From chamber and classical to Latin and swinging jazz, listeners of all musical persuasions in Mid-Michigan are in for a treat as the MSU College of Music presents an extraordinary season that runs from September through April.

The college will kick-off the musical season with something new and exciting – “MSU BrassWorks Showcase” ­– on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 3 p.m. Part of the MSU Federal Credit Union Showcase Series, this event presents an afternoon of majestic brass music ringing through Fairchild Theatre and features our own Beaumont Brass faculty quintet. Joining the ensemble will be principal brass players from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Kenneth Thomkins, trombone,and Karl Pituch, horn; Heather Zweifel, co-founder and co-director of Burning River Brass. Kevin Sedatole, director of bands at MSU, will be guest conductor.

Next in the Showcase Series, the college welcomes the guest string ensemble Brooklyn Rider, considered by Strings Magazine to be “the future of chamber music.” This lively group presents eclectic repertoire and gripping performances that draw rave reviews from classical, world, and rock critics alike.

Two familiar and joyful favorites fill the remainder of the December schedule, including holiday events like “A Jazzy Little Christmas” and Handel’s “Messiah.” The final Showcase Series concert, a favorite of many in the Lansing/East Lansing community, fills the Fairchild Theatre stage with four grand pianos and four accomplished pianists in April. Piano Monster features College of Music piano faculty artists commanding the instruments with arrangements for solo piano, piano for four hands, and other exciting works.

The MSU Opera Theatre will awe audiences with two fully staged and costumed operas at Fairchild, including The Elixir of Love by Donizetti in November, and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro in March.

The Joanne and Bill Church West Circle Series returns for its seventh season to celebrate the great works of master composers including Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Mozart, and Schumann. And for one week in April, internationally renowned guests and artist faculty will headline the 17th annual Cello Plus Chamber Music Festival.

Throughout the season, Best of the Best recitals by several artist-faculty and guest artists will feature works that have inspired audiences throughout the world. And no musical season at MSU would be complete without the numerous performances by the talented graduate and undergraduate students comprising the Symphony Orchestra, Jazz Ensembles, Wind Symphony, and Choral Ensembles, led by acclaimed MSU conductors.

SERIES

MSU Federal Credit Union Showcase Series

• MSU BrassWorks Showcase, Sunday, Sept. 18, 3 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Brooklyn Rider, Thursday, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Handel’s Messiah, Saturday, Dec. 10, 8 p.m., Wharton Center
• A Jazzy Little Christmas, Saturday, Dec. 17, 8 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Piano Monster, Saturday, April 15, 3 p.m., Fairchild Theatre

Joanne and Bill Church West Circle Series

• Shostakovich—110 years, Monday, Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Prokofiev, a Russian Giant, Monday, Nov. 28, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Happy Birthday Mozart, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Florestan and Eusebius, the Music of Robert Schumann, Monday, April 3, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre

MSU Opera Theatre

• The Elixir of Love, Nov. 16, 17, 18, and 20 (7:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 3 p.m.), Fairchild Theatre
• The Marriage of Figaro, March 22, 24, 25, 26 (7:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 8 p.m., and 3 p.m.), Fairchild Theatre

Cello Plus Chamber Music Festival 2016

• Korean Hearts of Vision Chamber Orchestra, Wednesday, April 5, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Chamber Music Fusion, Friday, April 7, 8 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Chamber Music Masters, Sunday, April 9, 3 p.m., Fairchild Theatre

Taylor Johnston Early Music Series (guest artists)

• Aldo Abreu, recorder, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Bruce Dickey, cornetto, and Hana Blazikova, soprano, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Capella Pratensis Tuesday, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre

A SAMPLING OF ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCES

Symphony Orchestra

• Bartok’s Viola Concerto featuring soloist Yuri Gandelsman, Friday, Sept. 30, 8 p.m., Wharton Center
• Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 (Jazz Orchestra One will also perform), Monday, Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Copland’s Symphony No. 3, Thursday, Apr. 27, 7:30 p.m., Wharton Center

Wind Symphony

• John Mackey and Steven Bryant, guest composers, Thursday, Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m., Wharton Center
• Mackey’s Concerto for Trumpet (pre-premiere) Justin Emerich, faculty artist; John Mackey, guest composer, Sunday, Dec. 4, 3 p.m., Wharton Center
• Orff’s Carmina Burana, Saturday, Apr. 29, 8 p.m., Wharton Center

Choral Ensembles

• Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, with Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Friday, Nov. 4, 8 p.m., Wharton Center
• Women’s Chamber Ensemble, Chamber Choir, and Campus Choir, Tuesday, Apr. 18, 7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre

Jazz Ensembles

• MSUFCU Jazz Artist in Residence, Jazz Guitarist Russell Malone, Friday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m., Fairchild Theatre
• Jazz Spectacular, Apr. 19, 20, and 22 (7:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 8 p.m.)

For more information about the new season, visit music.msu.edu/event-listing/season.