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Home › News & Events › Events › FACULTY ARTIST RECITAL SERIES – RIVER TOWN DUO: PHILIP ALEJO, DOUBLE BASS & CLAIRE HAPPEL, HARP

FACULTY ARTIST RECITAL SERIES – RIVER TOWN DUO: PHILIP ALEJO, DOUBLE BASS & CLAIRE HAPPEL, HARP

Faculty Artists, Small Ensembles, Strings Thursday September 21, 2017 - 7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m.

Venue: Holsclaw Hall, 1017 N Olive Rd, Tucson, AZ 85721-0004

The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music presents a Faculty Artist Series recital featuring River Town Duo with Philip Alejo, double bass and Claire Happel, harp. The free-admission recital will take place on Thursday, September 21, 7:00 p.m. in Holsclaw Hall.

Presenting mostly original works commissioned in the past three years, River Town Duo will share a musical experience that is beautifully complementary – the bass is free to explore intimate dynamics and lyrical phrasing, while the harp provides wonderful resonance and rhythmic vitality. Composers will include Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw, Evan Premo, UA alumnus Frederick Evans and a transcription by Benjamin Britten.

About the Artists:

River Town Duo
Since its formation in 2012, River Town Duo (Philip Alejo, double bass and Claire Happel, harp) has performed at the University of Arizona, Valparaiso University, Kerrytown Concert House, University of Illinois, Mackinac Island Music Festival, Notre Dame University, and the University of Wisconsin, among other venues. During recent summers, River Town Duo has performed recitals as invited artists at the International Society of Bassists Convention in Fort Collins, Colorado and the American Harp Society Summer Institute in Logan, Utah.

To date, River Town duo has commissioned six composers to write works for double bass and harp. “For Claire and Philip” is a 2014 work by Pulitzer Prize and Grammy winning composer Caroline Shaw. Hannah Lash, who teaches composition at Yale University, wrote “Leaves” and “Space” in 2015. River Town Duo received generous support from the American Harp Society Grants Program to fund both commissions. Frederick Evans, a graduate from the MM in Composition program at the University of Arizona, composed “On Lotusland” in 2015. Composers Evan Premo and Whitney Ashe have recently written new compositions for River Town Duo. Premo is a composer, bassist, and former member of The Academy, an esteemed partnership between the Juilliard School and Carnegie Hall. Ashe isa composer whose classical and jazz compositions have been recorded for television (Warner Bros.) and theater (The Public Theater, New York City). This concert will feature the world premiere of “Oxygen,” a new five movement work from Stephen Taylor, professor and chair of composition-music theory at the University of Illinois.

Philip Alejo is the assistant professor of bass at the University of Arizona. Previously he performed as associate principal bass in the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, taught at St. Ambrose University, and served as visiting professor of bass at the University of Michigan. A former member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra and an orchestral mentor with the Detroit Civic Orchestra, Philip has played with the Phoenix Symphony, Tucson Symphony, Ensemble Dal Niente, Flint Symphony, and Ann Arbor Symphony. As a chamber musician, Dr. Alejo collaborates regularly with harpist Claire Happel in River Town Duo. Philip has performed at numerous music festivals, including Spoleto Festival USA, Lucerne Festival, Swannanoa Chamber Music Festival, Mackinac Island Music Festival, Oaxaca Instrumenta, Aldeburgh Festival, Tucson Winter Chamber Music Festival, Pacific Music Festival, and Aspen Music Festival. He teaches at the Milt Hinton Institute at Oberlin College, AZASTA Bass Jam, and the Richard Davis Bass Conference at the University of Wisconsin.

Claire Happel is a versatile performer in music and movement. As a harpist, she has performed with the St. Louis Symphony and Civic Orchestra of Chicago among others and formed chamber projects with oboist Karisa Werdon, bassist Philip Alejo (River Town Duo), guitarist James Moore and mandolin player Jeremy Harting (Noble Fowl Trio), and violist Kim Uwate and flutist Kathleen Winters (Trio 114). An advocate of new music, she has performed with contemporary ensembles such as Ostravská Banda, the Chicago Composers Orchestra, International Ensemble Modern Academy, and on the Pulitzer Series of St. Louis, curated by David Robertson. While in graduate school, she founded and directed the group, Yale Movement Improvisation and Composition, and collaborated with choreographer Jennifer Monson to perform live harp with electronics by Zeena Parkins for the dance work, “La Merita.” She has received two City of Chicago Cultural Affairs Grants, an American Harp Society Grant, an Illinois Arts Council Professional Development Grant, and an Urbana Arts Grant, and has performed at American Harp Society Conferences in Chicago and Tacoma, presented at the World Harp Congress in Dublin, and was a Fellow at the Saratoga Harp Colony. She received a Fulbright Grant in 2007-2008 to study with Jana Bouskova in Prague and holds degrees in music performance from Yale University and the University of Illinois, where she also received a BFA in Dance. She currently teaches harp, Alexander Technique, and movement at Valparaiso University and Olivet Nazarene University.

