The Fresno State Department of Music will present the Art Song Festival this weekend at Fresno State. The two-day festival — taking place on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 23 and 24 — will feature performances by students, faculty and guests including two-term U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera.
Joe Moore interviewed Briggs about the Art Song Festival for KVPR’s Valley Edition news program.
Art song is a vocal music composition, written for one voice with piano accompaniment.
The Art Song Festival includes master classes, lectures, faculty concerts, a poetry workshop and a student showcase.
Festival schedule:
Friday, Feb. 23, Wahlberg Recital Hall
- 10 a.m. to noon — Masterclass: Any national school, Dr. Maria Briggs
- 1 to 3 p.m. — Masterclass: German Lieder, Dr. Robin Fisher
- 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. — Lecture: From home to stage: Lied from the late 18th to the early 20th century, Dr. John Karr
- 4:30 to 6 p.m. — Poetry workshop, Juan Felipe Herrera, laureate poet
- 7 to 8 p.m. — Faculty recital: Dr. Maria Briggs will perform works by Duparc, Strauss, Rachmaninov, Tchaikowsky and Wagner.
- 8 to 9 p.m. — Reception and discussion
Saturday, Feb. 24, Concert Hall
- 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Masterclass: Italian, Spanish and Russian Art Song, Vladimir Chernov
- 4 to 5 p.m. — Student showcase and best singer award
- 6 to 7 p.m. — Faculty recital: Vladimir Chernov will perform works by Tchaikowsky, Glinka, Rachmaninov, Rubinstein and Borodin.
- 7 to 8 p.m. — Reception and discussion
The Fresno State Art Song Festival will be featured on KMPH Fox26’s Great Day between 8 and 10 a.m Friday, Feb. 23.
Audience tickets for the festival are $15 for a two-day pass. They can be purchased here. Information: Dr. Maria Briggs, 559.278.2655 or mbriggs@csufresno.edu.
The College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State 