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Earlier this week, in conjunction with our Education Initiative, we released our first-ever Virtual Choir! In the midst of the COVID-19 Crisis this year, we wanted to create a performance opportunity for some of our local high school choirs, so we teamed up with three amazing HS choirs in the state of Maryland to sing one more song before the end of their school year. Over the course of three weeks, students used Lux practice tracks, and participated in recorded mini-masterclasses to describe how our singers would prepare a piece like this for rehearsals, performances, and recording projects. Many thanks to all those who helped us celebrate these amazing choirs and their hard work this year both in person and online as we premiered our first collaboration with these schools! A special thanks, of course, goes to directors Mrs. Kelly Butler (Walter Johnson HS, Montgomery County), Mr. Robby Napoli (Chesapeake HS, Anne Arundel County), and Ms. Amy Vanek (Clarksburg HS), as well as all of their singers for collaborating with us on this project. See the video right here on this post to hear the final product and continue supporting Maryland's young choral artists!
It’s finally senior year! How’re you feeling about that?
"I have mixed feelings, because I’m so excited about many of the projects that I’m working on, and don’t want them to end! But I am also ready to be out of school, haha." Besides your recital, what are you most excited about this year? "Our opera workshop is doing an opera in French this year, and I am helping coach the language! It has been really fun combining my passion for French language and culture with opera." What’s been your favorite experience studying music in college? "I have interned with the choral department for two semesters now, and by far my favorite experience has been conducting our upper-voice ensemble, Audeamus. I have really enjoyed seeing them grow vocally and musically!" Okay, so, recital time. Let’s start with the easy question. When and where is your recital? "It will be February 29th (yeah that’s leap day!) at 7 pm, in Schmucker Hall at Gettysburg College." What’s your favorite piece on your recital? Why? "My opener! I don’t want to give too much away, because it’s a bit of performance art, but it’s not like anything I’ve ever sung before. It’s also by a composer who graduated from my school last year, so I’ve been able to coach it with him and really get into the nuance and expression of the piece." How has the recital process been for you? What did you have to do to prepare, and how do you feel about it all? "I have been working on some of this music since last semester, but there is also a significant portion that I have learned in the last few weeks. So getting it all together at the same time was really a journey! But I’m really excited about my program, and can’t wait to share it with my audience!" If there’s only one thing you want audience members to get out of your recital, what would it be? "My overall concept is probably the most important part. I begin with three pieces by student-composers, followed with a piece by their composition teacher here at Gettysburg. The next set was composed by his graduate professor, followed by his teacher, and so on. Finishing in the early baroque, I hope to take the audience on a journey back through the evolution of compositional styles!"
It’s finally senior year! How’re you feeling about that?
It’s gone by so fast! I’m excited to be done paying for school, but I am definitely going to miss the friends I’ve made while I’ve been at UMD. Besides your recital, what are you most excited about this year? Finishing up coursework and putting down my last tuition payment are definitely at the top of my list. What’s been your favorite experience studying music in college? Gaining a more broad view of the music world has been the best for me. I appreciate all different types of music a lot more than I did before entering, and I’ve really enjoyed playing music in groups with my friends. Okay, so, recital time. Let’s start with the easy question. When and where is your recital? This Sunday (November 17) in Ulrich Recital Hall, at 2PM! What’s your favorite piece on your recital? Why? The Fripperies by Lowell Shaw. We’re playing four of the eight quartets, and it’s a chance for me and my friends to goof off at an otherwise serious event. The best times I’ve had performing on horn have been times I’ve been doing something a little on the nose and less serious; I get to do this with some of my best friends that I’ve been playing with for a long time now. How has the recital process been for you? What did you have to do to prepare, and how do you feel about it all? The recital process for me has just been about enjoying playing the music. I have fun playing horn, and I want to have fun on my recital. I obviously had to practice a good amount to get everything up to speed, but overall I’d say it’s been a comfortable process. I’m excited to share it with everyone! If there’s only one thing you want audience members to get out of your recital, what would it be? I want everyone to have a good time! That’s all I really care about.
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