School of Music concerts this week

Released: December 5, 2011

Lincoln, Neb. - As the end of the semester draws near, the School of Music is featuring a full slate of concerts and performances this week.

Montreal-based saxophonist and composer Christine Jensen has been described as, "an original voice on the international jazz scene... [and] one of Canada's most compelling composers," by Mark Miller of the Globe and Mail. According to Greg Buium of Downbeat Magazine, "Jensen writes in three dimensions, with a quiet kind of authority that makes the many elements cohere. Wayne Shorter, Maria Schneider and Kenny Wheeler come to mind." After a performance at the 2006 Montreal International Jazz Festival, Scott Yanow wrote, "She's rapidly developing into a major force... as a player and as a writer."

Born in Vancouver and raised in Nanaimo, Canada, Ingrid Jensen headed east after receiving a number of scholarships to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Since graduating in 1989, her life has contained a whirlwind of musical activities. From her early days playing in the subways of New York, to establishing herself as a leader and soloist in a wide array of musical genres, Ingrid has made her mark. Her three CD's for the ENJA label and her latest CD "At Sea," won her nominations from the Canadian Juno Awards, including an award in 1995 for Vernal Fields. Her performances as a leader and as a featured soloist have taken her around the world from Canada to Japan, Australia, South America, South Africa, the Caribbean and to almost every country in Europe and Scandinavia." Ingrid plays trumpet and flugelhorn with all the brilliance and fire of a true virtuoso, following the spirit of the muse as she creates... warm, sensitive, exciting and totally honest..." Marian McPartland.

UNL Percussion Ensemble in concert

• Wednesday, Dec 7 at 7:30 p.m.
• Kimball Recital Hall
• Tickets: General admission $5, student/senior $3, available at the door approx. one hour before the performance.

Symphony Orchestra Concert with Rebecca Fischer perform "Brahms and More"

• Thursday, Dec 8 at 7:30 p.m.
• Kimball Recital Hall
• Tickets: General admission $5, student/senior $3, available at the door approx. one hour before the performance.

Musical Theatre Showcase

• Friday, Dec 9 at 7:30 p.m.
• Westbrook Recital Hall, Room 119
• This event is FREE and open to the public

Amahl and the Night Visitors

• Saturday, Dec. 10 at 1:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
• Lied Center's Johnny Carson Theatre
• This event is FREE and open to the public but as seating is limited, please call 402-472-2494 to reserve your seats.

A poor mother and her crippled child are in desperate straits. They are cold, hungry, and destitute. Then suddenly one night, three kings appear at their door bearing magnificent gifts for an unknown child, led by a great star in the sky.

The stage is set for miraculous events in Gian Carlo Menotti's holiday classic, "Amahl and the Night Visitors." Originally composed for NBC television, Menotti's one-act opera was first broadcast on Christmas eve 1951. Its memorable melodies and inspirational story have touched audiences of all generations. After a successful collaboration last year, UNL Opera will again present "Amahl and the Night Visitors" with the Lincoln Public Schools. The opera will feature lead singers from the UNL Opera program alongside the outstanding choruses of Lincoln Northeast, Lincoln High, Lincoln Southeast, Lincoln East, and Lincoln Southwest High Schools. Sung in English and with a running time of one hour, this is a perfect holiday treat for the entire family that celebrates the true spirit of giving.

Symphonic Band

• Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m.
• Kimball Recital Hall
• Tickets: General admission $5, student/senior $3, available at the door approx. one hour before the performance.

For more information contact the School of Music PR & Publicity office, M-F, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at 402-472-6865 or visit the website music.unl.edu.