Symphony to bring life before dead week

By Savon Gray

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Students in the College of Fine Arts have organized a performance to revitalize their downtrodden classmates wrapping up final essays and presentations before dead week.

The UK Symphony Orchestra will perform alongside talented oboist Tonimarie Marchioni and guitarist Dieter Hennings 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Singletary Center for the Arts.

“Marchioni is a distinguished performer, educator, and journalist,” said Nathan Williams, a graduate teaching assistant who organized the event and plays French horn in the orchestra. “She has positively transformed the oboe studio.”

The orchestra is comprised of students from School of Music Professor John Nardolillo’s orchestra classes. Nardolillo is also the university’s director of orchestras. Guitarist Dieter Hennings, who will accompany the orchestra, has been an assistant professor of music at UK since 2009.

Along with teaching, Hennings also curates the UK international guitar series. He can be heard on the Nonesuch, Bridge, Parma and Quindecim recording labels.

Integrated Strategic Communications and Digital Media Design junior Amanda Ramirez said the show will be one students will not want to miss.

“I haven’t heard of these artists, but their accomplishments say a lot,” Ramirez said. “Seeing people of their caliber perform would be a cool experience.”

The performances are taken from a diverse group of classical composers, from Germanic to Argentine, which allows students without a musical background, like biology and chemistry junior Claire Jones, to experience something new.

“The music is peaceful and it’s cool to see people who play instruments that well perform, because I can’t.” Jones said.

The concert will include performances of Alberto Ginastera’s dances from “Estancia,” Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, Vaughan Williams’ “Oboe Concerto” and many other pieces.

“Whether the piece is Germanic tone poem or Argentinian orchestral suite, everyone will enjoy something,” Williams said.

The event is free and open to the public.