By Megan Maharry
Sports Editor
The Northwest Concert Series returns to the campus of Northwestern Oklahoma State University with its third performance of the year in the Tulsa Camerata. The concert is scheduled for Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. in Herod Hall Auditorium.
The Tulsa Camerata is a professional mixed-instrumentation chamber music ensemble out of Tulsa. Founded in 2010, the group performs a variety of classical pieces as well as modern compositions. Their concerts blend music and commentary to enrich an audience’s experience.
The Tulsa Camerata is a member of the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa and Arts Alliance Tulsa. Along with their concerts, their educational outreach programs are supported in part by the Oklahoma Arts Council.
Tuesday’s program will include Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copland which includes 13 musicians and conductor. Appalachian Spring is a ballet that tells the story of a spring celebration of the American pioneers of the 19th century.
Prior to the evening concert, the group will hold a master class at 4 p.m.
During this class, Tulsa Camerata members will discuss performing and instrumentation. They will also talk about how they choose the pieces they perform, as well as their backgrounds as musicians.
The master class will run approximately 45 minutes, and the evening performance will run 90 minutes.
Admission prices are $20 for the public and $5 for students. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door.
The Tulsa Camerata is the third group to perform at Northwestern for the 2018-19 Northwest Concert Series.
Kimberly Weast, chair of the department of fine arts and professor of theater arts, sits on the board that puts together each season of the Northwest Concert Series. She chooses groups to come to Northwestern.
She said the Tulsa Camerata has not performed at Northwestern before, but she has heard many videos of their previous performances and said they were extremely good.
Weast said it takes many hours and investigating to find the appropriate groups to travel to Northwestern to perform.
She spends a large portion of time working with the companies of performers, negotiation times and funds to bring the group in. “My goal is not to repeat styles of music one year to the next,” Weast said.
She said she works to get a variety of music and entertainment each year.
She looks at past performances done at Northwestern and tries to avoid too much repetition.
She said one type of music that has gotten popular among the audiences who have attended the Concert Series in the past is Irish; therefore, she said she tries to find an Irish group to bring in every few years.
The Northwest Concert Series is funded outside the university. Ticket sales, Northwestern, Art Works, National Endowment for the Arts, Oklahoma Arts Council, Charles Morton Share Trust and Alva Arts Alliance all play part in funding and supporting the event.
Northwestern will host one final group in its 2018-19 season: Riders in the Sky. This group is set to perform April 23.
For more information, contact Kimberly Weast or visit the Tulsa Camerata website at www.tulsacamerata.org.