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Music at St. John’s 2008 Summer Concerts Continue Sunday

ASU faculty members Doug James, Rob Falvo and Alicia Chapman will play music from France, America and Japan on ten instruments at Sunday’s Music at St. John’s concert. The performance begins at 5:00 p.m. On Sunday, August 3, at 5:00 p.m., Summer Wind, a concert at historic St. John’s Church in Valle Crucis will feature three musicians on ten instruments playing music from France, America and Japan—a veritable buffet of the known and the new, with music ranging from 1701 to 1978.

Pieces by Marais, Ravel and Coste are colorful offerings with regional French flavor. Alan Hovhaness’ “Moss Garden” is a musical tribute to the Moss Temple in Kyoto, and Michi, meaning the path, is an improvisational work by Keiko Abe. “Air” by Ian Krouse is a lovely Celtic ballade that will round out this varied, summery program.

Not sure what a theorbo is? A glockenspiel? Or what a baroque oboe sounds like? Plan to attend the Sunday concert at St. John’s and see these three musicians play all three—and more.

Alicia Chapman is principal oboist with the Harrisburg, Pa. and Asheville symphonies and has recorded with New York Philomusica, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra and New York Kammermusiker. She has toured internationally as a chamber musician, performing in festivals in Prague, Dresden and Salzburg, and in concerts in Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Jakarta and Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei). Chapman taught at the Eastern Music Festival for six seasons and participated in early music festivals and courses at Cambridge (UK), Oberlin and Indiana University. She was a guest with the Keowee Chamber Music Festival this summer, with performances in North and South Carolina. Chapman joined the ASU applied music faculty as instructor of oboe in January 2001. She is the director of the Collegium Musicum and the coordinator of Woodwind Chamber Music, and she is a founding member of Harmonia Baroque, a professional early music ensemble that performs on historical instruments. A native of Vermont, Chapman earned bachelor and master of music degrees from the Mannes College of Music and the doctor of musical arts degree from the City University of New York.

Douglas James has appeared as a classical guitarist throughout the United States, as well as in Europe and Mexico. James often features 19th century instruments in his performances of the classical and romantic literature, and plays regularly in a period guitar duo with the Italian guitarist Pasquale Rucco. He has recorded three critically acclaimed CDs for the Cala Vista label. Gitarr och Luta (Sweden) noted, “Douglas James’ playing on the record is for my taste totally splendid. His enthusiasm to explore the early guitar repertoire is obvious, and he has an ability to use the old instruments to their full capacity, with all of their timbral possibilities. He plays intensely and sensitively with flow, ease and elegance.” Classical Guitar (England) stated, “Douglas James clearly has a great deal of sympathy for this repertoire and a carefully worked out approach to its interpretation…everything is animated by concern for the life of the music on its own terms and in its own time.” James is professor of guitar at ASU.

Rob Falvo is a member of the Philidor Percussion Group and has performed with the North Carolina, Greensboro, Asheville and Western Piedmont symphonies. He has performed throughout the United States, China and Japan with such groups as the Erick Hawkins Dance Company and the English Chamber Orchestra. In the 2001-02 school year, he was on a teaching exchange in England studying North Indian tabla with Pandit Sharda Sahai and teaching at Kingston University in Kingston, England. In May 2007, Falvo graduated from the Chesapeake Bay Alexander Studies – North Carolina Teacher Training Program and in June 2007 became a certified teaching member of Alexander Technique International. He is a member of the New Music/Research committee of the Percussive Arts Society and earned a doctor of musical arts degree in percussion performance from the Manhattan School of Music studying with Fred Hinger, Chris Lamb, James Preiss and Claire Heldrich. Falvo is an associate professor of music at ASU, where he heads the percussion department, teaches applied lessons and directs the ASU Tabla Ensemble, New Paradigm Percussion Quartet and ASU Percussion Ensemble.

The Music at St. John’s events are family friendly with opportunities for members of the audience to meet and interact with artists. Adults may attend for a minimum donation of $10; children under 12 years may attend free of charge. Proceeds and additional donations help underwrite the continuing summer series. Consider bringing a picnic to enjoy on the church grounds following the concert. Pets are not allowed on the property during these events.

Music at St. John’s concludes on Sunday, September 7, with a concert by another of North Carolina’s special musical treasures, the Asheville-area Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers. Back by popular demand, they return to the High Country with their shape note singing and folk harmonies.

For more information about the Music at St. John’s summer concerts, email holy_cross@skybest.com or call 828-963-4609.

Want To Go?

Date: Sunday, August 3,
Time: 5:00 p.m.
Location: St. John’s Church, Valle Crucis
Cost: $10 adults/Free children under 12