March 22, 2019

Northwest to host French Music Festival, pianist Scott Carrell

By Tara Garcia, communication assistant

Dr. Scott Carrell

Northwest Missouri State University will present a two-day French Music Festival featuring Dr. Scott Carrell, Sunday, April 7, and Monday, April 8.

Carrell headlines the festival with an evening piano recital at 7:30 p.m. April 7 in the Charles Johnson Theater at the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building, where he will perform a piano recital featuring the music of Baroque, Romantic and Impressionistic French composers. The festival also includes a Sunday afternoon lecture by Carrell about French composers at 2 p.m. in Room 244 of the Fine Arts Building and Northwest music students will perform their own recital of French pieces at 3 p.m. in the Charles Johnson Theater.

Northwest students will be thoroughly involved in all aspects of the festival, which will highlight Northwest’s international students by raising awareness of France’s important contributions to music. The festival is a celebration of 300 years of French piano music.

“Dr. Carrell is an extraordinary artist and visited our campus three years ago, it was sensational,” Northwest Professor of Music Dr. Ernest Kramer said. “The French festival, which is made up of four main events, is the first of its kind on our campus and in our region. The audience will be treated to three centuries of a variety of French music. There will be pianists, singers and instrumentalists participating.”

Carrell, a professor of music at Harding University, has performed for audiences in the U.S., Europe and China, presenting innovative programs of both classical and jazz works, including discussion of the works and the composers.

An active chamber musician, he co-founded the Searcy Chamber Music Series and has performed in many of its concerts. He also has performed in recitals and small ensembles in Florence, Italy, and Mainz, Germany. In 2014, he was invited to Guangzhou, China, to perform a concert, give lectures and teach piano students in masterclasses.

The festival concludes with Carrell working with interested Northwest students in a master class at 8 a.m. April 8. All events are free and open to the public.