William Wakefield hopes audiences learn variety is a key ingredient in the School of Music’s flavor at the “Musical Mosaic” concert at 8 tonight in Catlett’s Sharp Concert Hall.

As organizer of the fourth annual concert and a conductor for one of the performing groups, Wakefield said “Musical Mosaic” derives its title from the tiles used to create one big picture.

“[A mosaic is] a myriad of different colors and lots of different pieces,” said Wakefield, a conducting professor. “And that fits kind of what the concert is about — it’s made of little, shorter vignettes with all kinds of variety within the School of Music.”

These ‘vignettes’ include Wakefield’s wind symphony and an organist, an opera number, OU choral groups and smaller chamber ensembles, duets and solos.

Lighting changes follow the groups during and between performances, rigged by concert hall manager Alan Hiserodt, meant to bring a sense of wholeness to the evening.

“It’s a theatrical presentation and not so much a you-play, you-clap, you-see-another group-comes-on-and-plays [concert],” Wakefield said. “[The lighting arrangement] really tightens up the concert, and it gives you a lot of variety in a short amount of time.”

Several numbers use different types of performances — even within the musical genres, such a vibraphone and marimba piece — together to show a broad appeal to different audiences, Wakefield said.

“[The audience] might hear something that they wouldn’t go to listen to or watch, so I think that [the performances] can offer themselves a little intrigue for people to taste a little bit more of the School of Music and what happens here,” he said.

For example, the new Century Ensemble, with composition professor Marvin Lamb, will perform a contemporary piece by Thomas Albert called “Illuminations,” which will feature a tap dancer. A guitarist will perform the number “On the Street Where You Live” from the musical “My Fair Lady.” Students will also perform their own pieces in ensembles or duets.

“There’s a little bit for everyone,” logistics coordinator Danh Pham said.

Pham, a second-year conducting doctoral student, said it’s important to have such variety to broaden an audience’s appeal.

“We want to make sure that audiences have an opportunity to just have a variety of choices to come and listen to the various talents of the students,” Pham said. “Musical Mosaic,” Pham said, is much like the name these concerts used to be called: prism concerts, which originated in the 1950s.

“It’s like a musical prism, there are so many different angles to look at an object,” he said. “With so many different acts on board … this hopefully will be the most diverse audience.”

Wakefield, however, believes taste is the key ingredient in tonight’s concert.

“An appetizer would be just right for the concert!” he exclaimed.

Show information

What: OU School of Music’s “Musical Mosaic”

When: Tonight at 8 p.m.

Where: Catlett Music Center’s Sharp Concert Hall

Cost: $8 adults, $5 students, faculty and seniors