WC Music Department showcases student and faculty talents

By Faith Jarrell

Student Life Editor

This fall, the Washington College Music Department is holding events to display the variety of music present in the WC community as well as those outside it.

The first event, which occurred on Thursday, Sept. 28, was part of the Music Department’s concert series and featured the Alejandro Brittes Quartet. According to the Eventbrite for the performance, the quartet is a group of four that is based out of Porto Alegre in Brazil. General admission cost $20 to attend, although many Music Department events are free.

On Friday, Sept. 29 junior David Londres performed his own multi-media performance, featuring visuals and music, entitled “Harmonizing the Process of Healing: a Five Movement Piece on the Stages of Grief” in Tawes Theatre.

“The music itself takes a lot of inspiration from hip hop and R&B, but I sample from all musical genres like alternative, rock, and folk music,” Londres said. “I hope people can recognize and empathize with the emotions and feelings I try to display and put into the performance.”

As for other performances later in the semester, Londres had ideas on why students should not only support the Music Department but also their peers.

“[The Music Department] bring[s] in [and] showcase[s] different music from multiple cultures and countries, which I think is important,” Londres said. “I think students should come to concerts that are being performed by students because I think it helps build on the idea that anyone can be a musician as well as building strong relationships between the student community.”

The WC Rock Ensemble will be holding a performance on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the Alonzo G and Virginia Gent Decker Theatre. This is not the ensemble’s only concert this semester; the group will have another on Wednesday, Dec. 6, closing out the events for the fall semester.

The semesterly musical put on by the Music Department will follow the Rock Ensemble. For the fall semester, there will be a production of “American Idiot,” which is based on the album written and performed by the band Green Day. The musical was co-written by Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and Michael Mayer. The show will be performed in Decker Auditorium on Friday, Oct. 20, and Saturday, Oct. 21, with both starting at 7:30 p.m.

Also in October is the faculty recital, in which lecturer Dr. Diana Golden will play her cello. This event is set for Monday, Oct. 23 in Hotchkiss Recital Hall.

“The Faculty Recital on October 23rd will showcase works for unaccompanied cello written within the last 10 years that I thought were fun and engaging upon first hearing them, and which cover a range of styles,” Dr. Golden said.

The next event welcomes another outsider from the College. Continuing the concert series, Broadway actress and singer Marissa McGowan is performing in Hotchkiss Recital Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. Like the other event in the concert series, this event costs $20 for general admission.

Following McGowan is a music department performance on Wednesday, Nov. 8, entitled “Arresting Views” and according to the WC website, it will be “A performance featuring vocals, electronic sounds, and interactive visual media.”

Senior Sarah Poirier will perform with her cello at her Senior Capstone Event recital on Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in Hotchkiss Recital Hall.

“I am hoping for the people who come my recital to just enjoy the music and admire the beauty of playing an instrument. I want people to enjoy themselves and have a great time listening to

Bach or Franck or Rebecca Clarke,” Poirier said. “This is a way to showcase my love of music and I want to share that with everyone.”

The rest of the events for the semester will be performed by a variety of groups, such as a chorus on Nov. 15, orchestra and band on Nov. 19, the Musicians Union showcase on Nov. 20, the Music Department showcase on Nov. 29, and finally, a percussion and steel pan ensemble on Dec. 4.

“There is a lot of talent that moves through the department, and we only get showcased only a couple times a semester, so take the chance while you can to support your musician student friends,” Poirer said.

Those wishing to perform are not always part of the Music Department or a music major, however. Some students love to perform and the Music Department makes that happen.

“What I like about the music department at WC is that anyone can succeed in it as long as they have the ambition and love for music,” Londres said. “Being a music major is not mandatory to succeed in or to get far in the music department.”

Elm Archive Photo

Photo Caption: Many Music Department events will take place in Hodson Recital Hall, pictured above.

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