After a 38-year career at West Virginia University, William Skidmore, professor of cello, will present his final recital before retiring, “A Fond Farewell,” at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 24, in Bloch Learning and Performance Hall, 200A Creative Arts Center.

“I’ve been teaching and in the work force for fifty-one years, and it is time to leave the job to the younger generation,” Skidmore said.

His career began as the first full-time cello teacher at the University of Maryland in College Park in the fall of 1964. From there he became a member of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, later joining faculty of WVU’s School of Music in the fall of 1977.

“While I am retiring from the job, I do intend to remain in Morgantown and to perform occasionally as long as my health permits,” Skidmore said

He added that “this program will be different from my usual recitals in that I will play mostly shorter pieces that are usually encores for more serious programs.”

Featured works will be Saint-Saens’ “Le Cygne”, one serious work the Trio, Op. 70, No. 2 of Beethoven, two show pieces by David Popper, two arrangements for quartet of familiar tunes by WVU College of Creative Arts Alumni in Residence Daniel Skidmore, and a movement from Rachmaninov’s Sonata for Cello and Piano.

Joining Skidmore for the program will be harpist Brittany Blair, pianists James Miltenberger and Hanjin Sa, flutist Dorothy Skidmore, violinist Daniel Skidmore, and violist Robert Skidmore.

The recital is free and open to the public.

-WVU-

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CONTACT: David Welsh, WVU College of Creative Arts
304.293.3397; David.Welsh@mail.wvu.edu

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