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The Cottonwood Festival
A festival of chamber music, Cottonwood Music Festival was originally
founded by a former music faculty member at Fort Hays State University,
Dr. Elinor Freer, during 1999-2000 in Hays, Kansas. The festival
was reestablished under the direction of Dr. Tim Crowley in 2002
with the help of a generous gift given by Dr. Claire Matthews and
grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Heartland Arts
Fund and the Kansas Arts Commission.
Performers in the past (since 2002) have included guest artists,
flutist Jonathan Keeble (University of Illinois), cellist Lawrence
Stomberg (Oklahoma State University), pianist Hyunsoon Whang (Cameron
University), cellist David Ying (Eastman School of Music/Ying Quartet),pianist
Elinor Freer, saxophonist James Pisano (Bethel College) pianist
Mark Shilansky (Berklee College of Music), bassist Gerald Spaits
(University of Misouri-Kansas City), Jun Iwasaki, violin (Concertmaster
of the Canton Symphony Orchestra), violinist Sarah Crocker (Colorado
Symphony), and Laura Albers, viola (Associate Concertmaster, San
Francisco Opera Orchestra). Fort Hays State University music faculty
who have collaborated with these artists in past years for performances
as part of the Cottonwood Festival include oboist Kay Werth, clarinetist
Kristin Pisano, trumpeter Bradley Dawson, violinist Matt Means,
drummer Dean Kranzler, Tali Morgulis, piano and Benjamin Morris-Cline,
cello.
The 2008 Cottonwood Music Festival will take place from March 30
through April 3 under the direction of Dr. Kristin Pisano. This
year’s festival artists will present a diverse program featuring
new compositions by pianist, Rachel Matthews, as well as a premiere
performance of a work composed by Dr. Jeff Jordan, Director of Bands
at Fort Hays State University. In addition, the festival artists
will also perform compositions by Johannes Brahms, Max Bruch and
Francis Poulenc, among other master composers from the past.
The festival will include sessions for primary and secondary school
students, an open rehearsal (Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center,
Monday, March 31, 7:00-9:00 PM – free to the public) two master
classes (Monday, March 31 and Wednesday, April 2, 3:30-5:00 PM in
Palmer Hall), and a presentation at the Hays Public Library (Tuesday,
April 1, 7:00 PM). The final concert is Thursday, April 3 at 8PM
in the Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center.
Tickets are $10 for the general public and $6 for senior citizens
and students 13-18 years old. There are also $20 patron tickets
available for those who request admission to the catered reception
which follows the performance, allowing you the opportunity to meet
and talk with the festival artists. Students 12 and younger as well
as students at Fort Hays State University with proper ID will be
admitted free. Raffle tickets are also available with $5 donation
for the purpose of instrument repair and replacement at the FHSU
Department of Music. All tickets are available at the Department
of Music at Fort Hays State University, as well as at the Encore
events and other concerts at Fort Hays State University during Spring
2008. If you have any questions, please contact:
Dr. Kristin Pisano
Department of Music
Fort Hays State University
600 Park Street
Hays, KS 67601
Phone 785-628-4294
E-mail kpisano@fhsu.edu
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