June 29, 2009

Poughkeepsie, N.Y. – A piano duet from Dutchess Community College Music School faculty members, Valentina Shatalova and Carol Losee, will be one of the pieces featured during the DCC Music School Faculty Concert on July 1 at 4 p.m. in the James and Betty Hall Theatre on the College’s main Poughkeepsie campus.

The duo will perform classical and folk dance music by composers such as Grieg, Brahms and Dvorak, in a piece they are calling “Dancing Around the World.”

In addition, Ariana Barkeshli will play selected movements from “Pictures at an Exhibition” by classical composer Modest Mussorgsky, and faculty member Dennis Yerry will be on hand to perform “Round Midnight” by Thelonious Monk.

Admission to the concert is free, though optional $5 donations to the MusicLink Scholarship Fund will be collected at the door. The MusicLink Scholarship Fund provides free or low-cost music lessons to students who cannot afford to pay for them. The fund is an initiative of the DCC Music School and the College’s Office of Community Services.

On August 1 from 2-5 p.m., the Music School will present its annual Sing-A-Thon/Play-a-Thon to benefit the MusicLink fund. Performers of all age and skill levels are welcome to participate.

The following month on September 5, the Music School’s Fall Welcome Day will be held from 11 a.m. to noon. Visitors can sample a variety of musical instruments, and there will also be free Kindermusik demonstrations for infants and young children, and placement auditions for the Music School’s Chamber Music group.

For more information about any of the events scheduled, or instructions about signing up for the Sing-a-Thon/Play-a-Thon, contact DCC Music School Director Julie Wegener at 845-431-8916.

The DCC Office of Community Services and Special Programs offers non-credit courses to meet the continuing education needs of civic, cultural, business and professional groups and the community at large. Visit www.sunydutchess.edu/continuingeducation.