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Residency celebrates the beauty, grace & potency of words and music

||Marta Cencini

Last updated September 15, 2017

By Tina Underwood

The voice faculty of Furman University will host internationally acclaimed soprano Jill Feldman and Italian collaborative pianist and coach Marta Cencini in a residency that celebrates the beauty, grace and potency of words and music.

The visit by the artists-in-residence includes a lecture by Jill Feldman on Baroque Ornamentation. Her talk is interspersed with songs in the Baroque style sung by Furman vocal students. Professor of Music Charles Tompkins accompanies the vocalists on organ and harpsichord.

The lecture and demonstration, “La Grazia” (or Gracefulness), take place Thursday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. in Daniel Recital Hall on campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The guest artists will also present master classes in Daniel Recital Hall Wednesday, Sept. 20 and Thursday, Sept. 21 at 2:30-4 p.m. both days. The master classes are also free and open to the public.

Feldman, an American-born soprano, and a studio voice teacher in Furman’s Music in Italy program, is a leading artist in the field of medieval, Baroque and Classical music. She enjoys a successful international career as a performer and recording artist, holding a discography of more than 50 recordings including music by Monteverdi, Caccini, Handel, Purcell, Charpentier and others.

Feldman’s work during her Furman residency will focus on Baroque-style practice, including the proper application of ornamentation, clarity and nuance of text declamation in Baroque recitative and overall performance practice techniques.

Marta Cencini

Cencini, an accomplished collaborative pianist and native of Arezzo, Italy, the site of Furman’s study away program, will work with students in group and individual sessions on polishing and delivering Italian texts.

A recap of the schedule of events follows. All events take place in Daniel Recital Hall on campus.

Master Class I, 2:30-4 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 20, Feldman and Cencini

Master Class II, 2:30-4 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 21, Feldman and Cencini

Lecture and commentary by Feldman/Demonstration by Furman voice students, “La Grazia” on Baroque Ornamentation, 7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 21. Charles Tompkins provides accompaniment.

For more information, contact the Furman Music Department at 864-294-2176 or email Dr. William Thomas, coordinator of vocal studies at bill.thomas@furman.edu.

 

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