Music gala features pianist, faculty
Regina Murphy - Emporia Gazette
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Pianist and composer Jackson Berkey and his wife, Almeda Berkey, will be the guest artists, and retired music faculty member John Lennon will be honored at the 2009 Music Gala Benefit Concert on Saturday at Emporia State University.
A pre-concert reception and silent auction begins at 7 p.m., with the concert starting at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and the proceeds go to supply scholarships to ESU music students.
The concert will be in Heath Recital Hall in Beach Hall at 12th Avenue and Market Street. Items for the silent auction include private performances by ESU musicians, tickets for The Symphony in the Flint Hills, private music lessons including a session of Kindermusik, a catered dinner, dance lessons, theater tickets, artwork, an autographed 1999 Chiefs football and a shirt autographed by Clint Bowyer.
Probably best known as the keyboardist for the group Mannheim Steamroller, Jackson Berkey has spent many years in the serious study of Western art music, and his contemporary compositions — both sacred and secular — reflect a strong return to the Romantic style. The concert will feature Berkey’s pieces performed by the composer as well as members of the ESU faculty and student ensembles.
“Mannheim Steamroller is his commercial side,” said Martin Cuellar, associate professor of piano at ESU. “He is a very serious composer in the Romantic style. He works very hard at his craft, and writes choral pieces, solo pieces, ensembles and lots of music for piano.”
A special part of this concert will be the world premier of a work commissioned by Emporian Prudence Schmidt.
“Prue Schmidt’s piece will become part of the 24 Nocturnes — No. 5, in D major, but actually in the Dorian mode which is rooted in E.” Berkey said, “She had heard ‘Atlantic Fantasy’ at my concert here last year, and one movement of that struck her and inspired her to ask for a piece.”
“It is in honor of my family,” Schmidt said. “My daughter Sarah and her husband, Doak Mahlik; Jennifer, her husband, Jim Nelson and my granddaughter, Ashley. Also, in memory of my son, Andy Hendrix.”
Schmidt is looking forward to hearing the composition, subtitled “Sunny Blues.”
“I really enjoyed him — he writes beautiful music,” she said of Berkey. “I just enjoyed his music so much I wanted to have a piece commissioned to celebrate my family.”
Her family is coming — one from Seattle, the other from Durango — to hear the work.
“Our family is really excited about it. It will be a neat thing for us,” she said.
Berkey intends to discuss the work privately with Schmidt after the performance, and share some insight on how the piece reflects her children. An earlier recording of “Sunny Blues” will be part of Berkey’s newest CD “21st Century Romantic,” a double disc recording of a variety of Jackson’s works. This CD will be available for sale at the concert for $20.
Berkey has published more than 350 compositions spanning a vast range of instrumentation. Berkey’s awards and honors include the Nebraska Individual Artist Fellowship for Performing Arts Distinguished Achievement in Composition Award, First Prize in the New Music for Young Ensembles Composition Contest in New York City, First Prize at the Alienor Harpsichord Competition in Hilton Head (N.C.) and award-winning video scores.
Berkey’s style does reveal a lot of heart and emotional involvement. Born and raised in Pennsylvania in a town of about 7,000, Berkey was given piano lessons at the age of 5 and never stopped. His involvement with Mannheim Steamroller has given him the opportunity to tour the world and meet musicians of all types and styles. Berkey and his wife, Almeda, now divide their time between Nebraska and the Olympic peninsula in Washington state.
His music often has an uplifting or reverent tone. When asked about the spiritual nature of his style, Berkey said, “Definitely yes. And, also, an ongoing involvement of trying to incorporate something of a sacred nature. I make an attempt to bring that to almost everything I write.”
One of the pieces being performed Saturday is “INGs”.
“This work has eight movements, all of which end in ‘ings’,” Berkey said. “There is ‘Reminiscing,’ ‘Mourning,’ ‘Caressing’ and so forth.”
The work was originally written for woodwinds, but Berkey arranged one of the parts for violin so that interim string faculty member Jeremy Starr could join the ensemble. The other performers are Allan Comstock, bassoon, and Kate Bergman, flute.
Additional music on the program includes a choral work conducted by Almeda Berkey, “View me Lord, a Work of Thine,” and two compositions for piano four-hands..
As a part of the gala festivities, retired music faculty member John Lennon will be inducted into the Beach Hall of Distinction in recognition of his years of service to the university and the community at large. Lennon taught voice and opera for 34 years, and has lived with his wife, Jane Ellen, in Emporia since 1964.
“I’m very excited and very deeply touched,” he said.
John Lennon began studying voice when he was 8 years old. At 14, he was performing throughout the Midwest as soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony. In his freshman year at Northwestern University he won a national competition and was awarded a recital at Carnegie Hall.
Lennon performed with the Chicago Lyric Opera while completing his masters degree. In 1957 he received a Fulbright Scholarship for study in Germany, which was extended to a second year. He has performed 37 operatic roles in four languages. Together with his wife, he traveled to Italy for recording engagements, performing and continuing his studies before returning to the U.S.
During his teaching career Lennon had 16 Regional Metropolitan Opera Audition winners, and many students went on to performance careers. One, Frederick Burchinal, has been on the roster at the major opera houses of the world, including the Metropolitan Opera.
A reception for the guest artists, honoree and performers will follow the concert in the rotunda of the Shepherd Center in Beach Hall.
To attend or for more information, call the ESU music department at 341-5431. Advance tickets are recommended as seating is limited. Any available seats will be offered at the door.