(COLUMBIA, Tenn. - Oct. 18, 2016) - - - Columbia State Community College will be hosting a guest concert featuring Paul Christopher performing the classical works of Gabriel Faure, a French composer from the Romantic Period, Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. in the Cherry Theater.

Christopher, Northwestern State University of Louisiana associate professor of music, will perform a recital on the cello. Christopher will be accompanied by Emily Gaskill, Columbia State associate professor of music.

"We are delighted that Christopher will be performing at Columbia State again," Gaskill said. "In the past, he has entertained us with diverse programs of classical cello repertoire and interesting information about various composers and compositions."

Christopher earned his bachelor's in music education from the New England Conservatory of Music and his master's in Cello Performance from the University of Memphis. Christopher has performed across the country and served as the principal cello of the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra and the Shreveport Opera for 15 years. He continues to perform with the Rapides, Shreveport and South Arkansas symphony orchestras.

During his time as a member of the Nashville String Machine, Christopher appeared on numerous recordings with artists such as Faith Hill, Ricky Skaggs, Bruce Springsteen and George Straight.

The recital is free and open to the public and is co-sponsored by the Columbia State Lyceum Committee and the Department of Music. The Cherry Theater is in the Waymon L. Hickman Building on the Columbia Campus located at 1665 Hampshire Pike.

For more information about this event, contact Gaskill at 615.540.2873 or egaskill@ColumbiaState.edu. For more information on other Lyceum events, contact the Lyceum Committee by emailing Lyceum@ColumbiaState.edu, or visit the Lyceum calendar on the Columbia State website at www.ColumbiaState.edu/Lyceum.

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, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation. For more information, please visit www.ColumbiaState.edu.

Tennessee's Community Colleges is a system of 13 colleges offering a high-quality, affordable, convenient and personal education to prepare students to achieve their educational and career goals in two years or less. We offer associate degree and certificate programs, workforce development programs and transfer pathways to four-year degrees. For more information, please visit us online at tncommunitycolleges.org.

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