MEDIA CONTACT: Polly Burks
561-297-2595, pburks@fau.edu

FAU's 2006 Music Festival Presents a Portrait of American Music with "From Carnegie Hall to the Cotton Club"
Festival will feature renowned pianist Mark Zeltser and clarinetist Paul Green

BOCA RATON, FL (January 9, 2006) - Take a walk back in time as FAU's music department presents an eclectic series of performances celebrating 20th century American music in its 2006 music festival. The festival, entitled from "Carnegie Hall to the Cotton Club," runs from February 17 through February 26 at the University Theatre on FAU's Boca Raton campus, 777 Glades Road.

Events kick off on Friday, February 17 at 7:30 p.m. with a free screening of the film "Porgy and Bess," a George Gershwin opera about the occupants of a fishing village in South Carolina in 1912. The film will be introduced by Susan Dorchin of FAU's department of music.

Festivities continue on Friday, February 24 at 7 p.m. when the FAU Jazz Rats, conducted by Tim Walters, will perform the music of Duke Ellington. Then, on Saturday, February 25 at 5:30 p.m., the Dean William A Covino of FAU's Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters will host a reception at the Performing Arts Center's Lakeside Visual Arts Patio. Following the reception at 7 p.m., there will be a concert featuring FAU's wind ensemble, conducted by Kyle Prescott, along with guest piano virtuoso Mark Zeltser and renowned clarinetist Paul Green. The program will include Leonard Bernstein's overture from "Candide," George Gershwin's "Second Prelude" and "Concerto in F," as well as other pieces from American composers.

On Sunday, February 26 at 3 p.m., Laura Joella will conduct FAU's Symphony Orchestra in Leonard Bernstein's three dance episodes from the musical "On the Town," Russell Peck's "The Thrill Beyond Words" and Leroy Anderson's "Tribute to Leroy Anderson." Sunday's concert will also include a performance by FAU's choral ensembles under the direction of Patricia Fleitas. The ensembles will perform works from Virgil Thomson, Charles Ives and FAU faculty member Stuart Glazer.

The film screening on Friday, February 17 is free. Tickets for the February 24 through February 26 concerts are $15 for one concert, $25 for two concerts, $45 for a concert and the reception, and $55 for two concerts and the reception. FAU students may receive concert tickets free at the door prior to the concert. FAU faculty, staff and alumni may purchase concert tickets for half price. To purchase concert tickets, call 561-297-2977 or email artstickets@fau.edu. For further information about the concerts, call 561-297-3820 or visit www.fau.edu/musicfestival.

Proceeds from the 2006 music festival will benefit the music scholarship fund in at FAU's School of the Arts in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. The festival is presented by the School of the Arts, in partnership with Bank of America, the Palm Beach County Cultural Council, Palm Beach County and FAU's University Club.

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