Patrick Smith (Music and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Double Major) held his senior clarinet recital on March 19, 2018 at 7:30 pm in Tuthill Performance Hall in Hassell Hall. His recital focused on nineteenth and twentieth century compositions either written for a specific clarinetist, written for clarinets in general, or arranged for clarinet later in the life of the composition. He played pieces such as the first and second movements of Leonard Bernstein’s Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Serge Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise Op. 34, No. 14, and Ernesto Cavallini’s Carnevale di Venezia. Since the music was from later periods of classical music it was not nearly as traditionally classical as one is used to, but it was very interesting to hear different styles and musical elements that are not in the conventional repertoire. Patrick demonstrated his prowess on the clarinet with this varied repertoire, illustrating his ability to play a wide range of stylistically different pieces--and difficult ones at that--with grace. After he completed each piece, especially the ones that were obviously difficult pieces, he exhaled with a smile, confident and proud that he nailed it.
Text by Sarah Johnson
On March 1, 2018 friends and family of Sarah Johnson (Music Major) gathered in Tuthill Performance Hall to celebrate and listen to Sarah’s senior voice recital. Her recital featured songs composed by women with special attention to black women. The program captured a large scope of music history, ranging from the late Renaissance with Francesca Caccinin’s Per la più vaga e bella to the twentieth century with Margaret Bonds’ Three Dream Portraits. Short and sweet, her program left the audience with a sense of elation and levity. Closing with Molly Carew’s Everywhere I Look, Sarah had a huge smile on her face as she sang, “Everywhere I look Spring is here, Spring is here.” Following her performance, she was greeted with thunderous applause as her friends and family rushed to congratulate her on an excellent capstone recital. Her program highlighted many understated but brilliant composers of classical music. I eagerly await her research presentation that will be the capstone project of her music major.
Text by Patrick Smith