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October 18 , 2004
Thomas Hampson brings baritone to Schwartz, Oct. 26

BY sally Corbett

There is something inherently vivacious and indestructible in the art of song,” according to critically acclaimed baritone Thomas Hampson, who will bring his own vivacious and indestructible talents to the Schwartz Center for a Candler Series Concert on Oct. 26.

The accomplished singer and music education advocate is a Coca-Cola Artist in Residence at Emory, and his appearance will include a master class. The concert’s four groups of songs include Lieder von Robert Schumann; Ciganské Melodie op. 55 by Antonín Dvorák; six songs on texts by Walt Whitman, including William Neidlinger’s Memories of Lincoln and Leonard Bernstein’s To What You Said; and five American art and folk songs concluding with Aaron Copland’s The Boatmen’s Dance. Admission is $48; $36 for faculty/staff; $5 for Emory students.

In recital, Hampson is known for his exceptionally high standards. His versatility has earned him opera roles such as Busoni’s Doktor Faustus, Verdi’s Macbeth and Wolfram in Wagner’s Tannhäuser. In 2001, The Times of London raved, “Singers as distinguished in song as in opera are comparatively rare, and few are more distinguished than Thomas Hampson. His lyric baritone is one of the most beautiful instruments in the world today.”

Hampson’s international honors include the Chevalier de l´ordre des arts et des letters from France and the Austrian Honorary Medal for Science and Arts (September 2004). He has developed a multimedia documentary on the music of Stephen Foster and an anthology about American song.

In 2003, he founded the Hampsong Foundation to promote research, education, and debuts. His recordings have garnered global acclaim, as well as six Grammy nominations and a Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording (2002). To sample his music, visit www.hampsong.com.

Joining Hampson is pianist Craig Rutenberg, a highly sought-after accompanist, coach and trainer. The San Francisco Chronicle praised Rutenberg’s range, from its “sterling directness to expansive beauty.” Rutenberg has worked with many great institutions for music, including the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera Center, and London’s Royal College of Music. He has appeared in recital with Denyce Graves, Sumi Jo, Susanne Mentzer and Frederica von Stade.

SONGS AMERCA LOVES TO SING
The Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta 2004 Emerson Series opens with the Atlanta Chamber Players (ACP, www.atlantachamberplayers.com) in “Songs America Loves to Sing,” Oct. 24 at 4 p.m., in the Schwartz Center ($20 general admission; $15 faculty/staff; students free). The concert features the world premiere of a work by Pulitzer Prize winner, composer and conductor John Harbison.

Fanfare lauded Harbison’s compositions as “original, varied and absorbing—relatively easy for audiences to grasp and yet formal and complex enough to hold our interest through repeated hearings.” The work features versions of 10 beloved American songs, including “Amazing Grace” and “St. Louis Blues.” Performing are Paula Peace, piano; Christopher Pulgram and Kenn Wagner, violins; Catherine Lynn, viola; Brad Ritchie, cello; and Emory Department of Music artist affiliates Christina Smith, flute, and Laura Ardan, clarinet.

JAZZ IN THE LAB
In September the first “Art in Unexpected Places: Jazz in the Lab” attracted 100 students. The next jazz happening, to be held in the Computing Center in Cox Hall, will be Oct. 22 from 3–4 p.m. Admission is free, and refreshments will be served. Performing under the direction of Gary Motley, director of jazz studies, are Emory Jazz Combo members Daniel Gray, trumpet; Ricky Feltman, tenor sax; Colin Baylor, piano; Paul Forrest, guitar; David Rosen, bass; and Bill Miner, drums. The event is cosponsored by the Office of Vice Provost for Information Technology and the Department of Music.

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