Lebanon Valley College’s Chamber Orchestra will perform on Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Lutz Hall of the Bertha Brossman Blair Music Center. This concert is dedicated to the late Nancy Bowman Hatz ’36 who passed away on Jan. 20, 2016.
Hatz was passionate about music, starting from learning piano as a child and spanning into her educational career. She received a B.S. in music education from LVC and continued to teach children music for about 60 years while also participating in various music associations. Over the years she has received a variety of recognition, including becoming a member of the Lebanon County Musicians Hall of Fame.
In 2012, Hatz was also the recipient of the Dr. June E. Herr ’34 Educator of the Year award from LVC. Her influence at Lebanon Valley College will continue due to her generous donation of fine string instruments—two violas and five violins—to the College. The instruments, which include a German violin dating to 1780 and Czech violin created in 1880, are now a part of the College’s Burgner-Hatz Collection and are used by various student musicians.
The concert includes chamber music and chamber orchestra pieces. It will begin with students performing “Duo Terlano” in memory of Hatz. This song is the last piece LVC students were able to perform for her. Audiences will also notice Dr. Johannes Dietrich, Newton and Adelaide Burgner Endowed Professor of Instrumental Music, playing alongside the students, instead of only conducting them.
He believes it “puts a great deal more musical responsibility on the shoulders of all of our ensemble members, and ultimately leads to a significantly more rewarding and collaborative form of music-making.”
In addition to the Chamber Orchestra, the LVC String Quintet will play the Pennsylvania premiere of Liduino Ptimobeira’s “Tango” to honor the collaboration in the Music Department with Brazilian musicians, initiated by Dr. Shelly Moorman-Stahlman, professor of music and College organist, earlier this year. This song will also mark the conducting debut of Adam White ’17.