UA LYRIQUE QUINTETTE RETURNS FROM SUCCESSFUL TOUR OF THAILAND

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. —The University of Arkansas Lyrique Quintette has just returned from a successful tour of Thailand, where they performed several concerts and were in residence at two different universities.

The quintet spent nine days in residence at Kasetsart University (Bangkok) as guests of the Faculty of Humanities. While at Kasetsart, they did master classes for the university students there. Each musician in the quintet gave a separate class for their specific instrument and Dale Warren, UA director of bands, gave conducting workshops for area conductors. In addition, Warren worked with the Kasetsart University Wind Symphony, and on January 14, a gala concert was presented. In the first half of the concert, the Lyrique Quintette performed music by Brahms, D’Rivera, and Murdock. Warren then conducted the Wind Symphony in performances of Jim Colonna’s Persistence of Time, Persichetti’s Psalm for Band, Himes’ arrangement of Amazing Grace, Hesketh’s Masque, Sousa’s With Pleasure, and finally, the Robert Russell Bennett Concerto Grosso for Woodwind Quintet and Band, featuring the Lyrique Quintette. The 800-seat auditorium was sold out, and the concert was a great success. The quintet and Warren have been invited to return to Kasetsart University next year for another residency.

While in Bangkok, the quintet also joined the Tamnak Pratham Players for a January 12 concert at Tamnak Pratham Heritage Home. This concert included pieces for harp and wind instruments, performed by Tamnak Pratham harpists Eleri Rhiannon Darkins and Sarah Goss with members of the Lyrique Quintette. The Heritage Home is the former home of HRH the late Prince Chudadhuj, Prince of Petchaboon, son of His Majesty King Chulalongkorn. The quintet has been invited back to do another concert at Tamnak Pratham.

The quintet traveled to Hat Yai and were in residence at Prince of Songkla University as guests of the Cultural Center there. Members of the quintet gave master classes, and the quintet performed a concert of woodwind quintet repertoire on January 18.