Abendmusik Alexandria’s first concert of the new year “An Evening of Romantic Song” is this Thursday, January 7. The concert features soprano D’nissa Hester and pianist Elena Bogaczová, two stunning musicians on the faculty of Northwestern State University. While Mrs. Hester is a newcomer to Abendmusik, this will be Ms. Bogaczová's third time playing at Abendmusik: Ms. Bogaczová was part of the outstanding trio that played for a full house at September’s highly-praised “Meeting of the Minds.”

At “An Evening of Romantic Song,” Hester and Bogaczová will treat audiences to an array of love songs, complementing the intimate setting patrons have come to expect from Abendmusik. Together with Abendmusik’s comfortable cabaret seating, delicious appetizers, and cash bar, “An Evening of Romantic Song” is perhaps the best date night presented by Abendmusik yet.

The songs are by some of the nineteenth-century’s greatest composers, including Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, and his wife Clara Schumann. The last of these is just one of the several women composers whose music is included on Thursday’s program. Pauline Viardot is another female composer whose “Fleur desséchée” will be heard Thursday. With the songs by these female composers, listeners will enjoy hearing the perspectives on love by both female and male composers.

Don’t miss this great concert! Tickets are available in advance through TicketCentral or by calling the Arts Council of Central Louisiana at 318 443 4718. Tickets are only $10.00 and there is a $5.00 appetizer option available featuring delicious blackened chicken pasta by Southern Creations Catering. “An Evening of Romantic Song” begins at 6 PM at the Hearn Stage in Downtown Alexandria; doors open at 5:30.

Upcoming concerts this season include “Infinite Possibilities” on February 4, “A Musical Journey” on March 3, and “Noble Visions” on April 7. Featured musicians are Masahito Kuroda (euphonium), John De Chiaro (guitar), and Unkyoung Kim (violin/viola), respectively. Keep up with Abendmusik Alexandria on Facebook, and remember to stay tuned to MusicCentral for personal insights into all of the great musical activities here in central Louisiana.

Click here to read the informative program notes I have prepared for "An Evening of Romantic Song."

JSH 16.01.04

About Jackson. Jackson Harmeyer is a music scholar, composer, and advocate of music. He is a graduate of the Louisiana Scholars’ College—Louisiana’s designated honors college located on the campus of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. While there, Jackson completed an undergraduate thesis entitled “Learning from the Past: The Influence of Johann Sebastian Bach upon the Soviet Composers.” He has followed classical music around the world, attending the BachFest Leipzig in Germany, Colorado’s Aspen Music Festival, and many concerts across Louisiana and Texas. Resident in Alexandria, Louisiana, Jackson works with the Arts Council of Central Louisiana as Series Director of the Abendmusik Alexandria chamber music series. He also writes the program notes for the Rapides Symphony Orchestra, blogs at MusicCentral, and continues to study other aspects of music in his spare time. His four-movement Suite for Solo Guitar, Op. 21 received its world premiere on November 5, 2015 at Abendmusik Alexandria.

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