EUGENE–A clarinet recital with piano and string accompaniment, gospel choir favorites and contemporary percussion repertoire will take the spotlight in three concerts scheduled this week at the University of Oregon School of Music, 961 E. 18th Ave.

For more information, call the UO School of Music weekdays at (541) 346-5678. To confirm concert times and ticket information, call GuardLine from a Touch-Tone phone at 485-2000, ext. 2533, for a taped message of the week’s events.

Professor Wayne Bennett will give a clarinet recital on the Faculty Artist Series at 4 p.m. in Beall Concert Hall, 961 E. 18th Ave. Tickets, available at the door, are $7 general admission and $4 for students and senior citizens. Bennett will be joined on the program by faculty pianist Gregory Mason and the Oregon String Quartet.

The recital will include "Time Pieces" by Robert Muczynski, "Sonatina for Clarinet and Piano" by Bohuslav Martinu and "Quintet for Clarinet and String Quartet" by Johannes Brahms.

Bennett has been a faculty member of the UO School of Music since 1978 and currently is professor of clarinet studies and conductor of the University Symphony. He also teaches instrumental conducting in the graduate program. Bennett received his B.M.E. degree from Oklahoma State University and his M.M. and Ph.D. degrees in clarinet performance and music education from North Texas State University.

As a clarinetist, Bennett has performed with several symphony orchestras, including the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and Indiana Chamber Orchestra. He has served as principal clarinet with the Oregon Bach Festival and is currently principal clarinet with the Sunriver Festival Orchestra. Bennett was also a freelance artist in Dallas and Los Angeles.

Mason is a member of the piano faculty at the University of Oregon, where he teaches accompanying and chamber music. Among his recital credits are tours of Central and South America, Barcelona, Madrid and Lisbon, and performances at the Casals Festival, the United Nations, the Yale Collection of Historic Instruments and Carnegie Recital Hall.

Mason also worked for seven years as coach and accompanist in New York City, where he was pianist for the American Music Competition, the Vincent La Selva opera classes at the Juilliard School, and a Placido Domingo master class at the Metropolitan Opera.

The University Gospel Choir, under the direction of Julia Neufeld, will give its fall concert at 7 p.m. in Eugene’s First Baptist Church, 868 High St. Tickets, available at the door, are $5 general admission and $3 for students and senior citizens.

The 200-voice choir will perform "Gotta Feelin," "Worthy," "Salvation," "Lamb of God," "Blessings," "I Won’t Turn Back," "Celebrate" and other gospel selections.

The Talujon Percussion Quartet, acclaimed for its adventurous programming of new music, will appear on the music school’s Vanguard Series at 8 p.m. in Beall Concert Hall. Tickets, available at the door, are $7 general admission and $4 for students and senior citizens.

Selections on the program include "Drumming Part One" by Steve Reich, "Interchange" by Ralph Shapey, "Coming Together" by Frederic Rzewski and "Improvisation" by the Talujon Quartet.

The Talujon Percussion Quartet was created to explore and expand upon the contemporary percussion repertoire. The quartet’s performances of 20th-century percussion classics, music of new and emerging composers, and group compositions/improvisations feature a battery of instruments from the traditional percussion family, non-Western instruments from many other cultures, and a variety of unusual found and homemade instruments.

The group has been awarded numerous grants for the commissioning, performing and recording of new works. Recent grants include The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, CMA Commissioning Grant for Ralph Shapey, Meet the Composer/Arts Endowment, Commissioning Music/USA Grant for Wayne Peterson, and The Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust Commissioning Grant for Julia Wolfe.

Talujon’s second CD is to be released this fall, featuring the music of Ralph Shapey, Frederic Rzewski, Iannis Xenakis, Lou Harrison and Talujon. Talujon’s first CD, "Hum," includes the music of John Cage, Dean Drummond, Paul Guerguerian, Steve Reich and Talujon. Talujon also has recorded a CD of Tan Dun’s chamber works on CRI.

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