Students, faculty perform in benefit concerts for Japan

From a UNT News Service press release

College of Music students and faculty members performed in a series of benefit concerts to raise money for the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

The series included a total of seven concerts held throughout March and April with proceeds going to the American Red Cross. The final concert was held April 27 in Winspear Hall.

The first concert was held on March 28 with renowned musicians such as Emanuel Borok, former concertmaster of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and current faculty member, and Jennifer Lane, an internationally known mezzo-soprano and associate professor of music, as well as many others. In addition, the Grammy-nominated One O'Clock Lab Band presented the world premiere of Don't Give Up Hope by Steve Wiest, a two-time Grammy nominee and director of the band.

"The disasters in Japan have been felt very strongly in the College of Music, not only from the globally shared sense of human and environmental tragedy involved, but also from our more local caring about losses affecting our Japanese students and from the deeply personal and professional experiences that so many of our faculty and students have had in Japan," says James Scott, dean of the UNT College of Music.

"The College of Music wants very much to help with relief efforts through raising funds for the Red Cross, and simultaneously celebrate the richness of Japanese culture through some of our selections of performers and compositions for this program," Scott says.

Ellen Rossetti with UNT News Service can be reached at Ellen.Rossetti@unt.edu.

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• President's Note
• Moving Forward: U.S. News & World Report ranks UNT graduate programs top in nation
• Aston named Mean Green women's basketball coach
• College of Engineering to expand its TWU dual degree offerings
• Faculty Focus: Ohad Shemmer
• Traditions: Relief and outreach efforts
• Featured Link: The North Texan
• UNT Alumni Association