Swedish flutist to perform with PSU Symphonic Band

PLYMOUTH — Swedish flutist Goran Marcusson will perform with the Plymouth State University Symphonic Band on Wednesday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. in Hanaway Theatre at the Silver Center for the Arts.

During the program Marcusson will perform classics and new works for wind ensemble.

The 55-piece band, conducted by Professor Mark Stickney, will present a program of Scandinavian music rarely performed in the United States, plus British composer Philip Sparke's "A Lindisfarne Rhapsody" for flute and concert band.

Marcusson worked as a bricklayer and tram driver before fully devoting himself to music at the late age of 24, although he had played flute since he was 8 or 9 years old. He received international acclaim for the first time in 1987, winning the National Flute Association's Young Artist Competition in the United States. In 1992, he earned his soloist diploma from the Music Conservatory of Göteborg.

That same year, while taking a class with James Galway, Marcusson was voted winner of a competition by his classmates and was presented a scholarship and a Waterford Crystal flute by Galway.

Marcusson has been guest principal flute with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Orquestra Cadaqués. While maintaining a busy international schedule as a soloist performing in the U.S., South America, Asia and throughout Europe, he also maintains a position with the Göteborg Wind Orchestra. In 2012 he toured the U.S., presenting recitals and master classes at four universities. Marcusson returns to the U.S. each June and July to present a master class at Wildacres Retreat in North Carolina and to perform with the Newport Rhode Island Music Festival.

Stickney is assistant professor of music and director of bands at PSU. He has served on the brass faculties of Salve Regina University and the Community College of Rhode Island, where he taught trombone, euphonium and tuba. He guest conducted the Rutgers Wind Ensemble at their Carnegie Hall debut in 2005. Stickney has performed widely and has premiered a number of works as conductor. An active clinician, Stickney has worked with bands in New England, California, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Kansas, Rhode Island, Texas and Utah and has performed at the Newport Music Festival and throughout Southern New England as a soloist and chamber musician.

The PSU Symphonic Band is featured annually at the All New England Band Festival that is hosted by Plymouth State University.

Tickets for the concert are $8 for adults and youth and $6 for seniors at the Silver Center Box Office, (603) 535-2787 or (800) 779-3869. Tickets are also available online at silver.plymouth.edu.