Women Composers Featured at Wheaton College

Carlton T. Russell, Professor of Music and College Organist at Wheaton College, will present a recital of music by women composers in Cole Memorial Chapel on Friday, March 26, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. Honoring both Women's History Month and Wheaton's early history as a women's college, the program will feature organ music by women composers, including Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelssohn, and Margaret Vardell Sandresky.
Wheaton's Baroque-style organ is one of the largest in southeastern New England. An outstanding example from the 20th-Century organ revival, it was built in 1969 by Casavant, Canada's oldest and largest organ company, and was a gift of the late Catherine Filene Shouse (Wheaton, Class of 1918) and other donors. Dr. Russell's CD ''With Grateful Gladness'', recorded in celebration of the organ's 30th anniversary, will be available for purchase at the recital, with all proceeds going to Wheaton's general scholarship fund.
Dr. Russell, who retires this spring after 41 years on the Wheaton faculty, has given many recitals on historic instruments. A graduate of Amherst College, Princeton University, and The Episcopal Divinity School, he has written articles and reviews in the areas of church music, organ playing, and criticism; has published anthems and service music settings; and has been active as a choir director. He is a priest associate of Trinity Church, Wrentham, Massachusetts.
The recital is free and open to the public, and the chapel is wheelchair accessible. For directions to Wheaton College, go to www.wheatoncollege.edu/About/Driving.html. For a complete online arts calendar, go to www.wheatoncollege.edu/arts. For more information and updates call the arts information line at 508-286-3300 or email arts@wheatoncollege.edu.

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