CONTACT: (520) 621-1655
TICKETS: Free admission

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The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music
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The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music

Interview Lisandro Acosta, Distinguished Master's Student

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The Fred Fox School of Music 2022 Scholarship drive ends today! Thank you for joining us for our shared belief in our young artists and scholars, and for the love of music.

If you want to make a gift, the crowdfunding will close at midnight!


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What the world needs now is more love and more music! And the Fred Fox School of Music needs your financial support. Your tax-deductible gift helps to provide the financial support that our talented, visionary young musicians need in order to thrive, create and innovate at the Fred Fox School of Music.

The Fred Fox School of Music is a place of discovery, growth and of musical excellence. The generous support of our loyal patrons, alumni and friends is crucial to serving our bold mission and supporting our wonderful students. This month-long fundraising event features student performances, stories and powerful testimonies to the transformational power of scholarship gifts.

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The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music
5 days ago
The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music

Last day to give:

Any gift can make a difference!
Thank you for your support of our talented students!

....

$25: Your gift contributes towards students' application fees for Young Artist and other music competitions

$100: Your gift contributes towards students' conference fees for professional development

$250: Your gift helps to support student travel for professional presentations and performances at conferences

$500: Your gift provides the award for the concerto winners who perform at the Presidents Concert

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The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music
1 week ago
The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music

Thank you for your support of students like Benjamin!

Double your impact during our donation matching challenge through May 15th!

Interview with Benjamin Patrick Skoronski, Distinguished Graduate Student Award winner, PhD student in musicology.

Thanks to a group of four generous donors, all gifts for To Music with Love will be matched dollar for dollar up to $5,000 until May 15, 2022. Please make your gift today and double your impact on our amazing students!

What the world needs now is more love and more music! And the Fred Fox School of Music needs your financial support. Your tax-deductible gift helps to provide the financial support that our talented, visionary young musicians need in order to thrive, create and innovate at the Fred Fox School of Music.
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Thanks so much for the recognition! Would you be able to repost with the correct spelling of my name ("Skoronski" rather than "Skoranski")?

👏👏👏👏👏

Congratulations 🎊

Congratulations to Ben.

The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music
1 week ago
The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music

JustArts Fellowship for Student Leaders in the Arts

The program was created in collaboration with students serving on the Arizona Arts Diversity and Inclusion Committee, including Seoyeon Kim, Cat Cogliandro, Arianna Aquino, and Lynn Robinson. I am excited that it is now ready to launch with generous funding made possible through philanthropic support.

This unique opportunity invites students to design and complete a change-oriented project that increases student access to meaningful arts experiences. Fellows identify challenges, generate creative solutions, and collaborate with student peers and Arizona Arts mentors to bring a more just vision of the arts to life.

To be eligible for the Fellowship, students must be degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate students in UArizona's College of Fine Arts and enrolled full-time for the 2022-2023 academic year. Fellows will meet once every other week during the fall and spring semesters. They will also receive a $6,000 award with an additional $1,500 in supply/execution budget to bring projects to fruition. You may find more details in the attached flyer.

In my capacity as AVP for Equity in the Arts, I've come to know students across CFA who demonstrate a commitment to equity and inclusion through advocacy, community-building, and other actions big and small. I am sure there are many students in your networks who are ideal candidates for this opportunity. Please share the announcement and flyer widely and encourage individual students to apply. The deadline for applications is May 30, 2022.
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Katie Baird YAY KATIE!!! ❤️❤️❤️

The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music
2 weeks ago
The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music

Violist Katie Baird is the University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music Presser Award Winner and Outstanding Senior. She is graduating this May 2022 with a bachelor's degree in viola performance. Please join us in celebrating Katie's dedication and accomplishments!

***

To Music with Love: In direct support of students


Thanks to a group of four generous donors, all gifts for To Music with Love will be matched dollar for dollar up to $5,000 until May 15, 2022. Please make your gift today and double your impact on our amazing students!

What the world needs now is more love and more music! And the Fred Fox School of Music needs your financial support. Your tax-deductible gift helps to provide the financial support that our talented, visionary young musicians need in order to thrive, create and innovate at the Fred Fox School of Music.

The Fred Fox School of Music is a place of discovery, growth and of musical excellence. The generous support of our loyal patrons, alumni and friends is crucial to serving our bold mission and supporting our wonderful students. This month-long fundraising event features student performances, stories and powerful testimonies to the transformational power of scholarship gifts.

Thank you for joining us for our shared belief in our young artists and scholars, and for the love of music.

***

Follow us on social media:
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube https://youtube.com/channel/…
Concertlist https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/vyE8MQj/…
... See MoreSee Less

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Congrats Katie!

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Fred Fox School Of Music

P.O. BOX 210004
1017 North Olive Road
Music Building, Room 109
Tucson, AZ 85721-0004

Email: musicweb@cfa.arizona.edu

Phone: 520.621.1655

Fax: 520.621.8118


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