School of Music notes for May

USC Bands -- All the concerts are free and open to the public. They are held at the Koger Center for the Arts.

25 ----- Palmetto Concert Band Memorial Day concert, directed by James Copenhaver and William Moody. Koger Center for the Arts, 4 p.m.

Chamber music and strings -- All chamber music and string concerts are held in the School of Music recital hall. They are free and open to the public.

5 ----- Terwilliger violin studio recital, 7:30 p.m.
6 ----- Graduate String Quartet recital, 7:30 p.m.

Special events -- These concerts and recitals are free and held in the School of Music recital hall, unless otherwise noted. Call Laveta Gibson at 803-777-4336 or lgibson@mozart.sc.edu.

18 ----- Friends of School of Music special performance, featuring the Congaree New Horizons Band, led by Dr. Jeremy Lane. 4 p.m.

LOOKING AHEAD ...

June 8 – 14 ----- The Southeastern Piano Festival. The festival will feature pianist Olga Kern, gold medalist of the XI Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, on June 12 at the Koger Center. Kern will perform Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” with the Conductor’s Institute of South Carolina Orchestra, directed by Maestro Donald Portnoy. The Southeastern Piano Festival is one of the nation’s premiere training programs for top young pianists. It features private lessons, master classes and concert performances. All events are open to the public, and many are free. For more information visit http://sepf.music.sc.edu. Call 803-576-5763 for ticket information.

June 22 – 27 ----- USC Band Camp – Grades 7 – 12 (rising). Drum major, marching percussion, symphonic band and symphonic percussion. The University of South Carolina Summer Music Camp was started in the early 70's by then band director Tom O'Neal. The camp was then taken over by Mr. James Copenhaver in 1976. The program has thrived under his leadership. Today, the camp boasts an average enrollment of 400 to 500 students from across the eastern United States. The camp is open to students in grades 7 – 12 (rising). For more information about The University of South Carolina Summer Music Camp, contact the School of Music Band Office at (803) 777-4278 or email USCBand@mozart.sc.edu.

June 22 – 28 ----- Carolina Summer Music Conservatory – Grades 9 – 12. School of Music faculty members lead students in an intensive, one-week session that focuses on individual performance and chamber music. The conservatory is open to students who are enrolled in grades 9 –12 during the 2008-2009 school year. Activities will include masterclasses with university faculty and other professional musicians, as well as chamber-music coaching and private lessons. Students will select from courses in music history, music theory, how to prepare for auditions and jazz improvisation. Students will have the opportunity to rehearse and perform solo works with professional accompanists and will attend concerts and recitals featuring conservatory faculty members. Evening concerts are free and open to the public featuring School of Music faculty. For more information about the Carolina Summer Music Conservatory, contact Dr. Clifford Leaman at 576-5893 or cleaman@mozart.sc.edu.

July 7 – 18 ----- Opera at USC Summer Camp. Opera at USC announces OPERA CAMP, open to children ages 8 to 16. The summer opera day camp will take place weekdays Monday, July 7, through Friday, July 18, at the School of Music. Opera at USC staff and guest artists will provide daily workshops that teach students the techniques of opera production. Children will work with professional-level opera singers, directors and designers as they explore the basics of creating realistic acting characterizations; participate in voice, music reading and rhythm exercises; and learn about set, lighting and costume design. On Friday, July 18, at 6 p.m., campers will present “BRUNDIBAR,” a half hour-opera written for children. The registration fee is $450 per student, which includes the $35 non-refundable deposit that is due with the completed registration form; need-based scholarships are available. Some knowledge of music and singing required. For more information, call 803-777-0058, or visit http://www.music.sc.edu/ea/Opera/index.html. Applications accepted starting April 28.

July 7 – July 10, 2008 ----- USC String Project Summer Camp – Grades 3 – 12. Students will have daily group music instruction culminating with a Thursday afternoon concert. The faculty includes experienced teachers from the community and music-education majors from the university. Open to all students who have completed one year of instruction. For information, call 777-9568, or email uscsp@mozart.sc.edu.