They may be one of the best-kept secrets in the Northland music scene -- college recitals and concerts, which can expose audiences to good musicians, unusual repertoire and usually at low prices.
A case in point is a free concert Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the College of St. Scholastica's Mitchell Auditorium, which will feature chamber music by a clarinet ensemble, a flute ensemble, two string ensembles and a piano ensemble.
The chance to hear chamber music isn't widespread in the community.
"I don't know of very many opportunities to hear something like this other than the colleges," said Marianne Sandstrom, an assistant professor at St. Scholastica and director of bands at the college. Sandstrom is leading the flute and clarinet ensembles and actually playing bass clarinet with the clarinetists.
The flute group will perform Telemann's "Suite in A Minor" and Jacobo Datshkovsky's "Danza Mexicana No. 2." The Telemann features an unusual instrument, an alto clarinet, and the group will be accompanied by harpsichord. "It's just too beautiful to miss," Sandstrom said of the piece.
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The "Danza Mexicana" has exciting rhythms surrounding 2-beat and 3-beat measures.
The clarinet group will play "Escapades," by a composer from the Netherlands, Gaston Nuyts. Sandstrom has wanted to play the piece for some time after hearing a recording. She said it has been taken out for performing several years only to be put back.
"It's a challenging piece, but also really fun," she said. "It's kind of delightful, actually."
Both the string ensembles are under the guidance of Dr. Penny Schwarz, an associate professor and director of the St. Scholastica music department. One of the groups will perform two movements from J.S. Bach's "Suite in B Minor, No. 2." The flute player is Monica Salazar, who is from Colombia.
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The other group is performing a work for cello and strings by Antonio Vivaldi, with Susan Gravel on cello. The groups will combine to play Finnish composer Jean Sibelius' "Andante Festivo."
The piano ensemble will feature four pianists playing a work by Felix Mendelssohn on two Steinway grand pianos.
The performance is fairly informal, Sandstrom said, and presents an opportunity for the college musicians.
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"It's an opportunity for these students to participate in something where it's a chamber group, so there's one on a part," she said. That means the musicians must work together more closely, becoming part of a musical conversation.
"You need to bring out different things at different times and have the conversation," she said.
The groups are a mix of music majors and student musicians in other disciplines, and the groups form based on diverging schedules and availability.
"All five of the flutists are predominantly science majors," Sandstrom noted, "and this is just a balance for their lives. They really look forward to hands-on creating and getting away from their other (lives)."
The concerts can also provide opportunities for younger student musicians. Sandstrom noted that high school students preparing for contests, who may want to see how musicians conduct themselves in performance settings, may find good role models at local colleges.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m., and the public is welcome. A week later, St. Scholastica will host a band and jazz band concert in the same location. One highlight will be a medley of John Williams movie music.
