Music faculty Gayla Blaisdell and Elaine Ross from Central Washington University will present a guest artist recital with West Virginia University music faculty member Hope Koehler at the Creative Arts Center, Tuesday, March 20, at 8:15 p.m. in the Bloch Learning and Performance Hall (200A). The event is free and open to the public.

The concert will include works by composers such as Lee Hoiby (1926-2011), Ricky Ian Gordan (b. 1956), Aaron Copland (1900-1990) and Elaine Ross.

Koehler received her bachelor’s degree in vocal performance and music education at Lipscomb University and her master’s in vocal performance at the University of Alabama. Her voice has been heralded as having “the richness of Marilyn Horne at the bottom and the clarion clarity of Leontyne Price at the top.” She is a regular performer and soloist with the American Spiritual Ensemble and also serves on the voice faculty of the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts, the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Arts and on the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. She is currently an assistant professor of voice at WVU.

Blaisdell earned her bachelor’s degree in voice and music education from the Eastman School of Music. She holds a master’s degree in voice from New England Conservatory and a doctorate in vocal performance from New York University. She joined the music faculty at Central Washington University in 2008 as assistant professor of voice and opera. In addition to teaching, she has appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival and Carnegie Hall. She has also sung in many New York City venues, including Weill Recital Hall, Merkin Hall, Symphony Space, Westminster Choir College and Christ and St. Stephens.

Ross completed a doctorate in music theory and composition at Texas Tech University, where she taught courses and served as a collaborative pianist for faculty and student performances. She is currently the coordinator of music theory and composition at Central Washington University. Prior to that, she was assistant professor of music at the University of Minnesota-Morris. Most recently, her composition, “Wildfire for Symphonic Winds,” was a selected work in the quarterfinal round of the Coups de Vent International Wind Orchestra Competition in Lille, France. Many of her works are self-published on her web site: www.elaineross.com.

For more information on the event, contact the College of Creative Arts at 304-293-4359.

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lb 3/12/12

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4359, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

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