October 13, 2009

School of Music’s Mandat, Lee to present concert

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Music faculty musicians Eric Mandat and Junghwa Lee present an evening of musical virtuosity at the Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall on campus.

The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, and features Mandat on clarinet and E-flat clarinet, and Lee on piano.

The program includes “Tema et Variazioni,” a 1974 composition by Jean Francaix; Etude I by Paul Jeanjean (1874-1928); “Commedia,” a 2002 composition by Yehudi Wyner; and a “Suite of Four Little Dances for E-flat clarinet and piano,” a 1984 composition by William Bolcom.

Mandat noted that the Francaix selection is a “showcase for displaying virtuosic technique, and is full of Francaix’s tongue-in-cheek humor.” The piece was a competition selection for the International Clarinet Association Young Artist Competition in Portugal this year.

Mandat described the Jeanjean selection as one of his favorite etudes. It is a slower, more expressive piece for solo clarinet.

Commedia is a new work. Wyner wrote it for clarinetist Richard Stoltzman and pianist (and former SIUC concert headliner) Emanuel Ax. It is an energetic piece filled with emotion, Mandat said.

Bolcom’s “four little dances” include a rag, jungle groove, “quasi-waltz” and a soft shoe. Bolcom is also known for piano rags, cabaret songs and also for a three-hour musical interpretation of William Blake’s “Songs of Innocence and Experience.”

There is no admission fee for this event.