Sheridan College Presents Free Chamber Music Performance on November 15

Sheridan College (SC) presents a free chamber music performance featuring Winds of the Bighorns, SC Flute Choir, Early Music Ensemble and Piano Quartet on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 4 p.m. in Kinnison Hall in the Whitney Center for the Arts.

The concert will showcase a variety of chamber works, offering audiences the chance to hear local musicians perform pieces ranging from early music to more contemporary selections.

The Sheridan College Flute Choir will perform under the direction of Kristy Dooley. The group consists of 12-14 members and includes high school students, SC students, SC alumni and community members. Different types of sounds in the flute family are featured by various instruments including Bass Flute, Alto Flue, C-Flute and Piccolo.

The Sheridan College Early Music Ensemble performs music from the Renaissance and early Baroque periods, roughly 1400 to 1602, using instruments that were popular during that time period. These include viola da gambas, recorders, crumhorns, percussion, and harpsichord. The viola da gambas are ancient cousins of the violin family, but, unlike violins, they feature a fretted fingerboard with six strings and are played on the lap. Recorders predate modern flutes, oboes, clarinets, and other woodwinds. Members of the group also play the more modern counterparts of these instruments, such as violins, double bass, French horn, tuba, guitar and piano. Directed by Dana Prater, the ensemble will perform several renaissance-style carols popularized by the new age orchestra Mannheim Steamroller.

Winds of the Bighorns is a traditional wind quintet, which features flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon. The group will be playing “Five Easy Dances” by Denes Agay, which features a slight Hungarian flare. They will also perform “Quintet for Winds” by P. Taffanel.

“We’re really grateful to our outstanding community for keeping our flute choir and early music ensemble going strong after the departure of the groups founders, the Bergmans,” Sheridan College Professor in Music Chris Erickson said. “The community will be sure to enjoy this performance.”

The event is free and open to the public. No tickets are required.