The last two concerts of the fall term at the University of Rhode Island will offer audiences something a bit out of the ordinary. The URI Concert Choir and Lively Experiment, two of the university’s premier vocal ensembles, will perform a wide range of unusual repertoire at 8 p.m. on Friday, December 11, and on Sunday, December 13 at 7 p.m. URI student composers and musicians will present a concert of original works. Both concerts will be held in the URI Fine Arts Center Concert Hall at 105 Upper College Road.

The Concert Choir and Lively Experiment will be performing one secular and one sacred “item” (which may be one piece or a set) for each of these major musical time periods: Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Modern. Music will range from Renaissance pieces in Hebrew through a modern piece about Greek weddings performed with movement. Both ensembles are directed by Mark Conley. Admission for this concert is $8 for general admission, $2 students.

The URI student composers are coached by Eliane Aberdam, Joseph Parillo, or Geoffrey Gibbs and always offer a wide range of musical styles and approaches. Admission for this concert is free. Works to be performed by Aberdam’s students include: Autumn Tears by Joseph M. Alberg, performed by Theresa Procopio, English horn, Joseph Alberg, clarinet, and Justin Cahoon, piano; a piece by Benjamin Christie titled “I Saw in Louisiana a Live-Oak Growing”, based on a Walt Whitman poem from Leaves of Grass, performed by mezzo-soprano Rebekah Lobosco and Domenic Ruggeri, piano; Arborescence, a piece for viola, piano, and 3 singers by Ben Shaw, and Seven Character Studies by Kate Bentley, a work made up of miniatures for violin and two classical guitars representing seven characters, all connected to each other. It will be performed by Sara Dillon-Violin, Jared Maynard-Classical Guitar, and Raffi Donoian-Classical Guitar.

Works by Parillo’s students will include Nocturnal No. 1, “Hagakure”, a piece in three movements by Satori; “Live and Remember”, a work for orchestra and trombone by Tim Coffey; a song entitled “Pandas” by Jacqui Glassie; “Echoes” (from a past life) by Thomas White; and “Nick Says No” by Dave Drapeau, which will be performed by Dave Drapeau – saxophone, Nick Sanfilippo – piano, Steve Johnson – bass, and Paul DiMartino – drums.

Other students participating include: Joseph Godfrey, Angela Cardarelli, Zach Friedland, Nick Sanfilippo, and Brandon Winrich.

Seating for all concerts is on a first-come basis. The box office opens 45 minutes before each concert. The concert hall is handicap accessible, and parking is directly behind the Fine Arts Center in the lot off Bills Road.

For more information, call the URI Music Department, 874-2431, or go to www.uri.edu/artsci/mus.