String orchestras showcase music from film, stage

The All-University String Orchestras will perform music written or adapted for film and stage at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, in Mills Hall.

Janet Jensen is the music director of the two orchestras composed primarily of non-music majors from across campus. Admission is free.

The program of classical and modern works includes the popular serenades for strings by Tchaikovsky and Dvorak and the “Adagio for Strings” by Samuel Barber. The Barber “Adagio” has been used in films such as “The Elephant Man,” “Platoon,” “Amélie” and “Lorenzo’s Oil,” among others. Teryl Dobbs, assistant professor of music education, will be the guest flute soloist for “A Simple Song” from Bernstein’s “Mass.”

Each All-University String Orchestra has more than 120 members who rehearse weekly throughout the academic year. A few of the majors represented are biomedical engineering, microbiology, Japanese linguistics, biology, nutritional science, neurobiology and Latin. There are many others from virtually every school and college. Nearly 50 members additionally participate in chamber ensembles coached by undergraduate and graduate music majors; those ensembles present their own program at 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8, in Morphy Hall, also free.