Stephen F. Austin State University

NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS - The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Music will present a faculty recital by The Alazan Trio at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Composed of violinist Jennifer Dalmas, cellist Evgeni Raychev and pianist Ron Petti, the ensemble performs almost exclusively piano trios by American composers.

"This recital, "American Explorations," is rather unique in that all the pieces are by living composers," said Petti.

The trio will open the program with the world premiere of "Dialectic No. 2" by Richard Coolidge, a retired SFA professor of composition.

The second number, Glenn Crytzer's "Explorations," was inspired by the United States' 2004 Mars probes.

"The piece is technically challenging for all three players and features a highly complex fugue as the finale," Petti explained.

The trio will close the recital with Richard Danielpour's "A Child's Reliquary," which was inspired by the untimely drowning death of 18-month-old Cole Carsan St. Clair.

"It is an emotionally powerful and dramatic work," Petti said. "It includes several musical references or depictions of water, and the final quotations of Brahms's well-known 'Lullaby' serve as a musical epitaph in this truly profound and moving piece of music."

Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for students. For tickets or more information, please call (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.