netradio: : Celebrate Easter and Spring with NET Radio's "Nebraska Concerts" in April (2012-03-27)

Easter Sunday and Handel's "Messiah" go hand-in-hand, and that's just one of the many inspiring pieces listeners will hear this month on NET Radio's "Nebraska Concerts," Sundays at 1 p.m. CT.

Abendmusik: Lincoln presents a special Palm Sunday performance on Sunday, April 1, with Bach's "St. John Passion," performed by Abendchor and members of Lincoln's Symphony Orchestra (LSO). Abendchor is Lincoln's newest company of professional choral singers who perform as a chamber choir under the direction of Therees Tkach Hibbard and Tom Trenney.

On Sunday, April 8, celebrate Easter with an Abendmusik: Lincoln performance of Handel's "Messiah," performed by Abendchor, with the Abendmusik Chamber Players.

On Sunday, April 15, "Nebraska Concerts" presents a special live broadcast of the 2011-2012 Nebraska Chamber Players' 15th anniversary season finale, performed from Studio One at NET's headquarters in Lincoln. Before the live portion of the broadcast, listeners will hear two pieces from the Omaha Symphony's "Old School" concert: Boccherini's "Symphony No. 17 in A Major, Op. 35 No. 3" and Vivaldi's "Concerto in A Minor for Two Violins and Orchestra, Op. 3, No. 8, RV 522," with violinists Ann Beebe and Keith Plenert. Beginning at 1:30 p.m. CT, the Nebraska Chamber Players will perform two pieces in their live concert: Louise Farrenc's "Nonet" and the world premiere of Rusty Banks' "Ashfall," inspired by the Ashfall Fossil Beds in northeast Nebraska. Tickets for the concert, which also includes a light brunch beginning at 12:30 p.m., are available for purchase at nebraskachamberplayers.org.

On Sunday, April 22, "Nebraska Concerts" takes a hiatus for NET Radio's spring membership drive, featuring a special edition of "A Prairie Home Companion."

The final April "Nebraska Concerts" on Sunday, April 29, features an LSO concert entitled "Triumph & Romance," with concertmaster Anton Miller performing Jean Sibelius' "Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47." The orchestra also performs Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64." Both pieces are conducted by LSO Music Director Edward Polochick. Later in the program Omaha Symphony Music Director and Conductor Thomas Wilkins leads the orchestra in performances of Harold Farberman's "Three Pieces for the Queen's Band" and Hayden's "Symphony No. 92 in G Major, 'Oxford'" as part of the "Old School" concert.

"Nebraska Concerts" is broadcast on NET Radio, a service of NET. Dave Hughes is producer; Genevieve Randall is scriptwriter and host. The Omaha Symphony concert was recorded by Clete Baker of Studio B for Classical 90.7, KVNO.