Clarinetist Charles delights in lunchtime interlude

One of the more melodic pleasures offered to the Harvard community is the University Hall Recital Series, an intimate, lunchtime treat held in the Faculty Room at University Hall. Under a sky-high ceiling and crystal chandeliers, and surrounded by formal paintings of notable Harvard faculty and busts of notable historical figures, listeners settle themselves in for short but stirring musical recitals. Recently, visitors to the series enjoyed the remarkable Jean-François Charles who hails from the Strasbourg Conservatory and is currently a Ph.D. student in composition in the Music Department. Charles played no fewer than seven clarinets in his charming, lively presentation. On instruments ranging from the basset horn to the contrabass clarinet to the bass clarinet, Charles played an eclectic variety of tunes, including his own compositions, a little Mozart, a little Gunther Schuller, and a little Sydney Bechet. A lunchtime treat that left the audience hungry for more.

Upcoming recitals include: Mariam Nazarian, piano, April 19 at 12:15 p.m., and Oni Buchanan, piano, May 10 at 12:15 p.m., both in the Faculty Room.