Raritan Valley Band Spring Concert March 20
With Vocal Soloist Judith Nicosia
For More Information: Ann Rosenblum, Publicity 908-766-1575 or annosterdale@yahoo.com
February 13, 2005: For Immediate Release: The Raritan Valley Symphonic Band, under the direction of Dr. William Berz, will present “American Celebration”, a concert of classical and popular American music on Sunday, March 20 at 3:00 p.m. at Bridgewater-Raritan High School. Admission is free.
The concert will feature dazzling vocal soloist Judith Nicosia, performing some of America’s greatest popular songs from the era of George Gershwin and Cole Porter. Other highlights of the program include Fantasy on American Sailing Songs by Clare Grundman, A Festival Prelude by Alfred Reed, Divertimento for Band by Vincent Persichetti, selections from Oscar Hammerstein and Jerome Kern’s musical Show Boat arranged by Robert Russell Bennett, A Leroy Anderson Portrait, arranged by James Barnes, and favorite American marches.
Soprano Judith Nicosia is Associate Professor in the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University; where she teaches voice, voice pedagogy and vocal literature classes. Professor Nicosia has been a soloist with the Opera Orchestra of New York, Opera Company of Philadelphia, and Mississippi Opera, as well as the Montreal, Quebec, Hartford, Nashville and Colonial, and Princeton University symphonies, among others.
Winner of the 1981 Montreal International Voice Competition, Ms. Nicosia has received numerous awards including: First Prize for Woman's Voice and Second Prize for the performance of Darius Milhaud songs at the 1978 Paris International Voice Competition, the 1981 NYSTA Debut Recital Award, a career award from the National Institute for Music Theatre, two Sullivan Foundation grants, and three consecutive fellowships to Tanglewood. She made her debut at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, with the New Jersey Percussion Ensemble in 1995, and has recorded for the Orion, DR, C.R.I., Albany, and Centaur labels.
Now in its 22nd season, the RVSB is an important part of the amateur musical community, providing the opportunity for wind, brass and percussion players to get involved in music making, and giving the central New Jersey community an opportunity to hear great concert band music with outstanding New Jersey soloists, conductors and composers, free of charge, and close to home. The RVSB is under the direction of Dr. William Berz, Director of Bands at Rutgers – the State University of New Jersey. For more information about the concert, becoming a sponsor, to request assistance for persons with disabilities, or to inquire about joining the Band, consult the Band’s website at www.rvsb.org or call 908-359-3136.
The concert is made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and administered by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission through the State/County Partnership Local Arts Program. The Band is sponsored by the Jointure for Community Adult Education and by contributions from local businesses, corporations, foundations and private citizens.