From classical to Caribbean, student concerts abound in December

From voice and piano recitals to the driving sounds of the Steel Pan Orchestra, music by Bates students keeps the campus lively in early December.

Except as noted, the listed performances take place in the Olin Arts Center Concert Hall, 75 Russell St.

All the concerts are open to the public at no cost. However, tickets are required for the four ensemble performances, available at bit.ly/oacbates. For more information, please contact 207-786-6135 or olinarts@bates.edu.

Tom Snow, director of Bates jazz ensembles and lecturer in music, leads the Bates Jazz Combo at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2. Seating will be on the Olin Concert Hall stage and is limited. Note: 7:30 p.m. is given as the start time for this concert in some printed listings, but 7 p.m. is correct.

Songs on the combo’s program include “Basin Street Blues,” “Cry Me a River,” “Fever” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

The Bates College Choir performs popular opera choruses by Mozart, Handel, Puccini, Wagner, Verdi and others in performances at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4-5. The choir is directed by Lecturer in Music John Corrie and will be accompanied by pianist James Parakilas, James L. Moody, Jr. Family Professor of Performing Arts.

At 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7, the Steel Pan Orchestra performs. This lively and uplifting band uses authentic instruments from the West Indies to blend the Caribbean sound into jazz and other genres.

Two ensembles share a bill starting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8. Opening is the Bates Gamelan Orchestra, directed by Associate Professor of Music Gina Fatone and performing traditional and contemporary selections for Sundanese gamelan “degung” and Central Javanese gamelan music.

Next, Andrew Martelle leads the String Band starting at 7:30. This concert will be held in the Benjamin Mays Center, 95 Russell St.

Snow returns to the Olin stage to lead the Bates Jazz Band at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, in a program of music by jazz masters through the decades and other artists in diverse styles.

In addition to those ensemble performances, students offer four recitals in the concert hall, all of which are open to the public at no cost and do not require tickets.

Students of Luette Saul perform a voice recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, and voice students of John Corrie perform at 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 9-10.

Students of Chiharu Naruse perform in a piano recital at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11.