Sewanee sounds

All Saints' Chapel

Octavio Más-Arocas has been appointed the new resident conductor for the Sewanee Summer Music Festival. He also serves as music director and conductor of the Lawrence Symphony Orchestra at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis.

The Sewanee Summer Music Festival, a tradition at the University of the South since 1957, returns Saturday, June 22, with a new resident conductor.

After two seasons of temporary and guest conductors following the death of longtime conductor Bruce Dinkins, Octavio Más-Arocas has been appointed leader of the festival's Cumberland Orchestra and will be in charge of the young musicians' education, performance and programming.

This year, 200 students from 32 states and five international countries will attend the four-week festival, which is designed to increase their orchestral skills, musicianship and enjoyment of their art.

The festival maintains two full orchestras, each rehearsing each day and performing each week. The Sewanee Symphony, led by guest conductors, is for advanced students. The Cumberland Orchestra, led by the resident conductor, teaches young musicians skills for performing as part of an orchestra.

In addition, the Festival Orchestra combines the faculty and the most advanced students for three performances during the summer.

New this year is the Sewanee Choral Institute, a two-week intensive course for high school vocalists ages 14-18.

More than 30 concerts will be performed over the course of the month, including faculty chamber concerts, student chamber concerts, student recitals and the Symphony Sunday events featuring full student orchestras and guest conductors. Some concerts will be offered off-campus at Sewanee Angel Park, the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly and the Cowan Center for the Performing Arts.

The traditional "Hike to a Concert" will offer hiking or biking to Hole No. 5 at The Course at Sewanee, the newly developed golf course on the 13,000-acre mountaintop campus.