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Award-winning harpist Emily Mitchell, artist in residence in the Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music, will perform with music faculty colleagues at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19, in Cole concert Hall on the SFA campus.

In addition to Mitchell, the program titled “Mask of the Red Death” will feature Christina Guenther, flute; Melissa Nabb, viola; Jennifer Dalmas, violin; Alba Madrid Walburn, violin; and Evgeni Raychev, cello. Composers represented on the concert are Claude Debussy and André Caplet.

“They were colleagues and friends in Paris,” Mitchell said. “Caplet is best recognized as a fine conductor, but he also orchestrated many of Debussy’s short piano pieces.”

The program includes Debussy’s Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp and Caplet’s Conte Fantastique for Harp and String Quartet based on Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Mask of the Red Death,” in which Mitchell plays the protagonist harp.

“You wouldn’t think of the harp as an instrument that could express fear and dread,” Mitchell said, “but the compositional writing is complete with a terrifying account of an inevitable pursuit combined with the gaiety of ignorance, the clock striking 11 and 12, then the horrible knock on the door and ensuing chaos.”

The performance of the Caplet work will be staged with a reading of Poe’s short story by Stephanie Murphy, assistant professor of acting/directing in SFA’s School of Theatre.

“It’s going to be an elegant spook before All Hallows’ Eve,” Mitchell added.

Emily Mitchell enjoyed a 30-year career in New York City where she was principal harpist for the incomparable Eos Orchestra. She was an established name in the television, motion picture and recording studios of New York and taught on the faculties of New York University and Purchase College. Mitchell toured the United States as a soloist and chamber musician for Columbia Artists’ Community Concerts for many years. She relocated to Texas in 2008 and was appointed to the music faculties of SFA and Sam Houston State University. Mitchell performs with Saint Cecilia Chamber Music Society in Houston, Better Than One harp duo with Jaymee Haefner, and is director of The New Houston Harp Ensemble.

The concert is part of the School of Music’s Calliope Concert Series. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

As another guest artist recital celebrating the 2017 Octubafest at Stephen F. Austin State University, internationally renowned soloist Andrew Hitz will perform at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Octubafest is a performance series held by many universities around the world to showcase the tuba and euphonium as solo and chamber music instruments, according to Dr. J.D. Salas, associate professor of tuba and euphonium studies at SFA.

Hitz will collaborate with pianist Dr. Hsin-I Huang, a recent addition to the SFA School of Music faculty. Salas will also perform with Hitz on a piece called “Three Grooves for Two Tubas” by Tom Holtz.

Other recital repertoire will include Gustav Mahler’s “Songs of a Wayfarer,” arranged by Eric Carlson, Astor Piazzolla’s “Oblivion,” arranged by Greg Anderson, and Sam Pilafian’s “Relentless Grooves.”

According to Salas, Mahler wrote the poetry for “Songs of a Wayfarer” himself. Heavily influenced by the folk verses in the collection “The Youth’s Magic Horn,” the poems are almost certainly autobiographical: Mahler casts the protagonist/himself as “a traveling journeyman who has met with adversity, setting out into the world and wandering on in solitude,” Salas explained.

One of Piazzolla’s most popular tangos, “Oblivion” became widely known through the soundtrack of Marco Bellochio’s film “Henry IV, the Mad King.” The short piece has been recorded in many versions, including for klezmer clarinet, saxophone quartet, and oboe and orchestra. This arrangement will be for tuba and piano.

Pilafian’s “Relentless Groove” is a two-movement work that allows performers to “play world music on their instrument and explore their inner dancer,” Salas explained.

As a soloist, clinician and speaker, Hitz has appeared in more than 40 states and 30 countries, including Japan, Brazil, Russia and Singapore. He recently ended a 14-year tenure as the tuba player for Boston Brass. He has also appeared with the National Symphony Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Alarm Will Sound and the Marine Band of Mexico. Hitz hosts two podcasts through his latest venture, Pedal Note Media, a digital media company that provides products and programs to educate, entertain and inspire music teachers, players and fans, and “The Brass Junkies,” a podcast interviewing the best brass players in the world.

Other upcoming Otubafest performances at SFA include Stephen Kunzer, tuba (professor of tuba/euphonium at Oklahoma State University), on Oct. 27; the euphonium quartet fLOW on Oct. 11; and performances by the entire SFA Tuba-Euphonium Studio and the SFA Tuba-Euphonium Ensemble.

The recital is part of the School of Music’s Calliope Concert Series. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

The Red Mountain Trio will perform at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, in the Music Recital Hall in the Wright Music Building on the campus of Stephen F. Austin State University.

