THE ORCHESTRA AT WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY PRESENTS CONCERT HONORING THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA ON FEBRUARY 22

The Orchestra at William Paterson University presents a diverse selection of American music during a concert titled "Spirit of America," on Saturday, February 22 at 8 p.m. in the Shea Center for Performing Arts at William Paterson University in Wayne. The concert will include music from a wide range of genres, including classical, jazz and gospel, and will feature Anat Fort, pianist, Shunda Wallace, vocalist, and special guests the William Paterson Jazz Ensemble and the William Paterson Gospel Choir.

The concert is dedicated to composer and legendary jazz pianist John Lewis, founder of the Modern Jazz Quartet. In the spirit of many of his compositions, which combined classical forms and jazz improvisation, the concert will explore how an orchestra participates in the presentation of musical forms that are unique to America. Two of Lewis’s symphonic works, "Tales of the Willow Tree" and "Fanfare (Salute to Basie),"will be featured on the program.

Fort, a pianist, composer and 1996 graduate of the University with a bachelor of music degree in jazz studies and performance, will perform as soloist for her original composition "Tzohar," a work for string orchestra and piano improvisation. The work was commissioned by the Chamber Orchestra Ramat-Gan, which successfully premiered the piece in November 2000 with Fort as soloist. The title, which means "a little window…a corridor of light," is dedicated to Fort’s grandfather, who died shortly before she began work on the piece.

Wallace will join The Orchestra and the William Paterson Jazz Ensemble as vocalist for her own arrangement of the jazz standard "The More I See You." Wallace, who has arranged and composed works for small ensembles, big band and jazz orchestra, has performed with such notable musicians as Buster Williams, Don Braden, Jimmy Heath and Kenny Warner. She is a graduate of William Paterson with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music.

The William Paterson Jazz Ensemble also will join The Orchestra for an arrangement of music by Duke Ellington written by Richard DeRosa, a William Paterson assistant professor of music. The William Paterson Gospel Choir, under the direction of Michael Butler, will join The Orchestra for Richard Smallwood’s "Procession of the Levites/Anthem of Praise." Rounding out the program is Aaron Copland’s American classic, "Fanfare for the Common Man."

Diane Wittry, music director and conductor of the Allentown Symphony in Pennsylvania, will conduct. Widely sought after as a guest conductor, Wittry has conducted orchestras including the Los Angeles and Florida Philharmonics, as well as orchestras in Italy, Japan, Russia and the Ukraine. Wittry has received numerous honors and awards including the 1996 Helen M. Thompson Award presented by the American Symphony Orchestra League for outstanding artistic leadership as a conductor of a regional orchestra.
The Orchestra at William Paterson University is underwritten, in part, by the Passaic County Cultural and Heritage Council at Passaic County Community College through the State County Block Grant Program of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Tickets for the concert are $25 standard, $20 for seniors (age 60 and older). For additional information on the concert, please call the Shea Center for Performing Arts Box Office at 973-720-2371.

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2/10/03
For Further Information, contact:

Mary Beth Zeman, Director, Public Relations 973-720-2966