The UCSF Orchestra will celebrate the arrival of spring this Saturday by performing works by Copland, Mozart and Dvorak. The concert will benefit the Orchestra and the Landberg Center for Health and Ministry. Featured in the Orchestra's Spring Performance will be Erin Neff, who will sing Copland's "Eight Poems of Emily Dickinson."

Although she has never appeared with the Orchestra before, Neff, a mezzo-soprano, has been teaching voice at UCSF for three years. A member of the San Francisco Opera Chorus, Neff was most recently heard as Zulma in the Berkeley Opera production of "Riot Grrrl on Mars," an adaptation of Rossini's "Italian Girl in Algiers." Other roles include Suzuki in "Madame Butterfly" and the second stepsister in "The Real Story of Cinderella."

The 1997 regional winner of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Festival in the Opera Division, Neff gives frequent solo recitals in the Bay Area and recently made her New York debut recital. Later this month she will be seen as Egeo the King in the Handel Opera "Teseo" with Pocket Opera.

The UCSF Orchestra is comprised of students, postdocs, faculty, staff and community members. Jeremy Swerling will be conducting the orchestra, which will feature between 60 and 70 musicians.

Saturday's concert will be held at 8 p.m. in the Calvary Presbyterian Church, 2515 Fillmore Street and will be followed by a reception sponsored by the Landberg Center. Cost is $8/UCSF students; $15/UCSF staff and general public. For more information call 476-6932.

1st appeared 5/6/98

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