Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 24, 1995 TAG: 9502240045
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: DONNA ALVIS BANKS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
That was in 1938.
James Glazebrook wields the baton this weekend when the New River Valley Symphony performs its winter concert. The performance begins with Barber's orchestral masterwork.
The second half of the concert features the local orchestra's rendition of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D Major.
The New River Valley Symphony is made up of Virginia Tech students, as well as musicians from the community. Glazebrook, who also serves as concertmaster for the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and is an associate professor of violin in Virginia Tech's music department, is the music director.
The winter concert begins at 8 p.m. Saturday in Burruss Hall. To reserve seats or order tickets, call the box office in Squires Student Center at 231-5615.
Admission is $5 for adults or $3 for students and senior citizens. Discount coupons are available for groups of students.
DON'T CATEGORIZE IT: Branford Marsalis, band leader of NBC's "Tonight Show," says he has to resist the urge to "ghetto-ize" music.
"Music is music," he notes, "and my mission is to try to take the best from all genres and synthesize them into something different. You play the music that's in your heart ..."
Marsalis and his band, Buckshot LeFonque, play a style some call "jazz with a deep-dish Jamaican groove" and others describe as "hip-hop jazz with a dab of R&B and pop."
It doesn't matter what you call it if it moves you.
Marsalis, who plays tenor sax, knows how to move you.
You can catch Buckshot LeFonque this Monday at Radford University. Marsalis and his band will be playing their hearts out, starting at 8 p.m., in Preston Auditorium.
Tickets, on sale now in Heth Hall, are $10 for the public and $3 with Radford University identification. For ticket information, call the information desk at 831-5420.
DA FUNK: George Clinton (no relation to Bill) & the P-Funk All-Stars promise to play "da funk, da whole funk and nuthin' but da funk!"
The Warner Brothers recording artists will visit Virginia Tech on Monday for a jam-packed evening. The band starts playing at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. in Commonwealth Ballroom at Squires Student Center.
Tickets are $16 for the public or $8 with Virginia Tech identification. They're on sale now at the first-floor box office in Squires Student Center. Call 231-5615 for more information.
The Virginia Tech Union and the Black Student Alliance are putting on the show.
BRING THE FAMILY: No Strings Attached, the local band with a national following, performs Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Blacksburg's Wesley Foundation. This is a benefit concert for the American Red Cross.
The acoustic band plays a blend of Irish, folk, swing, jazz and original music the whole family will enjoy. Expect a few old-time fiddle licks and southern Appalachian dance tunes, too.
No Strings Attached has recorded five albums since 1983. The hammered dulcimer is prominent in the group's musical arrangements, but the instrumentation also includes mandolin, guitar, bass, harmonica, bouzouki (a Greek stringed instrument), pennywhistle, flute, bowed psaltery, kalimba (East African marimba) and synthesizer.
Tickets for Saturday's concert are $4 for adults. Children under 12 and senior citizens get in for $1. Half of the proceeds will go to the Montgomery County chapter of the American Red Cross and half will aid Red Cross disaster recovery efforts in Japan.
AT THE MALL: New River Valley Mall is where you'll find the fun Saturday.
Montgomery County Schools' Chapter I program is putting on its annual Family Literacy Celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kids may listen to their favorite stories, work on computer activities, make their own puppets and meet some popular storybook characters.
At 2 p.m., it's Iams All-American Dog Show at the mall. Tail-waggers of all shapes, sizes, colors and breeds will compete for the head-hound crown.
Dogs in the competition will be required to model sportswear, demonstrate obedience skills and display a talent. Judges then will pick the entrant with the most canine charisma.
Steve Holstein of WPSK is the master of ceremonies.
Admission to the All-American Dog Show and the Family Literacy Celebration is free.
PIANO TUESDAY: If you have an appetite for piano music, you can get your fill Tuesday at Radford University.
The Hollins Piano Quartet, two men and two women who play works for eight hands and two pianos, perform at 4 p.m. in Preston Hall. The ensemble plays original music in addition to symphonic and operatic arrangements.
The musicians describe their style as "classical music with an attitude." Richard Wroncy, Michael Sitton, Rebecca Wallenborn and Carolyn Victorine make up the foursome.
The concert is free and open to everyone.
At 8 p.m., pianist Louise Billaud takes the stage in Preston Auditorium. Billaud was the winner of the 1986 Bartok-Kabalevsky Competition at Radford University.
She recently performed a series of recitals in Alaska to benefit the American Diabetes Association and just returned from a European tour. Tuesday's recital is a benefit for the Arts Society.
Billaud will perform works by Bach, Beethoven, Liszt, Kabalevsky, Liapunov, Granados and Ravel. It should be an interesting and varied program of piano music.
Admission to the recital is $3 for adults and $1 for children. Tickets will be available at the door.
FEELING JAZZY: The Alleghany Cafe in Radford is having a jazz jam Saturday, starting at 10 p.m. This is your chance to hear some cool notes.
Heather Banker of Roanoke will perform, along with New Orleans keyboardist Lenny Marcus. Bob Bowen and Keith Brown of the Miles High Jazz Band will be there, too. Other jazz musicians from around the area are expected to join in the jam session.
Tickets, available at the door, are $4 if you're over 21 or $6 if you're under 21.
The cafe is at 1009 Norwood St. downtown.
by CNB