Old Baptist Foundation

May 02, 2022

SIU School of Music presenting Ukraine benefit concerts this week

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University Carbondale School of Music will present two faculty-student chamber music ensembles this week with proceeds going to help in Ukraine.

The faculty-student Versa’tile Chamber Music Ensemble will perform Tuesday, May 3, and Thursday, May 5, at the Old Baptist Foundation Recital Hall. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. The program is free and open to the public, with donations at the concert sent directly to the World Kitchen for Ukraine.

William Cernota, Joe Bauer and Rossana Cauti, each assistant lecturers in the School of Music, established Versa'tile in October 2021. Other Versa’tile members are Catherine Begin, graduate master’s student, music; Emily Gallagher, senior, music; Jonathan Henson, senior, plant biology; Jace Kim, graduate master’s student, music, and Hope and Micah Hyink, who are both high school students.

The repertoire for May 3 is: 

  • “Fantasia No. 1” by Georg Philipp Telemann, performed by Hope Hyink on viola.
  • Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 5 “Spring Sonata” in F Major by Ludwig van Beethoven, performed by Micah Hyink on violin and Sophia Smith on piano.
  • Märchenbilder (Fairy Tale Pictures) for Piano and Viola, Op. 113 by Robert Schumann, performed by Jonathan Henson on viola and Jace Kim on piano.
  • Sonata for Piano and Cello No. 4 in C Major, Op. 102, No. 1 by Beethoven, performed by Cernota on cello and Kim on piano.
  • String sextet “Souvenir de Florence” in D Minor, Op. 70 by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, performed by the Versa’tile String Sextet.                                      

The repertoire for May 5 is:

  • Sonata in D Major, BWV 1028 by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Henson on viola and Kim on piano.
  • Twelve Variations for Piano and Cello WoO 45 on a theme from Handel’s “Oratorio Judas Maccabaeus” by Beethoven, performed by Cernota on cello and Kim on piano.
  • Suite No. 2 in D Minor (originally for solo cello), BWV 1008 by Johann Sebastian Bach, performed by Jace Kim on viola.
  • String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat Major Op. 18 by Johannes Brahms, performed by the Versa’tile String Sextet. 

For information regarding either performance, contact Cernota at william.cernota@siu.edu. For information about the School of Music visit the School of Music website.