Dr. Louis Imperiale will present a selection of best-loved French songs accompanying himself on the accordion at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 18, in the Little Theatre of the Hearnes Learning Center at Missouri Western State University.

Audience members will be able to sing along to many of France’s “bien-aimées” selections such as “Aux Champs-Elysées,” “Milord,” “Frou-Frou” and “C’est si bon.” The program is designed for all ages, for music lovers and karaoke enthusiasts or for anyone who loves music and sing-alongs. This program is a wonderful opportunity for teachers of French and students learning French.

Dr. Imperiale has a musical background and is fluent in four languages, French, Italian, Spanish and English. He spent his early childhood in Italy and France and earned his high school Baccalauréat in France. He then went on to complete advanced studies of Italian. Dr. Imperiale later lived in Puerto Rico where he studied Spanish. In 1990 he completed his Ph.D in Spanish Literature at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. He is currently professor of Spanish at the University of Missouri- Kansas City

Dr. Imperiale has always retained his love for French folk and popular music.  In Puerto Rico he served for many years as music director at the Heidelberg Haus Restaurant and as Maître Organiste, Stella Maris Parish. He was also a musical  entertainer on the French cruise ships, the MS “Mermoz” and the MS “Renaissance.”

The performance is sponsored by the Alliance Française de St. Joseph and Missouri Western’s department of English, foreign languages and journalism. For more information on the program, contact Corinne Russell, president, Alliance Française, at 816-676-1182 or corinne.russell@sjsd.k12.mo.us.

Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.

 

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