50 Years of Biddle Gala Concert

Join the Duke Music Department for a grand celebration of the iconic Biddle Music Building with a gala concert. This special evening will showcase the exceptional talents of Duke students, faculty, and distinguished alumni through a rich and diverse program. Free admission, no tickets required.

Duke Music's newest faculty member, Colin Fullerton, will perform Blue Ridge Frescos for solo guitar, composed by Duke alumnus Laurence Sherr. Mezzo-soprano Page Stephens and pianist David Heid will present Jeremy Beck's When You Are Old. Additionally, musicologist and pianist Larry Todd and Duke alumna Katharina Uhde (violin) will bring Schoenberg's Fantasy to life.

Returning to campus, Nathaniel Maxwell will perform his Piano Quintet, a chamber work that beautifully blends piano and strings. The esteemed Ciompi Quartet will join forces with the Larkspur Quartet, an accomplished student string ensemble, for Chiayu Hsu's Taiwan Miniatures. The first half will culminate in a performance of the Finale from Mendelssohn's Octet featuring the Ciompi Quartet, chamber music students, and alumni from the Duke Music Department.

After a brief intermission, the Duke Chorale will perform a selection of works by distinguished alumni composers Paul Leary, Caroline Mallonee, Sidney Boquiren, and Allan Friedman. The evening will culminate in a grand finale, featuring a collaboration between the Duke Symphony Orchestra and Duke Opera Theater, performing Penka Kouneva's Earth and the Quintet from West Side Story, showcasing the talents of faculty and alumni soloists.

To commemorate this significant milestone, filmmaker Rodrigo Dorfman is producing a two-part documentary, and we are delighted to present the premiere of Part One during the concert.

Following the performance, you are invited to the Biddle Music Building fountain area, where a stunning mural by artist Natalie Robinson, celebrating the journey and diversity of the Duke Music Department, will be unveiled.