By Joan C. McKinney, director of university communications
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – The Campbellsville University School of Music will experience the first in a series of concerto programs specifically designed to showcase current outstanding students in music studies at the university, according to Dr. J. Robert Gaddis, dean of the School of Music, Tuesday, March 27.
Gaddis said concertos are “musical compositions which feature a soloist with an orchestral accompaniment,” said Gaddis.
The event will be at 8 p.m. at Campbellsville Baptist Church.
The first soloist is violinist Ju-Eun Kim who is a student of Peter McHugh. She will be performing Symphonie Espagnole by Edouard Lalo.
This work contains five short movements using Spanish inspired themes and demanding “great technical abilities,” Gaddis said.
Ju-Eun is from Busan, Korea and is pursuing a master of arts in music degree in violin. u-Eun was recently selected as concertmaster of the Kentucky All Collegiate String Orchestra at the Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference in Louisville.
The conductor of Symphonie Espagnole, Opus 21, will be Wan Soo Cho. Wan Soo is finishing his master of arts in music degree in May and will then begin work on the master of music in church music degree at CU.
Gaddos said Wan Soo plays both violin and viola and is also from Busan, Korea. Wan Soo and Ju-Eun were undergraduate classmates at the University of Busan before coming to Campbellsville University to complete their master’s degrees.
The second concerto for this concert will feature two Brazilian students. Felix Borges is the cello soloist performing the Cello Concerto in b minor, Opus 104, by Antonin Dvorak. Dvorak wrote this concerto while living in the United States. During this period of his life, his compositions show his deep interest in American folk music.
Borges is from Recife, Brazil and is a junior pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in music. He is a cello student of Rebecca Kiekenapp. Borges was recently selected as principal cellist of the Kentucky All Collegiate String Orchestra at the Kentucky Music Educators Association Conference in Louisville.
The conductor of the Cello Concerto will be Nilson Galvão Santos. Santos is also from Recife, Brazil.
Santos completed a bachelor of arts in music degree from Campbellsville University and will complete his master of arts in music degree in May.
Gaddis said he has had a considerable amount of podium time conducting the Campbellsville University Orchestra, the Campbellsville University String Chamber Ensemble and other ensembles of both choral and instrumental personnel. He has also had experience in conducting and preparing various ensembles in Recife and João Pessoa cities in Brazil.
“This concert will initiate the annual presentation of exceptionally talented student soloists and conductors in the School of Music,” said Gaddis.
“Please plan to attend and support these fine musicians,” he said.
For more information, contact the School of Music at (270) 789-5237.
Campbellsville University, now celebrating her Centennial year, is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,310 students who represent 100 Kentucky counties, 32 states and 28 foreign nations. Listed in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” 14 consecutive years as one of the leading Southern master’s colleges and universities, Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his eighth year as president.