Performance Free and Open to the Public Tuesday, Feb. 19

(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Feb. 4, 2013) - - - Columbia State Community College welcomes soprano, Gillian Frank, to the Cherry Theater on Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m. The program promises to be a diverse and eclectic classical mix featuring selections from Richard Stauss, Francis Poulenc, Giacomo Puccini and Joaquin Rodrigo.

Frank, a graduate voice performance student at Austin Peay State University, knew she wanted to become an opera singer by the time she was fifteen. She has sung in such roles as Mistress Warblewell in the "Impresario," The mother in "The Women," Cathleen in "Riders to the Sea," Magda in "The Consul" and Gertrude in "Hansel and Gretel." She completed her undergraduate studies at Union University, studying with Georgia Wellborn, Ph.D. Her major professor at APSU is Sharon Mabry, Ph.D.

Frank will be accompanied by Justin Fitch. Fitch, in his junior year of APSU, is double majoring in piano performance and vocal performance. He studies with Patricia Halbeck, Ph.D. Fitch has enjoyed solo performances but has turned his main focus to collaborative piano. He has studied with Anne Marie Padelford and May Alice Domenica, Ph.D. Fitch added vocal performance to his studies as a college student and has already been chosen as one of the few baritones in the APSU Chamber Singers and Governor's Singers.

The Cherry Theater is located in the Waymon L. Hickman building on the Columbia campus. The concert is free and open to the public.

Columbia State is a two-year college, serving a nine-county area in southern Middle Tennessee with locations in Columbia, Franklin, Lawrenceburg, Lewisburg and Clifton. As Tennessee's first community college, Columbia State is committed to increasing access and enhancing diversity at all five campuses. Columbia State is a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, the sixth largest higher education system in the nation. For more information, please visit www.columbiastate.edu.