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Past Event

Special Event

Monmouth University Music and Arts Festival 2020

The Monmouth University Music and Arts Festival will provide Monmouth County communities and beyond, along with the students, faculty, and staff at Monmouth University, with the opportunity to enjoy a top-flight music and arts event each summer. Every year, we welcome thousands of tourists and other visitors to the area, and we’re delighted to afford families with cultural opportunities to supplement their days at our lovely beaches. This year, of course, we are presenting the Music and Arts Festival virtually. With the help of cutting-edge contemporary technology, our performers are delighted to afford our community with a great boon during these challenging times.

Our university is the year-round home for working musicians and artists, not to mention scores of students honing their talents as instrumental and theatrical performers, visual artists, and arts administrators. With the Music and Arts Festival, we will attract nationally and internationally acclaimed musicians and other fine artists to our campus. Not only will they supplement our students’ arts education, they will be on site each summer to provide visitors with opportunities to experience premiere concerts and exhibitions right here on the Shore.


EVENT SPONSOR:

  
With additional support from The Grove/West at Shrewsbury and Cammack Retirement
     

PROGRAM:

Blue Hawk House Band, “What’s Going On,” Marvin Gaye (1939-1984)

Bill Timoney, American actor, “William Lloyd Garrison, The Liberator

Lakehouse Music Academy, “Go,” Amy Ray (1964-)

Colm Tóibín, Irish author, “Elizabeth Bishop”

Katie Coffman, soprano, “Will There Really Be Morning,” Richard Hundley (1931-2018)

Joseph Marano, tenor, “Oh, What a Beautiful Morning,” Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) and Oscar Hammerstein II (1895-1960)

The Sea Sharps, Monmouth University a cappella choir, “Just Got Paid,” Johnny Kemp (1959-2015)

Julie Dzikiewicz (1962-), American artist, She Persisted (including “Suffrage Cat,” “Ida B. Wells,” “The Story of the Ham”)

Garden State Philharmonic, Diane Wittry, conductor and music director

Selections from West Side Story (“America,” “Prologue,” “Somewhere,” “Mambo”), Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990)

“Starburst,” Jessie Montgomery (1981-)

“Portraits of Langston: Harlem’s Summer Night,” Valerie Coleman (1970-)

“Perhaps,” Reena Esmail (1983-)

“Tango from Two Latin Dances,” Lauren Bernofsky (1967-)

“Stars and Stripes,” John Philip Sousa (1854-1932)

PERFORMANCE GROUPS:

Blue Hawk House Band:

George Wurzbach (Director, conga, production), Sara Wojciehowski (bass, production), Jason Caprioni (engineer), Bruce Davis (vocals 1), Jenae Louis-Jacques (vocals 2), Shadiyah Jai (vocals 3). Dillon Schindler (piano, arrangements), Max Adolf (guitar), Zach Sandler (saxophone), Danielle DiMeola (drums), Mark Rodriguez (synth).

The Sea Sharps:

Katie Coffman (arranger/president), David Wilderotter (soloist), Antonio Gonzalez (vocal percussionist/music director), Kaylee Figalora-Torres (music director), Arina Martin (music director), Mitchell Hendricks, Jamie Burch, Jason Castillo, Kyle Anderson, Anastasia Francisquini, Gabriella Estrada, Jordan Dilone, Delaney Rivera, Ruby Branyan, Nate Wilkie 

The Garden State Philharmonic:

Diane Wittry (Director/Conductor), Ruotao Mao (violin), Uli Speth (violin), Nick Pappone (violin), Krisztina Kiss (viola), Jameson Platte (cello), Nathan White (bass), Allison Kiger  (flute/piccolo), Emily Tsai (oboe/production), Chris Nichols (clarinet), Melissa Kritzer (bassoon), Karl Krammer-Johansen (horn), Tom Cook (trumpet), Roger Verdi (trombone), Jay Krush (tuba), Gregory Landes (timpani/percussion); guest pianists (Garah Landes, Candace Chien, Craig Ketter, Martha Locker)

Jamie Bernstein Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4C4qI7faNw&feature=youtu.be

STEERING COMMITTEE:

Eileen Chapman, Chris Hellstrom, Darika S. Lara-Rodriguez, Nancy Mezey, Lynda Rabens, Joe Rapolla, Michael Thomas, David Tripold, Hettie Williams, Diane Wittry, Sara K. Wojciehowski, Kelly Barratt, Kenneth Womack (coordinator)