“Once Upon a Time” combines vocal and piano talents in concert

Four local musicians will combine talents next week for a unique performance highlighted by individual performances and group efforts in both voice and piano.

Accompanied by two other local artists, Georgia College & State University professors Wendy Mullen and Richard Mercier will perform “Once Upon a Time,” a concert of music in a special Victorian style Monday, Oct. 25 in Max Noah Recital hall at 7:30 p.m.

Richard Mercier, associate professor of music at GC&SU, said the event will be a unique experience for the audience.

“Rebecca Lanning, a soprano from Macon, had the idea of doing a collaborative concert together with us. Since it’s Macon musicians and Milledgeville musicians, we thought we could bill it as a challenge between the Macon musicians and Milledgeville musicians,” Mercier said. “What you’ll have on the program is a combination of things: singers singing together, pianists playing together and then, of course, all four of us performing together as well as individual performances.”

Mercier said after discussing the program, that will consist of Victorian and contemporary pieces the best way to perform was in a Victorian salon style atmosphere. Just as performers did in that period, Mullen, Mercier, Lanning and McVey will take turns entertaining the audience in a more casual, dinner-party atmosphere.

“During the Victorian period salons were very popular. People would attend these events and whoever was at this particular evening’s entertainment would perform for everyone, so there would be a wide array in one performance. It wasn’t just a piano or a singer, it was a variety of things,” Mercier said.

GC&SU audiences have most recently seen Richard Mercier perform with Geraldine McMillian, but his performances have taken him around throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. His most recent performances include the Ravel Piano Concerto with the California State Hayward Symphony Orchestra. He is the author of “The Sounds of Hans Pfitzner” and is currently preparing “The Songs of Max Reger.”

Soprano Wendy Mullen, vocal coordinator and professor at GC&SU, has taught all over the country and has maintained a private studio for 11 years.

She said attending concerts and campus events is important because they play a valuable role in their education.

“It’s important to investigate all parts of life and part of being on a campus is having the arts as well as the academics. I think it’s important to go to musical concerts because it helps define our culture, our history, and our education,” Mullen said. “This concert will expose students to German, English and Italian.”

Rebecca Lanning and Roger McVey, two accomplished local performers, will also perform with Mullen and Mercier.

Mezzo-soprano Lanning is head of the Music Department and director of the Chamber Singers at Macon State College. She has made appearances with Robert Show’s Chamber Singers and Festival singers at Carnegie Hall and more recently with the Macon Symphony Orchestra.

McVey has studied with a number of internationally acclaimed pianists and was a semi-finalist in the 2002 International Liszt Competition in Poland, where critics praised his “passionate artistry and electrifying virtuosity.” Mullen said the event will be filled with good music from talented musicians she enjoys working with.

“They’re all very talented, but they don’t have egos that get in the way,” Mullen said. “We have a lot of fun together.”

Admission to the event is free. For more information contact the GC&SU Department of Music and Theatre at (478) 445-4226.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 22 2004. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry