*Magical Mozart* on Nov. 9

“It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a Mozart!”

By Tanisa Crosby

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart once said: “Music, even in situations of the greatest horror, should never be painful to the ear but should flatter and charm it, and thereby always remain music.”  His world was in a time period of change; the Baroque Musical era was drawing to a close and audiences were looking for a fresh take on music as the Classical era was born.  He wrote more than six hundred pieces of music range from operas to symphonies, feature solo instruments and religious music, chamber music and one of the firsts to write for the piano.  Mozart would later become one of the greatest composers of his time, which makes him the perfect focus for the Orchestra of Southern Utah prepares for a concert dedicated to Mozart’s work.

The Orchestra will feature various works written by Mozart including Mozart’s Flute Concerto in G Major, The Marriage of Figaro Overture, Non so piu cosa son from Le Nozze di Figaro, and Requiem.  Adrienne Read (solo flute) and Lindsey Lopez (Soprano) will be featured during this concert and will be accompanied by the orchestra directed by Xun Sun.  

The Orchestra will be joined by the OSU Chorale, In Jubilo, CVHS A Cappella, and SUU Opus for the Mozart Requiem which will be conducted by Ryan Murphy, Associate Director of the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra of Temple Square.  In Jubilo is a major sponsor for this concert.  Jackie Riddle-Jackson, the OSU Chorale Director, has been working hard
with the vocalists and soloists in rehearsing for this concert.

Magical Mozart is set for Thursday, November 9, at 7:30 p.m. in the Heritage Center (105 North 100 East, Cedar City, UT – located behind Lin’s).  Children over 6 are welcome with adult supervision. Babies and younger children are requested not to attend because the concert is recorded.  Ticket prices are Adults $12, Students $6, and Groups of up to 6 for  $40.  Tickets are available now by either phone (435-233-8213) or by purchase at Heritage Center/Festival Hall Box Office.

Listening Club blog has preview listening links: http://osulistening.blogspot.com/2017/11/magical-mozart-listening-previews.html #OSUCedarCity

Ryan Murphy was appointed Associate Music Director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on March 27, 2009. In this capacity, he is responsible to assist Mack Wilberg, music director, with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square in rehearsals, concerts, tours, and the weekly broadcast of Music and the Spoken Word. He also serves as the conductor of the Temple Square Chorale, the preparatory ensemble for new singers in Choir service.

Dr. Murphy has extensive choral conducting and professional musical theater experience. Prior to his appointment, he conducted six choirs in the Boston area, including two choirs at the prestigious New England Conservatory Preparatory School. He served for four years as the choral director at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, an internationally recognized secondary school affiliated with the New England Conservatory. He was the music director of the Tuacahn Center for the Arts in the St. George, Utah, area from 2005 to 2007 following five seasons as music director at the Sundance Institute in Provo, Utah. While in Boston, he maintained an active performing schedule, including collaborations at the Tanglewood Summer Festival.

Dr. Murphy graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in piano and organ performance and pedagogy. He holds a master’s degree in choral conducting from Brigham Young University and a doctorate in choral conducting from Boston University, where he studied with Dr. Ann Howard Jones.

Ryan and his wife, Jennifer, have four children.

 Adrienne Tedjamulia Read, MM, has been praised for her rich tone, performance finesse and energetic technique. Currently, she is an adjunct faculty at Southern Utah University, lecturing in Popular and World Music, and serves as piccoloist in the Orchestra of Southern Utah.  Adrienne has taken part in various competitions and been selected as a first-place winner for the Utah Music Educators Association Competition, Utah Flute Association Sonata Competition, and the Utah State Fair Music Competition. She has played in a wide array of master classes for top artists such as Carol Wincenc (Juillard), Linda Chesis (Manhattan School of Music), Robert Langevin (principal flute, New York Philharmonic), Jim Walker (former principal flute, LA Philharmonic), Ni Yizhen (China Philharmonic Orchestra), Han Guoliang (Beijing Central Conservatory of Music), and others.  As a concerto soloist, Adrienne has been featured with the Utah Valley Symphony, the Utah Flute Association Concerto Winner’s Concert, the Snow College Symphony, and now the Orchestra of Southern Utah.

Before coming to Cedar City, Adrienne was an adjunct flute instructor at Brigham Young University & Snow College and served as acting principal flute of the Utah Valley Symphony & the Salt Lake Pops Orchestra.  Additionally, she has maintained a private teaching studio since 2003, with her students receiving awards and superior recognition in festivals throughout the state.  Adrienne’s passion for chamber music leads her to collaborate and perform with local artists, and in 2016 she was a founding member of the West Winds Flute Trio.  She received her education at Snow College and Brigham Young University, and her primary teachers include Dr. Jennifer Grim, Dr. April Clayton, and Dr. Elaine Jorgensen.  Beyond music interests, Adrienne enjoys hiking and can often be found exploring the beautiful red rock country of southern Utah with her husband Nathanael and their son Rhythm Anthony.

