Misericordia University artist-in-residence offers to take audience on musical journey during ‘Music Through Time’ concert

The Misericordia University Soyka Artist-in-Residence and Soyka Fund for the Humanities are offering to take people on a musical journey when musicians and educators John Maurer and Nate Petley present, “Music Through Time,’’ on Friday, April 26 at 6 p.m. in Lemmond Theater in Walsh Hall.

The Back Mountain Jazz Series’ spring concert offers plenty of flash and educational opportunities, as the jazz duo demonstrate genres and styles throughout music history, including baroque, classical, romantic, modern, blues, jazz, rock, pop, cinema and more. The concert is free.

“The objective of the program is to explain through trumpet and piano that although a lot of time has passed between the beginning to where we are now in music,’’ said Maurer, the Misericordia University artist-in-residence, “ultimately each individual genre is connected and not much different.’’

Maurer is a critically acclaimed trumpet and flugelhorn artist, who has performed throughout the country, as well as Canada and Cuba. In addition to his role at Misericordia University, he serves as the teaching artist at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts and head of the brass and woodwind studio at the Black Bear Conservatory of Music. His debut album, “Songs for My Son,’’ was released in 2018. As a soloist, he has appeared before the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the Curtis Institute of Music and the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity. Maurer was also a semi-finalist for the National Trumpet Competition.

He is an “exhilarating, very versatile trumpet performer and educator,’’ said Jose Sibaja, the lead trumpet player of the Boston Brass. Langston J. Fitzgerald III, D.M.A., formerly of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and professor of trumpet at Pennsylvania State University, adds, “He loves music to such a high degree that he always seems to approach every piece or composition with the utmost musicality and expressiveness,’’ Dr. Fitzgerald said. “… Extremely talented and awesome player.’’

For more information about the artist, please visit his website at www.trumpetjm.com

Petley is an accomplished pianist, multi-instrumentalist and accompanist, who owns Creative Pursuits Studio in Lancaster, where he provides private lessons

For more information about cultural events at Misericordia University, please call (570) 674-6719 or visit www.misericordia.edu/theartsandmore. Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1924, Misericordia University is Luzerne County’s first four-year college and offers 56 academic programs on the graduate and undergraduate levels in full- and part-time formats. Misericordia University ranks in the top tier of the Best Regional Universities – North category of U.S. News and World Report’s 2019 edition of Best Colleges. The Princeton Review recognizes MU as a 2019 Best Northeastern College and Money Magazine includes Misericordia in its 2018-19 “Best Colleges” list.