Art Song Jamboree

Jessica Paul, Luther College associate professor of music, will host the final segment of this year’s four-part music performance series titled “Art Song Jamboree.”  The performance will be held Monday, April 20 at 5:15 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall.

The performance is open to the public with no charge for admission.
   
This is the third straight year that Luther has put on the Art Song series.  This year’s series is dedicated to the exploration of art song by women composers of the past and present.  Performers in each “Jam program” are a mix of vocal students under the direction of Paul and other members of the Luther music faculty.
   
The program for Monday’s performance will feature works by Wang An-Ming, Lili Boulanger, Nadia Boulanger, Francesca Caccini, Cecile Chaminade, Madeleine Dring, Ruth Schonthal and Barbara Strozzi.
   
The program will feature seven student performers: Diane Balfany, Rachel Grippen, Beth Jeddeloh and Mallory Marlatt, sopranos; Lindsey Johnson and Jill Phillips, mezzo-sopranos; and Matthew Myers, tenor. Also featured are Luther faculty Jessica Paul, piano; Tana Field, mezzo-soprano; and Jacob Lassetter, Jonathon Struve and Andrew Whitfield, baritones.
    
Paul has been the creator and lead advocate of the Art Song series.  She calls it the brainchild of her research and her mission to find art song written by women composers of all eras, musical styles, languages and nationalities.  This year’s program series includes several women composers from the International Alliance of Women in Music and artists from around the globe.
   
Paul, a native of Chicago, holds the bachelor of music in piano performance from Northwestern University.  Paul earned the master of music and doctor of musical arts degrees in vocal coaching and accompanying at the University of Illinois. 

Paul is frequently engaged as a collaborative pianist and guest clinician, and she has worked with such opera companies as the Pittsburgh Opera Theatre, Opera Theatre of Illinois, National Opera Company, Cleveland Opera Theatre, Virginia Opera Association, Lake George Opera Festival, Cedar Rapids Opera, and Pine Mountain Music Festival.
   
She is the former principal conductor and artistic director of the Dorian Opera Theatre.  In her position as associate professor of music at Luther she serves as a vocal coach, collaborative pianist, and teacher of accompanying.