A husband and wife duo will perform songs by American composer Dominick Argento as part of Songs of Argento on Sept. 24.

Steven Devine | Argonaut
Lexa and Kyle Ferrill rehearse for their upcoming concert, Songs of Argento. The performance will be at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 24 in the Haddock Performance Hall.

Lexa and Kyle Ferrill, professors in the University of Idaho Lionel Hampton School of Music, are professional singers.

They will also be joined by pianist and UI professor Rajung Yang.

“Dominick Argento’s words are more natural than other artists. It is easy for the audience to connect with the sentiment of the story,” Lexa Ferrill said.

Kyle Ferrill said the evening with just one composer is designed so the audience can get to know him and what his musical language is.

Both Ferrills specialize in art song like Argento’s.

“This form of music is a lot like singing poetry,” Lexa Ferrill said.  “It is just the voice and the piano. There are no sets, no band and no costumes. The poetry is the centerpiece.”

There will be three song cycles played, “Six Elizabethan Songs,” “Casa Guidi,” and the duet “A Few Words About Chekhov.”

Kyle Ferrill said the final piece is about a famous Russian playwright, Anton Chekhov, who falls in love, which leads to his eventual death.

Lexa Ferrill said Argento is understandable because he is an American composer from this century.

“It is a real pleasure to sing (songs) of an American composer. A lot of times music sung or learned is from Europe. It’s good to share American music with the audience,” Kyle Ferrill said.

“For someone who is less experienced with classical music, it is great to come and listen and be introduced to this kind of music,” Lexa Ferrill said.

Emily Aizawa can be reached at arg-news@uidaho.edu

Tags: Dominick Argento, Ferrill, Lionel Hampton School of Music, Ranjung Yang, Songs of Argento