Music by J.S. Bach, Mozart and Stravinsky considered great masterworks in their respective eras will be performed by members of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music faculty Sunday, September 10 as the first concert in the seventh annual Faculty Chamber Music series.

Founded to showcase the Conservatory's faculty talent, the 2000-01 series will feature two performances the first semester and two during the second semester by some 30 faculty members. The concerts will begin at 4 p.m. in Finney Chapel. They are free and open to the public.

The program for the first concert will include Bach's 2nd Brandenburg Concerto, one of the most well known and popular baroque trumpet showpieces, and the Mozart Clarinet Quintet, which is "arguably the greatest piece of chamber music for that instrument," says series director George Sakakeeny. The third work on the program, L'Histoire du Soldate Suite, "a 20th century mega hit," will be performed without conductor, adds Sakakeeny, who is associate professor of bassoon in the Conservatory.

The program also will spotlight two new members of the Conservatory faculty: trumpeter Ryan Anthony and first year clarinet faculty member Daniel Gilbert. Anthony, who is currently on leave in order to perform with the Canadian Brass, is featured in the Brandenburg Concerto. Performing with him will be Cathleen Chastain, flute, and Betty Camus, oboe.

Also performing the work by Bach will be students and several of the conservatory's historical performance faculty, including Marilyn McDonald and Catherina Meints on modern instruments. "What these virtuosi of period instrument performance will bring to their version of this well known and popular baroque master piece should be extraordinary," says Sakakeeny.

Gilbert will be featured in Mozart's Clarinet Quintet, with Peter Slowik, viola; Catherina Meints, cello; and Marilyn McDonald and a student musician on violins. Gilbert again will be featured on the Stravinsky work, with Anton Miller, violin; Scott Haigh, bass; Sakakeeny, bassoon; Anthony, cornet; James Desano, trombone; and Michael Rosen, percussion.

The Faculty Chamber Music series will continue on November 12 with performances of works by Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky and, on February 18, with an all Brahms program. The series will conclude April 15 with music by Lester Trimble and Tchaikovsky.

"The series creates opportunities for professors and guests to perform together," says George Sakakeeny, associate professor of bassoon and director of the series. "The faculty spends its time in teaching lessons, in rehearsals with student ensembles, in public master classes, and in performances throughout the U.S. and abroad, but we have few chances to perform together. Many of us look forward to performing here at home with colleagues and guests whose work we admire."