Indiana State University Newsroom

Sarah Stone, a mezzo-soprano and alumna of the School of Music at Indiana State University, will perform works by international composers with her ensemble, Yara, at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23 in the Recital Hall of the Landini Center for Performing and Fine Arts.

Stone, who operates a private voice studio in the Louisville area, is known for the warmth and flexibility of her tone and has been featured in a variety of roles from teenage boys to world-wise gypsies. She has performed with companies such as the Bay View Music Festival, Kentucky Opera, Louisville Ballet, Tanglewood Music Center, and Dorian Opera Theatre. She will conduct a masterclass with Indiana State voice students at 3:30 p.m. that afternoon.

Stone makes up half of the ensemble, Yara , which also features Portuguese-Italian pianist Alexandra Mascolo-David. Formed in the Spring of 2013, the duo met as faculty colleagues at Central Michigan University. Inspired by their love of all things Brazilian they adopted the Guarani (native Brazilian) name for the singing temptress of the waters: the yara.

Mascolo-David has devoted the last decade to exploring and unearthing the music of Portuguese and Brazilian composers, especially that of Francisco Mignone. She is in the forefront of presenting Mignone's piano music, and her performances, especially of his Valsas brasileiras (Brazilian Waltzes), have been widely acclaimed. Mascolo-David is a most sought out and devoted teacher. She has taught at the Interlochen Arts camp, at Iowa State University, and currently is professor of piano at Central Michigan.

The concert will feature works by Portuguese, Brazilian, Argentinian and Spanish composers such as Francisco Braga, Waldemar Henrique, António Fragoso, Ronaldo Miranda, Carlos Guastavino, Francisco Mignone and Alberto Ginastera among others.

Admission to both the masterclass and recital is free and attendance by campus and community members is encouraged. For more information, contact the School of Music at 812-237-2771.

Writer: Paula Meyer, ISU Communications and Marketing, 812-237-3783 or paula.meyer@indstate.edu