The Blinn College Division of Visual & Performing Arts will host four live musical performances in nine days beginning with a percussion studio recital on Friday, April 10.
All performances start at 7 p.m. and are free and open to the public. The Dr. W.W. O’Donnell Performing Arts Center is located at 600 Blinn Blvd (map) on the College’s Brenham campus.
The opening performance on April 10 is a Percussion Studio Recital that will feature solo performances from students Michael Roque (Robinson), Timothy Perez (Somerville), Brandi Hurst (La Grange) and Alexis Leija (Houston).
Music instructors Sarah Burke and Todd Quinlan will perform, including a collaboration with special guests Jon Seale from College Station High School and Michael Champagne from A&M Consolidated Middle School.
On Thursday, April 16, the new Opera & Musical Theatre Program will make its debut performance with “A Night at the Opera.” Dan Bircher, director of Vocal Studies, will direct this performance, which includes an array of famous opera scenes.
“This is the first time, to my knowledge, that Blinn has ever presented an opera production,” Bircher said. “If you enjoy musical theatre such as ‘Into the Woods’ and ‘Les Miserables’ then you will enjoy this evening of performances.”
“A Night at the Opera” will feature a wide range of dramatic and comedic works, including: “Riders to the Sea” by Vaughn Williams, “The Chocolate Soldier” by Oscar Straus, “The Coffee Cantata” by J.S. Bach and many more.
On Friday, April 17, Blinn’s Symphonic Band and Wind Symphony will host their Spring Concert. Burke and fellow instructor Robert McElroy will serve as conductors and student James Wilbanks (Schulenburg) will be the featured tuba soloist after being declared winner of the student concerto competition earlier this year. The two bands will perform standard band literature.
On Saturday, April 18, student groups will perform various pieces from the percussion ensemble literature during the Percussion Ensemble Concert. Burke and Quinlan will also perform along with the students during certain selected works.
Blinn’s Division of Visual & Performing Arts offers courses in architecture, arts, music, theatre and communication studies. For more information, visit: www.blinn.edu/vpa.
