The community had the pleasure of listening to Southern Utah University’s music faculty perform on Tuesday, Feb. 15. The two-hour program featured full-time and adjunct faculty and pieces with different instrument combinations.
Percussion Professor Lynn Vartan started the recital by performing “Ziu” by Kato Daiki on the marimba while accompanied by a soundscape of rain sounds. Before she began, Vartan dedicated her performance to William Kraft, a prominent percussionist who passed away on Feb. 12.
Adjunct Professor Jon Yerby and Director of Undergraduate Music Technology McKay Tebbs played guitar for the recital. Yerby performed one of Fernando Sor’s famous works “Variations on a Theme by Mozart, op. 9.”
Vartan played marimba and Tebbs played electric guitar to perform Timo Andres’ “You Broke it, You Bought it.” Yerby and Tebbs accompanied each other on acoustic and electric guitar respectively to play the famous arrangement “Spain” by Chick Corea.
Tebb’s last stage performance was special because he played the College of Performing and Visual Arts Associate Dean Keith Bradshaw’s compositions “Etudes for Solo Guitar.”
“Dr. Bradshaw gave me the music to these pieces over ten years ago when I was an adjunct professor of guitar here,” said Tebbs. “These compositions showcase his keen insight into different aspects of guitar techniques like harmonics and octave melodies so I’m excited to play them for the public.”
Two pieces featured vocals. Tracey Bradshaw played the piano while adjunct professor Rhea Miller sang “Comme autrefois dans la nuit sombre” from the French opera “Les Pecheurs de perles,” and Music Department Chair Lawrence Johnson sang “Lord, Make Me an Instrument” by Libby Larsen.
Woodwinds Director Laura Grantier played the clarinet for several pieces in the recital. She accompanied Music and Piano Associate Professor Christian Bohnenstengel to play two compositions from Robert Mucynski’s “Time Pieces, op. 43.”
Adjunct professors Virginia Stitt and Benjamin Bradshaw accompanied Grantier to perform “Suite pour Trio d’Anches” by Alexandre Tansman. Stitt and Bradshaw played oboe and bassoon respectively.
Grantier’s last performance of the night was with Vartan, performing “Strange Dreams” by Nathan Daughtrey. This piece was the only one played with an A clarinet compared to a B flat clarinet because of its warmer tone that suited the piece better.
“Sonata in D Minor, op. 5 and no. 12 ‘La folia’” by Arcangelo Corelli was the oldest composed piece in the recital that featured a harpsichord played by Mathematics Professor Eric Freden. Fellow Mathematics Professor Andreas Weingartner accompanied him, playing cello while Orchestra Director Xun Sun played violin.
The last performance in the recital was not live. Instead, Director of Graduate Music Technology Dan Anderegg played a short clip of cartoon penguins with a film score he created over it. Before showing the cartoon, he told the audience to watch for “Mickey Mousing,” a film technique that syncs music with what is happening on screen.
“The SUU faculty have always enjoyed collaborating on our annual recital,” said Johnson. “We consider this recital a gift to the community which has steadfastly supported us through all these years and continues to do so and for which we are extremely and forever grateful.”
More information on upcoming musical events can be found on the music department website.
Story by: Addie Horsley
accent@suunews.net
Photo courtesy of SUU Music Department
