Featuring Professor David Zerkel, tuba, with:
Liz Ames, piano
Jason Fettig, narrator
Tim Zerkel, illustrator

David and Liz will perform a recital that is thematically centered around our friends from the animal kingdom. The program will begin with Jean-Michel DeFaye's Suite Marine, a depiction of various creatures from the sea. Jason Fettig, Director of Bands at the SMTD and budding thespian, will join us to narrate Anthony Plog's Animal Ditties IX, which is a colorful work based on short poems by Ogden Nash, widely considered to be America's Poet Laureate of Light Verse. Closing the first half will be the world premiere of "Woof!", by hornist, composer, and SMTD alum James Naigus. This piece is a clever depiction of the characteristics of seven dog breeds.

The second half is dedicated to the evening's protagonist. Written in 1960, Effie the Elephant, Suite no. 1 by Alec Wider is a relatively early work for solo tuba depicting Effie in pursuit of various human endeavors: singing a lullaby, going folk dancing, and falling in love, etc. David decided that Effie needed a rebrand, and perhaps to get out a little more: we present Effie Swipes Left, Effie Goes Clubbing, Effie goes to Therapy, Effie Goes to the DMV, Effie Adopts a Puppy, and Effie Gets Tipsy. We're grateful to the University of Michigan for funding this commission, and are thrilled to perform this world premiere of Jim Stephenson's The Further Adventures of Effie the Elephant. Jim is a wonderful composer and recovering brass player, and this caricature is as charming as it is clever.

This will be a multimedia event, as David's much more talented brother, Tim, has created an illustration for each of the 32 (short) movements on the program.

This will be a family friendly evening of storytelling and a delightfully innocuous introduction to the tuba as a solo voice.