Orchestra, soloists to join UVa-Wise choirs for Mozart concert May 5

Accompanied by a professional orchestra and soloists, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise concert choir and Highland Chorale will perform a concert featuring compositions by Mozart during a special combined concert at Wise Baptist Church on Monday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m.

“This is an especially important event for us right now as a young collegiate music program,” said David Volk, assistant professor of music. “The chance for our students to sing with professional musicians in the performance of a major choral work is an invaluable experience and an exciting event for the community as well. It’s gratifying in our first year with the music major to inaugurate an annual series of choral masterworks that will serve as the backbone of our vocal program.”

The choirs will perform Mozart Coronation Mass in C, which premiered in Salzburg in 1779. That year, Mozart had returned from a disastrous trip to Paris and, partly out of material necessity and also to please his father, he took up a position in the Archbishop's service in Salzburg as court organist. He was to provide the court and church with new compositions of his own creation. At the first opportunity Mozart fulfilled this demand, composing the mass for the Easter Day service on April 4, 1779.

Barbara Steinhaus of Piedmont College in Demorest, Ga., Liz Frazer and Stephen Sieck of Emory and Henry College and Harrison Bumgardner of Appalachian State University will perform solos. The program will also include additional smaller choral works by Mozart as well as the Church Sonata No. 4 for clarinet performed by UVa-Wise music instructor Suzanna Masters.

Volk, the concert’s conductor, will be assisted by Michael Cox, instructor in music. Kathy Stewart and Deata Reed will be the accompanists.

The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Office of College Relations at 276-328-0130.

Posted April 22, 2008