Central Methodist University will host several Fine Arts events and performances during the remainder of the Spring 2025 semester. These events are free and open to the public, and some will be streamed online and can be accessed via the links following each event.
On Saturday, April 5 in Linn Memorial UMC, the CMU Opera Troupe will perform Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury, a one-act operetta. The show will be performed in English with English supertitles.
“At only 40 minutes in length, it’s a great introduction to anyone new to the art form,” said Dr. Jonathan Ray, assistant professor of music. “It will be a barrel of laughs for everyone.”
Next, on Tuesday, April 8 at 7 p.m. in Linn Memorial UMC is a Cultural Affairs event featuring the baroque string quartet Nyxa Chamber Players.
On Thursday, April 10 at 7 p.m., also at Linn Memorial UMC, is Phi Mu Alpha’s (PMA) American Music Recital, which can be viewed here. This recital is planned and put on entirely by CMU’s students of PMA with performances approved by the music faculty. Phi Mu Alpha is a national music fraternity and has been active at CMU since 1930.
On Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m., Arielle Prince will perform her senior secital in the Recital Hall. It will also be live streamed at this link.
Chamber Recital is Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. in the Recital Hall. It will be live-streamed here, and will feature small ensembles such as the woodwind ensemble and brass quintet.
The CMU Little Theatre will put on She Kills Monsters on Wednesday, April 23 through Saturday, April 26 for its final show of the year. Written by Qui Nguyen, the play is a comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games.
Monday, April 28 at 7 p.m. in the Assembly Hall is the Jazz Ensemble Concert, live-streamed here. Jazz Ensemble is taught by Dr. Kara Metzger, director of bands, and features saxophone players Brandon Prince, Matthew Simons, Kylie Dickinson, Wyatt Mitchell, and Jordyn Williamson; trumpet players Matt Hamilton and Doug Burchett; trombone players Caleb Scantlin, Landon Meyer, Trinity Thompkins, and Wesley Miner; Max Blankenship on drums; Wyatt Smith on guitar; and Gram Coalier on bass.
“This ensemble plays a mixture of music that revolves around the swing, Latin, and rock genres,” Metzger said.
The set will include “Computer” by Bob Mintzer, “Count Bubba” by Gordon Goodwin, and a rendition of Weather Report’s version of “Birdland,” among other selections.
In May, Dr. Ray and Dr. Simons will perform a Faculty Recital on Friday the second at 7 p.m. in the Recital Hall. This performance will also be live-streamed and can be viewed at this link.
Saturday, May 3 is the “A Moment in Time” Band Concert in Linn Memorial UMC, live-streamed here. The concert will include pieces relating to daily events, including the world premiere of “Encounters” by Jason Wise.
“This piece was written specifically for this ensemble,” Metzger said, “and is about the various people that one can encounter in any given day.”
The concert will feature a student conductor and soloist Brandon Prince (saxophone). The hope is to end with “Give Us This Day,” a short symphony by David Maslanka, Metzger said.
This will be followed the next day by the “Music of the World: Concert for Human Rights” choir concert, which starts at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 4. This concert can be viewed live here.
For this concert, each song has been paired with a reading related to human rights, such as the Holocaust and civil rights. This includes work from Alice Walker, Eugene H. Peterson, Dee Smith, Robert Johnson, Azar Nafisi, Dr. Maya Angelou, Arundhati Roy, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Pieces include music from Africa and India, as well as the United States.
For a full list of livestream links for Swinney Conservatory events, visit https://www.centralmethodist.edu/about/campus-attractions/swinney-conservatory/streams.html.