UTSA presents Bel Cuore Quartet for free Oct. 25 concert 'Bebop to Bagpipes'

Bel Cuore Quartet

By Kris Rodriguez
Public Affairs Specialist

(Sept. 12, 2013) -- The UTSA Department of Music will present Austin-based saxophone group Bel Cuore Quartet (BCQ) for a concert performance of "Bebop to Bagpipes" at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 25 in the Arts Building Recital Hall on the UTSA Main Campus. The concert, their first of the 2013-2014 season, is free and open to the public.

The Bel Cuore Quartet performs everything from new and exciting music by contemporary composers to arrangements of jazz, pop, classical and rock. The concert offers something for everyone, from lovers of orchestral music and jazz aficionados to advocates of new music.

"Bebop to Bagpipes" will feature performances of a wide variety of music for saxophone quartet. Musical selections include the beloved orchestral piece "Le Tombeau de Couperin" by Maurice Ravel; a rock, funk and minimalist-inspired piece by Steven Snowden; "Drastic Measures" by Russell Peck; and "Fantasy Etudes" by William Albright. The group also will perform an original composition by UTSA music faculty member James Syler. Syler's "Saxophone Quartet" showcases the power, virtuosity and sensitivity that the group can deliver.

The quartet originated in 2007 when the band members met as doctoral students at the University of Texas at Austin. They have played together ever since. Members include soprano saxophonist Rami El-Farrah (UTSA music lecturer), alto saxophonist Sunil Gadgil, tenor saxophonist Spencer Nielsen and baritone saxophonist Michael Hertel.

BCQ has been nominated twice for Best Classical Ensemble by the Austin Critics Table and has performed at SXSW, the Fast Forward Austin Festival and Contagious Sounds in New York. The quartet completed a chamber music residency at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Finland, and recorded "Over the Rainbow and Bach Again" on the Longhorn music label.

For more information, visit the UTSA Department of Music website.

Events

Friday, May 3, 11:30 a.m.

McNair Scholars' Spring Celebration

This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.

North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main Campus

Wednesday, May 15, 6:00 p.m.

Doctoral Conferral Ceremony

At this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.

Arts Building Recital Hall, Main Campus

Thursday, May 16, 3:00 p.m.

Roadrunner Walk

Roadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.

Student Union Paseo, Main Campus

Friday, May 17, 10:00 a.m.

Commencement: Ceremony One

Celebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Friday, May 17, 4:30 p.m.

Commencement: Ceremony Two

Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.

Alamodome, 100 Montana St.

Submit an Event

Spotlight

UTSA’s Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.

UTSA’s Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA’s Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.

UTSA’S Destinations

UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .

Our Commitment to Inclusivity

The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.