Bee a Reader, Dig Into Reading, and Get Beneath The Surface. Just a few of the titles of the great book programs your Topeka-Shawnee County Public Library is offering now through the final day of July.
EMPORIA -- A night of music, induction of a distinguished alumnus and contributing to student scholarships are all part of the Annual Gala Music Benefit Concert, September 8th at Emporia State.
The spotlight will be on Dr. Frank Sidorfsky, the featured artist for the concert. Sidorfsky, a clarinetist, will perform on the basset horn, a rare, tenor-voiced member of the clarinet family. Emporia State music faculty members planning to perform are Andrea Garritano, Susan Mayo and Drs. Dawn McConkie, Catherine Berman, and Jeremy and James Starr.
At intermission, Sidorfsky will be inducted in the Beach Hall of Distinction at Emporia State.
Sidorfsky earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Emporia State before earning his Master's and Doctoral degrees from Eastman School of Music. He spent four years in Navy Music and has taught in the Flint, Michigan public schools, at James Madison University and Kansas State University for 34 years. He retired in 1999.
His clarinet background includes private study with Leopold Liegl, former with the Minneapolis Symphony; Anthony Gigliotti, formerly solo clarinetist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Robert Marcellus, formerly the solo clarinetist with the Cleveland Orchestra, as well as a host of other performers.
A silent auction from 7:00 till 7:45pm will be held in the Shepherd Music Center of Beach Hall, preceding the 8:00pm concert, September 8th, in ESU's Heath Recital Hall.
Funds raised from the concert will be directed to funding music scholarships at the university. This year's organizers hope to raise at least $25,000. Since 2009, the music department has been able to fully endow both the James Starr String Scholarship and the Jeffrey Hodapp Low Brass Scholarship, as well as dozens of awards for talented students each year.
Tickets for the concert are $25, but donations above that amount are welcome. Any donations made by August 31st will be recognized in the event's printed program. Tickets ordered in September, can be held at the door in that week before the presentation.
To order tickets or pledge a sponsorship, please go online to galabenefit.emporia.edu, or simply stop in the Music Department office, Beach Hall 105 during normal business hours, 8:00am till 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.
