The Blair Nightcap Series begins its 2008-09 season with a solo violin performance and discussion by new faculty member Sean Y. Wang on Monday, Sept. 22 in the Steve and Judy Turner Recital Hall at Blair School.  Complimentary coffee and dessert begins at 7 p.m. in the lobby; discussion begins at 8 p.m., followed by a one-hour performance at 8:30 p.m.  The event is free and open to everyone.
 
The Monday night program, An Evening of Baroque and Contemporary Masterpieces for Solo Violin, is an ambitious one, with challenging works that allows Wang to showcase his considerable gifts.  The program shifts between works by Baroque composers J.S. Bach and von Biber to pieces by contemporary masters Elliott Carter and Mario Davidovsky:

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750): Sonata No. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003
• Elliott Carter (b. 1908): 4 Lauds
• Mario Davidovsky (b. 1934): Synchronisms No. 9 for Solo Violin and Electronic Sounds
• Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704): Passacaglia from the Rosary Sonatas

The Nightcap Series

Blair’s Nightcap Series, now in its third season, is a program of “music education” made fun with short performance programs by some of Blair’s most talented musicians. The series was created to allow the performers to explore music projects that especially appeal to them, and to give audiences a fresh introduction to music they might not hear anywhere else in the area.

Each one-hour concert is preceded by an informal talk by Blair music scholars and/or performers, providing new insights into the musical themes, the composers’ inspirations, or the historical context of the works. Coffee and dessert is provided prior to the talk at each Nightcap – compliments of Blair.
 
The 2008-09 sponsor for the Blair Nightcap Series is Nissan North America Inc.  This season, WNPT-2 will broadcast the Blair Nightcap Series talks and concerts on its Comcast cable station.  More information about airdates will be posted at a late date.
 
Future Nightcaps for Fall 2008 include:

Oct. 13 - KATHRYN PLUMMER, VIOLA and  MARK WAIT, PIANO performing two rarely heard gems of the repertoire. Both lead the pre-concert discussion about the composers and their music.  The program features Felix Mendelssohn's Sonata for Viola and Piano in C minor and George Rochberg's Sonata for Viola and Piano. 
 
Nov. 10 - WINDS AT PLAY WITH THE WW5 The Blair Woodwind Quintet allows its members some solo spots. Cynthia Estill, Jane Kirchner and Cassandra Lee present sonatas for bassoon, flute and clarinet -- and Blair introduces our newest faculty member, oboist Jared Hauser. Collaborative pianists include Charlene Harb, Jama Reagan and Melissa Rose. Featured composers are Saint-Saens, Etler, Muczynski and Poulenc. Popular musicologist Jim Lovensheimer leads the pre-concert talk.
 
Free parking is available in South Garage; complimentary valet parking is provided by Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity for those arriving up to 15 minutes prior to the performance.  Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt is located at 2400 Blakemore Avenue, near Hillsboro Village. For more information about this and other events at Blair, call the main office at 322-7651, or visit the  Web site at www.vanderbilt.edu/blair .
 
Contact: Cindy Steine, (615) 322-7656
cindy.steine@vanderbilt.edu