UST hosts May concerts, recitals
The University of St. Thomas welcomes the public to the music performances listed below. All will be held on the university's St. Paul campus unless noted otherwise. Admission is free.
Important note: Spring is "recital season" for many student musicians, and best-laid recital plans often change as artists prepare for their big performances. If you plan to attend a student recital, please double-check with the performer or with the university's College of Arts and Sciences' Music Department, (651) 962-5850, for schedule updates.
- 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 2, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: St. Thomas' African Music Ensemble, conducted by Dr. Sowah Mensah, gives a spring concert.
- 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 3, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: Charles Holton, clarinet, and Erik Johnson, trumpet, give a student recital.
- 7 p.m. Saturday, May 3, in the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas: The UST Handbell Choir gives a performance.
- 2 p.m. Sunday, May 4, in the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas: The St. Thomas Liturgical Choir will host a hymn festival featuring music by the Rev. Jan Michael Joncas from his newest recording, "In the Sight of the Angels: Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs" ( Chicago: G.I.A. Publications).
Father Jan Michael Joncas Joncas is an internationally known composer of liturgical music, author and assistant professor of theology and Catholic studies at St. Thomas. His "Salve Regina" will premiere at the concert; he received the Jubilate Deo Award from the National Association of Pastoral Musicians this year for a lifetime of distinguished service to liturgical music.
The "all UST composers" program also includes works by students Chuck Benincasa and Sean Barker; alumni Daniel Kantor, David Haas and Andrew Hackett; and Dr. James Callahan, professor emeritus.
Admission is free, but a free-will offering will be taken to benefit Open Arms of Minnesota, a nonprofit organization that serves meals to people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer or other chronic illnesses. Open Arms is a service-learning partner of the university.
The event also will include the presentation of Carrie Larson Memorial Scholarships to two Liturgical Choir members. The $5,000 scholarships were established by John and Marilyn Larson in memory of their daughter, a 1989 St. Thomas alumna and Liturgical Choir member.
This concert will be the first in the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas since its recent renovation, and the Hidding and Reiling families will be publicly recognized for their generosity to the effort. The chapel's sanctuary will be blessed at Ascension Sunday Mass at 11 a.m. As always, the public is invited to worship with the university community.
Since then the Liturgical Choir's founding in 1977, it has traveled extensively, performing throughout the United States and abroad: to Ireland in 1983; to Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia in 1985; to Italy at Christmas 1987, when it was the first American choir invited to sing at Midnight Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome; to eastern Europe in summer 1991; to the Holy Land in 1994; and back to Italy for Christmastime tours in 1997 and 2007.
- 7 p.m. Sunday, May 4, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: Student guitarists Michael Berg and Alex Maiers give a recital
- 7 p.m. Monday, May 5, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: St. Thomas senior Dejen Tesfagiorgis gives a saxophone recital. Tesfagiorgis won the university's 2008 Tommie Award for leadership, scholarship and campus involvement.
- 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 6, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: St. Thomas' Instrumental Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Singers give a concert.
- 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 7, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: St. Thomas' Guitar Ensemble gives a concert.
- 8 p.m. Thursday, May 8, in O'Shaughnessy Auditorium at the College of St. Catherine, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul: St. Thomas' Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, Women's Choir and Alumni Choir will join forces with 60 professional instrumentalists to perform Guiuseppi Verdi's "Requiem." Professional soloists for the event include Imani Anderson, Susan Druck, Dan Dressen and Michael Jorgenson.
- 2 p.m. Friday, May 9, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: Jedediah Smentek, double bass, gives a student recital.
- 4 p.m. Friday, May 9, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: Voice students of Dr. Debra Kotulski give a recital.
- 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 9, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: Ashley Borree and Mario Perez, voice students, give a recital.
- 8 p.m. Friday, May 9, in O'Shaughnessy Auditorium at the College of St. Catherine, 2004 Randolph Ave., St. Paul: The UST Bands give a spring concert.
- 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 9, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: The St. Thomas Piano Ensemble will give a concert.
- 4 p.m. Saturday, May 10, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: Graduate student pianist Janet Tschida gives a recital.
- 2 p.m. Sunday, May 11, in Room LL30A, Brady Educational Center: Students of Judith Kogan give a harp studio recital.
- 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: Voice student Paul Engels gives a recital.
- 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, in Brady Educational Center auditorium: Voice student Sam Johnson gives a recital.