The string ensemble features M. Brent Willians, violin; Daphne Gerling, viola; and Katherine Decker, cello. Their program will include “Introduction to the Dance” by C.M. von Weber, arranged by J.W. Kalliwoda; Serenade in C Major, op. 10 for violin, viola, and cello by Ernst von Dohnanyi; “Three Rags for Violin and Cello” by William Ryden; and String Trio in G Major, op. 9 no. 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven.
“We are so pleased that these wonderful musicians were able to include us on their tour of Texas universities this month,” said Dr. Jennifer Dalmas, associate professor of violin and viola at SFA. “Our string students will also benefit from master classes that afternoon between 1 and 3 p.m. at the music school.” The classes are open to the public.

Williams is assistant professor of violin and viola at Fort Lewis College, on the faculty at the Music in the Mountains Conservatory, and concertmaster of the San Juan Symphony. A dedicated chamber musician, he is the violinist of the Inverness Chamber Players and violinist/violist of enhakē, with whom he won the grand prize at the Yellow Springs Chamber Music Competition, first prize at the 3rd International Chamber Music Ensemble Competition, and was a finalist at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition in Japan.

Gerling is senior artist teacher of viola and chamber music and associate director of the Summer String Institute at the University of North Texas, where she has taught since 2011. Her performances and teaching engagements have taken her across the United States, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Chile, England, Germany, Honduras, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal and Vietnam. She has been a guest performer and master teacher at 30 universities around the country and abroad. She appears with Dallas’ Chamber Music International and Art Music series, as well as Sounds Modern in Fort Worth.

Decker, assistant professor of cello at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, has performed at the Texas Music Festival (quartet artist in residence), Round Top, Meadowmount, and the Miami Quartet’s Advanced String Quartet Seminar. As an orchestral musician, she has played with the Tallahassee, Columbus, Elgin, Albany symphony orchestras. She is also a member of the award-winning ensemble, enhakē. As a member of the Eppes String Quartet, she performed throughout the United States and in Costa Rica.

The concert is a presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music. Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre will present Paul Adam Levy’s one-act play “Thank You For Protesting” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, and at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Oct. 14, in the Downstage Theatre on the SFA campus.

Directed by Mesquite senior theatre major Taylor Solice, “Thank You For Protesting” is a satire about a citizen’s right to protest.

“When a local government worker is tasked with replacing ‘a thing’ with another ‘thing,’ a nearby resident takes it upon herself to put a stop to it,” Solice said in describing the play.

The cast includes Cypress freshman Crayten Clendion as the resident; Hillister freshman Matthew Dean as the worker; El Campo freshman Cameron Wall as the protester; and Waller freshman Cassidy Kelly as the boss.

The production staff includes Nicole Freyer, Corpus Christi senior, as stage manager; Isabel McNeil, Houston junior, scenic designer; Madison Rey, Mesquite senior, costume designer; Shelby Peterson, San Antonio junior, lighting designer; Maggie Strain, Port Aransas senior, sound designer; and Marian Midgett, Waco junior, properties designer.

Along with prior directing projects, Solice has acted on SFA’s Mainstage and Downstage productions. She is primarily a props master, having performed that role for 10 productions while at SFA. Solice will serve as props master for the upcoming School of Theatre presentation of “Mr. Burns” by Anne Washburn.

Faculty production advisor for “Thank You For Protesting” is Dr. Inga Meier.

The Downstage Theatre is located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive.

Tickets are $4. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit theatre.sfasu.edu.

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music will present the Swingin’ Axes and Swingin’ Aces jazz bands performing at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

The program will showcase a mix of classic and swing jazz favorites, according to Dr. Deb Scott, director of the Swingin’ Axes.

The Axes’ program includes “April in Paris” as performed by Count Basie, “Greasy Sack Blues” as recorded by the Woody Herman Big Band, “All of Me,” arranged by Billy Byers, “Sama De Haps” by Mark Taylor and “Tenderly,” arranged by Mark Taylor.

“Minnie the Moocher” as recorded by Cab Calloway, and “I Get a Kick Out of You” as recorded by Frank Sinatra will feature Barry Martin on vocals. Martin, a senior percussion major, recently completed a summer stint performing with the 2017 Disneyland All-American College Band on both percussion and vocals.

“We will also perform ‘Down to the Nightclub’ by Stephen Kupka, Emlio Castillo and David Garibaldi, arranged by Paul Murtha,” Scott said. “This was recorded by Tower of Power.”

The Swingin’ Aces, directed by Dr. J.D. Salas, will perform music recorded by Woody Herman, Duke Ellington and Stan Kenton.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.