EIU Media Relations

Eastern Ensembles to Present 'Water Music' at Doudna Fine Arts Center

The Eastern Symphony Chamber Orchestra and Collegium Musicum will present "Water Music" on Sunday, Feb. 21, in Eastern Illinois University's Doudna Fine Arts Center.

The concert, which will begin at 4 p.m. in Dvorak Concert Hall, will include Handel's "Water Music (Suite in F major, HWV 348)" and Aaron Copland's "Appalachian Spring" in the original orchestration for 13 instruments.

In addition, two concerto competition winners, both of whom are EIU students, will perform. Ashley McHugh will sing two arias: Handel's "V’adoro Pupille (Giulio Cesare)" and Charles Gounod's "Ah! Je veux vivre (Roméo et Jiliette)." Natalia Negru will play Robert Schumann's "Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54 Movement I: Allegro Affettuoso."

McHugh, a senior studying voice under the direction of Marilyn Coles, has received many awards and scholarships. She has participated in the University Mixed Chorus, Concert Choir, Camerata Singers, Musical Theatre and Opera Workshops, the Choral Advisory Council, the National Association of Teachers of Singing competition, Panther Marching Band, Funk Factory Drumline and Kappa Delta Pi. She plans to pursue a master's degree in performance after student teaching next fall.

Negru, a Romanian native, is pursuing her master's degree in piano performance under the guidance of Susan Teicher. While earning her bachelor's degree in piano performance at The West University of Timisoara in Romania, Negru studied with world-renowned pianist Sorin Dogariu. Before coming to EIU, she worked as a piano teacher and accompanist at The Art High School "Sabin Dragoi" in Arad, Romania, and accompanied the choir and singers with The Symphony Orchestra Choir of Arad.

Handel composed "Water Music" for possibly the grandest, and perhaps the last, of King George I's regularly held water parties. On this occasion in 1717, the river was filled with boats carrying high-profile guests, and the king enjoyed Handel's one-hour composition so much that he requested two repeat performances that evening.

Copland wrote "Appalachian Spring" in 1943-44 for dancer and choreographer Martha Graham. The ballet tells the story of 1800s pioneers' celebration following the building of a Pennsylvania farmhouse.

Seating is reserved. Tickets are $12 for the general public; $10 for seniors and EIU employees; and $5 for students. For tickets and information, or to arrange accommodations for persons with special needs, contact Doudna Fine Arts Patron Services (217-581-3110 or doudnatix@eiu.edu) or visit the Doudna Fine Arts Center Box Office.

The Doudna Fine Arts Center is a division of the EIU College of Arts and Humanities. For more information, please see http://www.eiu.edu/doudna.