The Constellation Concert Series has drawn music lovers to The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) for a decade. Now the UAH Department of Music, Theatre and Film is set to launch Constellation’s 11th season along with two new musical satellites featuring faculty and students in fall 2024. UAH is a part of The University of Alabama System.
Pianist Joseph Fleetwood performs at the first Constellation Concert of the season on Oct. 10.
Courtesy Joseph Fleetwood
Constellation presents touring artists and other professionals from Huntsville and across Alabama, and each year it usually features one or two UAH faculty artists, too. Charger Friends and Charger Sounds, the new offerings, will expand the focus to more faculty members plus student musicians, says Ron Guthrie, UAH performing arts operations coordinator.
“Constellation has a regular following with our community patrons. People are always asking us, ‘What’s Constellation going to be this year?’ There’s always an anticipation of the season to come that’s exciting.”
This season, he says, holds even more surprises for audiences.
“Charger Friends will spotlight our other full-time faculty and part-time instructors as well as their colleagues from across Alabama. Charger Sounds features our large student ensembles such as our Wind Ensemble, which is our concert band, and our two university choirs and our Jazz Ensemble.”
The Constellation season will open with pianist Joseph Fleetwood on Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m. with Robert Schumann’s “Carnaval,” Alexander Scriabin’s Sonata No. 5 and Franz Liszt’s iconic masterpiece, Sonata in B minor.
“We’re so lucky to have him here in Huntsville,” says Guthrie, a pianist himself. “All of the local pianists, we know each other, and we share the work in town. We’re a small town with big-town talent.”
The second Constellation Concert on Nov. 8 features Three Reeds Duo, the husband-and-wife team of oboist Leah Forsyth and saxophonist Paul Forsyth.
Courtesy Leah and Paul Forsyth
The second Constellation concert will present Three Reeds Duo – the husband-and-wife team of oboist Leah Forsyth and saxophonist Paul Forsyth – on Friday, Nov. 8, at 7:30 p.m. They will perform a range of works for this unusual instrumental combination, including a new commission, “Gauntlet” by Dr. Joshua Burel, chair, UAH Department of Music, Theatre and Film. The Forsyths will be on campus performing and teaching in collaboration with UAH Rocket City Reed Day, Nov. 8-9.
“In addition to Friday night’s concert, they will join UAH music faculty on Saturday for a whole day of private lessons, ensemble rehearsals and master classes with high school students who sign up,” Guthrie says. “Then the whole event will culminate in a concert, sharing highlights of the weekend.”
For more information about UAH Rocket City Reed Day, contact UAH faculty member Jennifer Case at jsc0027@uah.edu. She is organizing the event with fellow faculty member Taylor Barlow. There is no cost to participate in Rocket City Reed Day, and students who sign up receive free admission to the Constellation Concert.
Both Constellation events will be held at Roberts Recital Hall, 1510 Ben Graves Drive, on the UAH campus. Admission is $10, general admission; $5, students and seniors. Debit or credit card only; no cash accepted at the door. Live stream access is available for $10.
Charger Sounds will offer more opportunities for high school students to interact with the UAH music community. The Wind Ensemble will perform in side-by-side concerts with Huntsville High School on Thursday, Sept. 26, and with Randolph High School on Thursday, Nov. 21. The performances will be held at the high schools starting at 7:30 p.m. Select members of the high school bands will be invited to practice and perform with the Wind Ensemble.
Organist Jillian Gardner performs at the inaugural Charger Friends concert on Nov. 1.
Courtesy Jillian Gardner
Other Charger Sounds performances include the UAH Choirs on two Tuesdays, Oct. 1 and Nov. 19, and the UAH Jazz Bands on Friday, Nov. 22. These performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Roberts Recital Hall.
Admission is free to all Charger Sounds concerts as well as all Charger Friends events.
The inaugural Charger Friends program will feature organist Jillian Gardner on Friday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 120 Greene St. in downtown Huntsville. This post-Halloween recital is a free-admission treat. It will include some scary favorites – J.S. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Danse macabre” and Gustav Holst’s “Mars” from “The Planets,” Op. 32 – among lighter fare.
For more information about the Constellation Concert Series, Charger Friends and Charger Sounds, visit uah.edu/music/events.
