Robert McDuffie

Center for Strings

Townsend School of Music

Neva Langley Fickling Hall

McCorkle Music Building

Mercer University

Macon, Georgia

Please note that the McCorkle Music Building is very near the intersection of Adams Street and Coleman Avenue on the Southwest corner of Tatnall Square Park in Macon, Georgia.

I quote the program for the "Labor Day Festival for Strings Closing Concert" which was held at 3:00 P.M. on Monday, September 2, 2013.

Bravo!!!!!   Bravo!!!!!   The program was scheduled to commence at 3:00 P.M., however to accomodate the crowd which was a Standing Room Only event the Concert was delayed a few minutes to allow the side doors to be opened and chairs moved in so more could hear the event.

The weekend Festival artist of eight excellent or should I say superior String Players from all over the United States was the highlight of the Labor Day Weekend.  The concert featured the following selections:

Concerto for Three Violins in F Major, RV 511 by Antonio Vivaldi

String Quartet No. 12, Op. 96 "American" Quarter by

Antonin Dvorak IV Finale - vivace ma non troppo

String Quarter No. 9, Op 59, No. 3 by Ludwig van Beethoven

IV.  Allegro molto

Lullaby by George Gershwin

Holbert Suite, Op 40 by Edvard Grieg consisting of the following parts:

I . Praeludium (Allegro vivace)

II.  Sarabande (Andante)

III.  Gavotte (Allegretto)

IV.  Air (Andante religioso)

V.  Rigaudon (Allegro con brio)

The current McDuffie for Strings has 24 Scholars from all over the world and they performed as well as the eight who attended the Annual Labor Day Week End Festival.  The performances of the entire group were directed by Ward Stare, Conductor.

I started this post with the term:  "Bravo."  That word in itself does not do justice to the dynamic performances of all selections during this  Closing Concert.

You can be certain that I have already laid on plans to attend the 2014 Concert on Labor day 2014.  The event was free and I also appreciate that aspect of the Closing Concert.

Well Done!!! to each and every performer and all the backstage workers that made this event the great event of the 2013 Labor Day Weekend in Middle Georgia.