USM Gulf Park Begins the Ambassador Series on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
Wed, 09/14/2022 - 10:57am | By: Jay Dean
Pictured left to right: Dr. Brian Murphy, Dr. Susie Ruggiero, and Dr. Danilo Mezzadri
The Ambassador Series, a cultural outreach project of The University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Park campus, will present musical performances along the Mississippi Gulf Coast throughout 2022-23.
The eclectic series, with concerts ranging from jazz and steel pans to classical soloists and choral ensembles, includes something for everyone. Spanning the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the schedule includes performances in Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Waveland, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Moss Point, and Gautier. The first events in the series will be presented on October 3 and 4, 2022.
“I am excited for us to be able to offer these opportunities to our students, visitors, and residents all along the Gulf Coast,” said Shannon Campbell, Senior Associate Vice-President for Coastal Operations.
The Ambassador Series kicks off Monday, Oct. 3 with the Gulf Coast Civic Chorale’s Festival of Choirs, which showcases some of the region’s exceptional high school and community college choirs in a celebration of multi-generational music making. Dr. Jonathan Kilgore of the University of Southern Mississippi School of Music will conduct the festival’s mass chorus, as well as USM’s Concert Choir.
The festival, which generally features between 300 and 400 singers, culminates in a mass choir performance of inspirational and exciting music. Participating choirs this year are from Biloxi High School, Copiah-Lincoln Community College, East Central High School, Gautier High School, Hancock High School, Long Beach High School, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Harrison County Campus, USM Oratorio Chorus, Pascagoula High School, Pass Christian High School, St. Martin High School, The USM Southern Chorale, and The Southern Miss Gulf Coast Civic Chorale.
The Festival of Choirs begins at 7 p.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church (720 East Beach Blvd.) in Long Beach, Miss. The Festival of Choirs concert is free and open to the public.
On Tuesday, Oct. 4, hear Flutissimo 4x4x4. This recital features four professional musicians playing music from four countries, spanning over four centuries, or 4 X 4 X 4. This special event celebrates the centennial of the great 20th century flute virtuoso Jean-Pierre Rampal.
Featuring enchanting works by Gioachino Rossini, Albert Roussel, and Francis Poulenc, this multimedia recital illuminates Rampal’s legacy and the music performed. Mississippi-based artists Danilo Mezzadri (flute), Susan Ruggiero (voice), and Brian Murphy (piano), share the stage with the internationally acclaimed Italian flutist Fabio Angelo Colajanni.
This collaboration brings to Long Beach the U.S. leg of a recital tour that began in Rome, Italy. Jean-Pierre Rampal was an internationally renowned flutist, with a superb sense of musicality, delightful tone, dazzling technique, and a charming personality. Rampal performed concerts around the globe for over 50 years and recorded over 400 albums. He became the first flutist to achieve household name recognition.
The program will take place at 7 p.m. in the Fleming Education Center (FEC) Auditorium on the USM Gulf Park campus in Long Beach. This recital is free and open to the public.
Whether you are a seasoned supporter of the arts or looking to explore something new, the Ambassador Series is sure to provide unique experiences that will enrich the lives of community members and the coast’s arts and culture. The series will continue through April 2023.
For more information, please visit usm.edu/arts/ambassador-series.php