Jan. 18, 2006 -- The Department of Music at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro will present the third concert of the 2005-2006 Faculty Recital Series on Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7:30 p.m. in Riceland Hall of the Fowler Center, 201 Olympic Drive.

The program for the evening will include “Suite for Bassoon” by Alexandre Tansman, performed by Dale Clark and Lauren Schack Clark; “Variations on a Theme of Beethoven” by Camille Saint-Saëns, performed by Lauren Schack Clark and J.D. Kelly; “Blue Seven” by Sonny Rollins, “Hunk Pappa Blues” by William Parker, and “Afro Blue” by Mongo Santamaria, performed by Rob Alley, Craig Collison and Corey Emerson.

Dale Clark is adjunct professor of bassoon at ASU. Formerly a Boston Lyric Opera bassoonist, he has recently performed with Orquesta Sinfonica in Monterrey, Mexico, and was a guest artist at Berklee College of Music in Boston and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. His articles have been published in “Double Reed” and his compositions, lectures and performances have been presented at conferences in the International Double Reed Society. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, a master’s of music from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, and a doctorate from Boston University.

Lauren Schack Clark is assistant professor of piano and keyboard activities supervisor at ASU. She performs frequently as a soloist and collaborative artist. She has played with principle players of the Boston Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Scottish National Symphony, Slovenian Radio Symphony, Cincinnati Orchestra, Arkansas Symphony, and Memphis Symphony, and with faculty members of the Eastman School of Music, New England Conservatory, Cincinnati College Conservatory, Oberlin College, and the University of Memphis.

She concertized in Paris in 1997 in conjunction with the Institute for Advanced Vocal Study, and again at the 2001 French Piano Institute. With her husband, bassoonist Dr. Dale Clark, she has played at the Cork School of Music, Ireland, Florida State University, the University of Washington at Seattle, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Nebraska, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and Boston Conservatory. She holds a doctorate from Boston University, a master’s degree and pedagogy from Northwestern University, a graduate diploma from the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, Mass., and a bachelor of music degree from the Hartt School of Music.

Kelly is adjunct professor of piano and also professor emeritus at ASU, where he was coordinator of keyboard activities. He has studied with such notable teachers as Edith Blundon, Wiktor Labunski, Gyorgy Sandor, Rosina Lhevinne and Joanne Baker. He also studied harpsichord with Liselotte Brandle in Salzburg, Austria. He continues to maintain an active performance schedule throughout the United States in solo recitals, with orchestras, in chamber music and as accompanist.

Alley received his bachelor’s degree in music from McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, and a master’s degree from the University of Alabama. Prior to the completion of his degrees, Alley began his professional career through six years of world travel, performing in show bands and jazz ensembles on cruise ships. As a student at the University of Alabama, he began performing with the Tuscaloosa Horns, a group that is seen regularly backing up legends such as The Temptation, The Four Tops, The O’Jays, and Frankie Valli. As an extension of his classical training, Alley has enjoyed performing in the orchestral world working with the Tuscaloosa Symphony, Huntsville Symphony, and the Arkansas Symphony. In February of last year, he performed with the Huntsville Symphony’s 50th Anniversary Gala concert featuring Yo-Yo Ma. He has recorded on two albums to date, “The Matthew Devine Trio’s Mean Smoker” and “The New South Jazz Orchestra.”

Collison, a native of Spokane, Wash., has been a member of the ASU faculty since 1998 and a member of the Arkansas Symphony since 1999. Collison performed with the U.S. Air Force Concert Band in Washington, D.C., from 1985-1996. In this capacity, he performed for presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Sr., Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, and Bill Clinton. His interest in Latin percussion led him to study conga drumming and drum set in Havana, Cuba, and his study of Swiss Basle drumming with Alfons Grieder in Switzerland led to his performing a Seiss Basle Drum Concerto. Collison received his undergraduate degree from Washington State University and his master’s degree from the University of North Texas.

Emerson received his bachelor of music education degree from ASU last December. As a student, he performed with the Wind Ensemble as principal tuba and with “The Tribe” jazz band on electric bass. He currently teaches music in Mammoth Spring.

This concert is free and open to the public. In addition to the concert, the Bradbury Gallery in Fowler Center will be open prior to the performance and during intermission. Audience members are invited to view the current exhibition of the Faculty Biennial. For more details about the concert, call the Department of Music at 870-972-2094.