299 MTSU GUEST ARTIST RECITAL FEATURES TENOR RANDALL UMSTEAD

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 28, 2007
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, 615-898-2493


(MURFREESBORO)–Guest artist Randall Umstead (tenor) will be be joined by MTSU faculty member Caleb Harris (piano) in a recital at 8 p.m. March 14 in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
“It will be a pleasure to welcome such an accomplished and wonderful artist to campus,” said Harris of Umstead.
“It will (also) be a wonderful opportunity for audiences to hear a cycle of songs by Benjamin Britten, The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, Op. 35,” Harris added. “This set of nine songs will be the centerpiece of the program and include highly virtuosic writing for both tenor and piano.”
As well as presenting works by Britten, they also will perform pieces by Liszt and Schubert. The duo will perform the Three Petrarch Sonnets by Liszt.
“These wonderful songs (by Liszt), which have become standards of the tenor repertoire, are beautiful examples of the some of the most lyrical and passionate writing for voice and piano,” Harris said.
Umstead, who has performed widely in both operatic roles and concert music, holds a master of music degree in voice from the University of Cincinnati College’s Conservatory of Music as well as a bachelor of music degree in voice from Oklahoma Baptist University. He currently is a candidate for the doctor of musical arts degree in voice from the University of Cincinnati College. He is presently an assistant professor of voice at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
Pianist Harris maintains an active teaching schedule as teaching assistant for Professor Douglas Humpherys at the Eastman School of Music and as assistant professor of piano and collaborative piano at MTSU. Music critic Richard Dyer has recognized Harris as “a gifted and earnest pianist.”
The March 14 concert is free and open to the public.
For more information on this and other events in the McLean School of Music, please visit www.mtsumusic.com or call 615-898-2493.


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