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The Boston College campus will be relatively quiet next week with spring break, but there’ll be plenty of activity to follow.
Here’s a look at three upcoming events that will appeal to enthusiasts of a wide range of genres: March 17 is fast approaching, but BC’s Irish Dance Club will present its spirited St. Patrick’s Day Show two days before the big event.
"Elevation,” which takes place on March 15 at 7 p.m. in Robsham Theater, is the club’s fourth annual St. Patrick's Day performance. Comprised of 16 dances on a spectrum of traditional to modern choreography, the show will combine the roots of traditional Irish Dance with modern technique.
“Last year's show, ‘Rhythm,’ was so well-received and it was an amazing accomplishment for the club,” says club president Brittany Lewis ‘11. “We can't wait to continue that success on March 15. The show will be the culmination of a lot of people's hard work and effort.”
The program will feature a mix of traditional and contemporary pieces, according to Lewis, with “reels, a slip jig, hard reel and a lot of combination pieces with both hard and soft shoes.” Included will be a traditional ceilidh dance.
Five of the pieces, she noted, are choreographed to popular, contemporary music. “It's a very eclectic mix and will have something for everyone.”
The performance, now in its second year at Robsham, “means a lot for the club. It is the first year without any of the founders — three of whom graduated last year — and we are greatly looking forward to upholding the standards they instilled in the club.
“Our St. Patrick's Day show is always an overwhelmingly emotional experience for us,” she adds. “We can't wait to share with our families, friends and the community everything we've been working on since September.” Tickets for the March 15 performance are $10, and are on sale at the Robsham Theater Arts Center Box Office (ext.2-4002).
Also on March 15, the Blue Heron Renaissance Choir —Boston College artists-in-residence — will present a free concert in St. Mary’s Chapel at 8 p.m., showcasing the music of Spanish Renaissance composer Tomás Luis de Victoria. The concert, which commemorates the 400th anniversary of the composer’s death and features the six-voice Requiem Mass or Officium defunctorum of 1605, also will include music by other Spanish composers. Music Department Chair Professor Michael Noone will give a pre-concert talk.
Noone lauds Blue Heron’s campus activities this semester, which include work with student performers both individually and in groups. He singled out for praise the ensemble’s music director Scott Metcalfe, who has spoken in classes that study Medieval and Renaissance choral music. During these talks, said Noone, Metcalfe gave valuable background on Victoria’s life and career, and on the requiem, Victoria's last known work. Metcalf also offered insights on modern presentations of the requiem.
“One of the justifications for an artists-in-residence program is the enormous pedagogical advantage of the same group of professionals returning for multiple visits to campus, each time interacting with students in ways that respond immediately to students needs,” said Noone.
In addition to the March 15 concert, Blue Heron will hold an open dress rehearsal on March 10 at St. Mary's Chapel from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. For more information on the concert, sponsored by the Institute for the Liberal Arts as part of the Jesuits and Music Series, call ext.2-6004 or email concerts@bc.edu
On March 19, student jazz ensemble BC bOp! — acclaimed for its exuberant stage presence and lively repertoire — will once again take Robsham Theater by storm under the direction of Sebastian Bonaiuto.
The concert, titled "The Most Interesting Band in the World,” will comprise 17 vocal and instrumental pieces ranging from big band swing selections to contemporary jazz. Among them is "Special Forces," a piece written by senior trumpet player Steven Bass.
"This is shaping up to be one of the best performances BC bOp! has ever played,” said Bonaiuto, who is BC’s director of bands. “Preparation has progressed beautifully and we are all looking forward to a great concert."
With a repertoire that spans traditional and contemporary jazz and more than 50 selections, including music from the 1940s to the present, the ensemble has received superior ratings multiple times at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival at the University of Idaho.
BC bOp! performs at campus venues throughout the academic year and is showcased at the annual Arts Festival, where "Dancing With bOp!" — at which the band accompanies performances by eight campus dance groups — is a highlight. The collaboration, now in its third year, will be a featured event on April 30.
Admission to the March 19 performance at 7 p.m. is $15, $10 with a BC ID. For more information email bands@bc.eduor call ext.2-3018.