Lindsey Lopez is a Vocal Performance major currently attending Southern Utah University. Although her emphasis and current study is in opera, she originated from the theater and has experience in acting, prop work, costuming and makeup design.  As an ensemble and soloist performer, she has performed and studied privately for six years now.  Lindsey currently studies voice under the direction of Carol Ann Modesitt and is an active soloist on campus and in the community.  Recent performances include; Prince Orlofsky in Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus”, Mark Adamo’s “Little Women” in the role of Jo and Purcell’s “Dido and Aeneas” in the role of Dido.

Lindsey would like to thank all of those who have supported her on this rather long journey!  Thank you to my professors that keep me in line, Modesitt who puts up with me, my mother for loving me and for my grandfather and Angel of Music who now watches over me in heaven.  This one is for you Grandpa!

Terri Metcalf-Peterson, soprano, is a recitalist and frequent soloist with opera companies, symphonies, and choral groups. Appearances with the University of Northern Colorado Opera, Grand Junction’s High Desert Opera, and Colorado Opera Troupe include the roles of Le Prince in Cendrillon, Sorceress in Dido and Aneas, Desdemona in Otello, Musetta in La Boheme, and Nella in Gianni Schicci. Terri often performs the full soprano role in Handel’s Messiah. 2015 marked her seventh season with the Boulder Colorado Messiah Chorale and Symphony. 

The Southwest Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of Southern Utah regularly feature her in concerts. Other performances include soprano solos in Mozart’s Requiem with the Centennial Philharmonic, and in Christmas concerts with the Boulder Chamber Orchestra, Denver Brass and Cherry Creek Chorale. For six years Terri was a resident artist at the Denver School of Arts, and she now teaches private vocal lessons at Dixie State University and Southern Utah University. After completing her Masters of Music at UNC and as winner

of the Rocky Mountain Competition, Terri returned to UNC to perform Barber’s Summer

in Knoxville with UNC’s Symphonic Band. Terri recently starred in the role of Dolly in

Hello Dolly in Cedar City, Utah. Currently she is pursuing a doctoral degree in music from UNLV and touring a recital of female composers which was recently presented at the state-wide Utah Women’s Higher Education Convention.

Taliah Byers, mezzo-soprano, holds a degree in Music Education from Southern Utah University and is currently a private voice instructor in the Cedar City area. Her students have received high accolades at Region and State festivals. As a soloist, she has been featured numerous times in performances of Handel's Messiah. While studying at SUU, she played lead roles in the operas The Proposal and Trial By Jury.  In 2011, she was a member of the chorus on a Grammy-nominated recording of Brahms Ein deutsches Requiem. A long-time Cedar City resident, she now resides in Enoch with her husband and three daughters. 

Dr. Lawrence Johnson has sung extensively throughout the Midwest and Southwest, as well as such diverse venues as Munich, Germany and Disneyworld.  Mr. Johnson was an international finalist in the Luciano Pavarotti International Voice competition in Philadelphia.  Other awards include the Wisconsin State NATS Winner and Chicago regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions.  Mr. Johnson has had the privilege of working with such distinguished luminaries as Sherrill Milnes, Mignon Dunn, Martin Katz, Elly Ameling, Geoffrey Parsons, and Tony Randall. Possessing degrees in both voice and piano performance from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Northwestern University, Mr. Johnson has also accompanied and conducted numerous concerts, operas, recitals, and shows.  Dr. Johnson currently serves as SUU music department chair. 

Alex J. Byers is an active educator, performer, and composer. He currently teaches choir and guitar at Canyon View High School. His groups have been noted for their expressiveness and consistently receive high ratings at Region and State festivals. As a performer, Mr. Byers has performed lead roles in the operas Don Giovanni (Leporello and Masetto), Die Zauberfloete (Papageno), and The Old Maid and the Thief (Bob). He has also been featured as a soloist in performances of Messiah, Rene Clausen's A New Creation, Charpentier's Te Deum, and Schubert's Mass in G. Mr. Byers' compositions have been featured in the OSU Halversen Young Artist Concert and the Utah ACDA chapter conference (1st place prize). He regularly composes for his choirs at CVHS and has recently been commissioned by OSU to write for their Glorious Galaxies concert. Mr. Byers currently resides in Enoch, Utah with his wife and three daughters.