MOUNT VERNON – The Cornell College department of music’s “Music in Italy” concert tour will perform a send-off concert Sunday, April 24, at 3 p.m. in King Chapel. The free concert is a featured part of Golden Alumni Weekend.
Under the direction of Martin Hearne and Lisa Hearne, Cornell Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Singers will tour Italy from May 3 through 18, visiting Rome, Florence and Venice and performing in as many as seven concert venues, including the Basilica of Saint Mark in Venice. The tour group features 46 current students and two alumni.
Sunday’s program will emphasize American musical genres, including works by Aaron Copland and Morton Gould, as well as spirituals and jazz. Works for gospel choir include “Shut de Do’” and “Ain’a that Good News.” Jazz band selections include “One More Time, Chick Corea” by Gene Puerling and “Skin Tone” by Les Hooper.
Along with choir, orchestra and jazz band, featured chamber ensembles include a saxophone quartet playing Lennon/McCartney’s “When I’m Sixty-Four,” and brass quintet, string quartet and string ensemble.
Music in Italy is a course during Cornell’s ninth term team-taught by Martin and Lisa Hearne. Their last European tour was in May 2001 and included Italy, Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic.
