Marshall University’s School of Music will present its second MUsic Mondays lecture of the school year at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Cellar Door in Huntington. The fall series explores the reasons composers express national identity in their music and recognizes the musical means through which they do so.

Vicki Stroeher, professor of music history at Marshall, will present Monday’s lecture, “Composers and National Identity.” The lecture will focus on selected works by three composers from various geographic regions: Frederic Chopin from Poland, Edvard Grieg from Norway and Charles Ives from the United States.
Stroeher said the lecture will cover not only expressions of national identity, but also the politics wrapped up in the composers’ lives and compositions.

“The expression of national identity in music is tied to many different factors,” Stroeher said. “Economic factors influence these composers’ decisions as does the dominance of German composers in the concert halls. And, politics, of course, are at the very heart of the matter. In addition to exploring the nationalism expressed by these composers, we’ll be taking a look at the politics involved.”

Admission to the lecture is free for Marshall students. The organizers ask for a $10 donation from all other attendees to support Marshall’s music program.

Participants are invited to arrive early to enjoy conversation and refreshments.
Johan Botes, assistant professor of piano at Marshall, will present the lecture “A Prelude to What?” at the next MUsic Mondays event Nov. 27.

Caroline Kimbro can be contacted at [email protected].