VSU’S Pan-American Ensemble Performs April 21

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University’s 12-member Pan-American Ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, in Whitehead Auditorium. The concert is free of charge and open to the public.

Directed by Dr. M. Brent Williams, the Pan-American Ensemble was founded in the spring of 2009. It gives students from departments across campus an opportunity to perform folk music from different cultures spanning the Western Hemisphere, such as Argentine tango, Brazilian choros, bluegrass, Appalachian fiddling, salsa, Western swing, music from the Andean mountains, Americana, and Mexican mariachi. 

“Simply put, this music is fun and exciting for both the audience and members of the group,” said Williams, a lecturer in VSU’s Department of Music, a noted violinist, principal second violin with the Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, concertmaster of the Albany Symphony Orchestra, as well as assistant concertmaster of the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra.

“This particular program,” he continued, “includes a tribute to my all-time favorite Brazilian singer-songwriter and representative of the Tropicália movement, Caetano Veloso; our first-ever set of music from a group north of the border, the Canadian trio, the Wailin’ Jennys; a couple of tunes from the repertoire of the Fleet Foxes, an ever-popular band from the Northwestern United States; three ‘new’ arrangements of mine representing ‘old guard’ Argentine tango; and we’re rounding it out with three pieces that attempt to capture what happens when mariachi groups are given on-the-spot requests that fall out of their usual sphere.”

Whitehead Auditorium is located on the first floor of the VSU Fine Arts Building, at the intersection of Oak Street and Brookwood Drive.

Contact M. Brent Williams at (229) 259-2087 or mbwilliams@valdosta.edu for more information.

VSU Pan-American Ensemble

• Kaitlin Aufenthie (piano and vocals), Catherine Blankenship (violin, percussion, and vocals), Daniela Cruz (viola and vocals), Nancy Davis (percussion, accordion, piano, and vocals), Eduardo Farias (trumpet, guitar, and vocals), Alex Lipsky (violin and vocals), Alex Paul (cello, guitar, vihuela, and vocals), Leah Powers (cello, percussion, and vocals), Cecelia Davis (guitar, guitarrón, ukulele, and vocals), Joshua Weathers (bass, guitarrón, and vocals), Tiarra Willis (cello, guitar, and vocals), M. Brent Williams (violin, percussion, vihuela, guitar, and vocals)