By Special to The Beacon

posted Jan 8, 2013 - 4:19:37pm

The Sigma Alpha Iota women’s professional music fraternity will present the “Women’s Works” Benefit Concert at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 19, in Lee Chapel inside Elizabeth Hall, on Stetson University’s DeLand campus.

Featuring women performing music by women composers, the concert musicians represent Stetson University, Rollins College, the University of Central Florida and the Volusia County Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota.

Dr. Liana Valente, adjunct professor of voice at Rollins College, will be the featured guest artist. Valente holds the Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of South Carolina, and serves as the director of the People-to-People Project.

Part of the philanthropic arm of Sigma Alpha Iota, People-to-People provides material assistance and encouragement to schools, music organizations and musicians in developing countries in many parts of the world where even small things can make a big difference.

Through the People-to-People organization, music and musical instruments have been donated to students in Haiti, a guitar was sent to an American soldier in Iraq, and music was donated to a school in Zambia.

Performing on piano with Valente will be Sharla Mercado, president of the Volusia County SAI Alumnae Chapter, and former chairperson of the 2006 SAI National Convention. Valente and Mercado will perform Collage of Clicking Clichés by Christine Arens, Orlando composer, pianist, teacher, and member of SAI’s Composers Bureau. Valente and Mercado performed the piece at the SAI National Convention this past summer in Atlanta.

Cameron Huster, adjunct professor of harp at Stetson University, will also perform. Huster holds a Master of Music degree from the Mannes College in New York and is completing her doctorate at Peabody Conservatory. Huster also teaches privately, and performs throughout the United States.

The concert is open to the public. Admission is free; donations will be accepted at the door. All proceeds will go to the scholarship funds of Sigma Alpha Iota to aid the music programs at local public schools and for scholarships for women music students at Stetson University. For further information, contact 386- 767-3053.

 

— info@beaconlinenews.com

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