FIU music concert benefits local elementary schools

FIU Music proudly presents the CMENC Faculty Spotlight Concert Friday, Oct. 2, 2009, at 8 p.m. in the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center, Concert Hall. The concert will benefit the FIU Chapter of Collegiate Music Educators National Conference (CMENC) grant “Music in Need,” which was created and administrated by FIU music students.

The Music Educators National Conference (MENC) is the national association for music education and has more than 130,000 active members across the nation. FIU is one of three national student chapters to receive the Chapter of Excellence Award for the service project grant “Music in Need.” The grant is in its third year and FIU CMENC has already awarded music equipment worth more than $1,500 to local elementary music programs. This year the first-place winner, Stirrup Elementary School, won 19 bell sets and mallet instruments.

“We really hope to raise enough money to aid more than one school. Our ultimate goal is to help secondary schools that are in need of music instruments. Last year was a success, but we anticipate exceeding last year’s raised funds and generating an even better outcome every year,” says FIU music student and FIU CMENC President Priscilla Blanco.

The FIU Chapter of Collegiate Music Educators National Conference is the most active chapter in South Florida.

Tickets for the CMENC Faculty Spotlight Concert are $5 for FIU students, $10 for seniors and FIU faculty and staff, and $12 for general admission. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 305-348-0496 or visit carta.fiu.edu.

The CMENC Faculty Spotlight concert will feature works including “Pas Redouble (Double-Quick Step)” by Camille Saint-Saens, “Cantate Domino” by Hans Leo Hassler, “Tonight” from “West Side Story” by Leonard Bernstein, “Syrinx” by Claude Debussy, “The Boatmen’s Dance,” “Long Time Ago,” and “I Bought Me a Cat” by Aaron Copland, “2 Fantasie Pieces: Romance and Humoresque” by Carl Nielson, “Bliss” and “Through the Doorway” by FIU Alumna Nancy Luzko, “One Day in November” by Leo Brouwer, “Carnival of Venice” by Francisco Tarrega and “Recessional March” by FIU Music faculty member Paula Matthusen.