by Rod Jones
November concerts by the Grammy-winning Turtle Island Quartet, operatic baritone Nathan Gunn and Russian pianist Pavel Nersessian will kick off 野狼社区 University鈥檚 2015-16 Distinguished Artists Series.
All concerts will be held in OCU鈥檚 Bass School of Music, 2501 N. Blackwelder. Tickets ($20, open seating) are available online at www.okcu.edu/tickets or by calling the box office at 405-208-5227.
The Turtle Island Quartet will make its Petree Recital Hall debut at 8 p.m. Nov. 6 with a concert of groove-based rhythmic techniques and new arrangements of cool jazz standards.
Yo-Yo Ma calls the genre-blurring group 鈥渁 unified voice that truly breaks new ground 鈥� authentic and passionate 鈥� a reflection of some of the most creative music-making today.鈥�
The California-based ensemble will present music by Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck and John Carisi; a new work by co-founder David Balakrishnan incorporating bluegrass, classical, jazz and Indian music; and selections from its latest album, 鈥淐onfetti Man.鈥�
Two-time Grammy Award winner for Best Classical Crossover Album, the quartet is celebrating its 30th anniversary and has been featured on the 鈥淭oday Show,鈥� 鈥淎ll Things Considered,鈥� 鈥淧rairie Home Companion鈥� and 鈥淢orning Edition,鈥� and by magazines ranging from People to Newsweek.
On Nov. 13, baritone Nathan Gunn and pianist Julie Jordan Gunn will take the Kirkpatrick Auditorium stage for an 8 p.m. recital.
The New York Times notes the singer 鈥渃ommands an operatic baritone whose mighty heft and richness confer an outsize authority on everything he touches鈥hen he dips into popular music, he suggests a vocal Babe Ruth aiming for the fences, all the while maintaining a hero鈥檚 confident stance.鈥�
Coming off a starring role in Santa Fe Opera鈥檚 world premiere of Jennifer Higdon鈥檚 鈥淐old Mountain,鈥� Gunn's engagements this season include returns to the Metropolitan Opera for 鈥淒ie Zauberfl枚te,鈥� the Dallas Opera for Malatesta in 鈥淒on Pasquale,鈥� and the Los Angeles Opera for 鈥淚l Barbiere di Siviglia鈥� and 鈥淟'Elisir d'Amore.鈥� He has performed in recital at Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall鈥檚 Zankel Hall and the Vocal Arts Society in Washington, D.C.
On Nov. 15, OCU鈥檚 annual Mae Ruth Swanson Memorial Concert will feature pianist Pavel Nersessian in a 3 p.m. Sunday matinee.
A touring pianist since the age of 8, he has won the Beethoven Competition in Vienna, the Paloma O鈥橲hea Competition in Santander, and the Tokyo Competition.
The Boston Musical Intelligencer raved of a recent performance that Nersessian 鈥渉as chops aplenty: major powers, accurate marksmanship, ultralight touch with many shades and colors of quiet, and instrument-bouncing dynamic range. Quickly evident were a certain aplomb, easy competence taken for granted by him and us, dash, plus a degree of casual seriousness or serious casualness to it all.鈥�
OCU鈥檚 Distinguished Artists Series continues in the spring with a Feb. 5 CD release concert by Dr. Sergio Monteiro and concludes April 8 with a lute concert by early music pioneer and Grammy winner Paul O鈥橠ette.
