Guest Recital for Flute, Soprano and Piano Set for Jan. 24

by Richard Veit

Three visiting musicians-flutist Gwen Powell, soprano Julie Whittington McCoy and pianist Cynthia Cortright-will present a guest recital at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, in Roxy Grove Hall at Baylor University. It will feature music from the middle of the 19th century to the present day.
Powell, professor of flute at Oklahoma State University for 20 years, now performs nationwide and serves as president of the National Flute Association. McCoy, a former member of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers, now serves as professor of voice at Oklahoma State University. Cortright, who has performed as staff accompanist at Oklahoma State University, teaches privately in Oklahoma City, Okla.
The earliest work on their program will be Theobald Boehm's set of variations on the familiar "Ständchen" ("Serenade") by Franz Schubert. This will be followed by the "Chanson Gitane" ("Gypsy Song") of Spanish composer Manuel Infante and then the "Three Irish Folksong Settings" of one of today's most prominent American composers, John Corigliano.
Two pieces by contemporary composer Santa Fe Galloway will be performed- "Alabado" from 1985 and "New Mexico Elegies" from 1996. Although Spaniard Joaquín Rodrigo is best known for his guitar pieces, he has written for virtually all combinations of instruments and the voice. His "Dos Poemas" ("Two Poems") date from 1963.
The recital will continue with "Passacaille" by Rhene-Baton and then Brant Adams's arrangement of "Three American Folksong Settings" ("What Have They Done to the Rain?" "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" and "If I Had a Hammer"). Concluding the program will be Jayme Ovalle's "Azulao" and Ned Rorem's "Pippa's Song."
The recital is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Baylor School of Music at 755-3991.