute, and Dr. Júlio Ribeiro Alves, associate professor of guitar, will perform in the School of Musics MUsic Mondays series Sept. 18.