By Amy Siegel
The Music Department will host this semester’s Gallery Concert on April 11.
The event is free and open to the public, and will take place in the lobby of the Myers Fine Arts Building and start at noon. Featured performers include Georgia Becker, Reg Sutphen, and Sean Martinez.
This concert serves as an opportunity for students to showcase to the public what they have been working on within their applied lessons. These students will perform individually and on piano, while being accompanied by Karen Becker, Chair of the Music Department. Most of the songs performed will be classical, operatic and solo piano pieces, with some leaning more towards theatre to showcase these artists’ ranges.
REG SUTPHEN
Senior Reg Sutphen will be performing two songs, “Der Tod und Das Mädchen” by Franz Shubert and “If He Walked into My Life” from “Mame” composed by Jerry Herman. These are both emotionally charged pieces that showcase the power of music to convey deep human experiences.
Franz Schubert’s work, which translates to “Death and the Maiden,” explores the tension of mortality through a dialogue between Death and a young woman, filled with emotional depth. Whereas, “If He Walked Into My Life” from the musical Mame, is a ballad where the character reflects on how her life would change if a particular person entered it, blending vulnerability and hope.
The performance is particularly important to Sutphen, because it symbolizes growth. This is their first solo performance at a gallery concert.
“It feels very vulnerable, but I’ve gotten the opportunity to really come out of my shell,” Sutphen said. “I’m so excited to not only show off what I’ve been working on, but hopefully to inspire others who may have been like me. I want other students to be able to see my path and go, wow, I can do that too.”
GEORGIA BECKER
Georgia Becker will be performing for the second time in her college career, her first time performing was in the fall of 2022. Becker will be performing “Come Ready and See Me” by Richard Hundley and “Widmung” by Franz Liszt and Robert Schumann. These songs explore love and devotion in distinct ways. “Come Ready and See Me” offers an intimate portrayal of longing. In contrast, Franz Liszt’s “Widmung,” which translates to “Dedication,” is based on a poem by Robert Schumann and delivers a passionate declaration of love, with complex piano lines and sweeping vocal phrases.
While Hundley’s piece radiates quiet yearning, Liszt’s composition soars with intensity and emotional depth, providing a captivating contrast allowing Becker to show her range.
“I am looking forward to performing with my aunt and getting a performance under my belt before my senior recital since I am singing both of these songs in my recital.,” Becker said.
Her recital will be Sunday April 27.
SEAN MARTINEZ
Sean Martinez will be performing a short piano set of “La fille aux cheveux de lin” and “Clair de lune,” both written by Claude Debussy. Martinez said selecting these songs was an easy decision.
“My thought process for picking these songs was pretty simple. I’ve been working with Dr. Becker over the past year or so and throughout our lessons along with learning skills, I’ve learned two works from Debussy being ‘Clair de lune’ and another song from Debussy called ‘First Arabesque’,” Martinez said.
These two works of Claude Debussy’s are some of his most beloved works. “La fille aux cheveux de lin” or translated, “The Girl with the Flaxen Hair” and “Clair de lune” transports listeners into dreamy landscapes.
“La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin,” evokes the image of serenity and captures a youthful innocence. In contrast, “Clair de Lunes,” or “Moonlight,” shimmering harmonies immerses the listener in an atmosphere of calm and reflection.
Both pieces, though distinctly different in mood, make for a captivating exploration of his impressionistic style. Martinez looks forward to playing these pieces because of the juxtaposition of popularity.
“I’d say I’m most looking forward to playing ‘Clair de Lune’ as it’s a very popular piece by Debussy that a lot of people tend to know, along with the captivating melodies written into the music,” Martinez said. “The other song is just as pretty though, and I’m excited to play it because it’s one of his lesser known works.”
These performances are important because they are carefully worked on by both students and professors. To be able to access private lessons is important to students.
“I didn’t have the privilege of participating in voice lessons, and I had only done choir in my senior year of high school, so working one-on-one with an instructor was completely new to me. In a way, I am proving myself in this performance, and asserting the fact that I’ve worked hard to get here.”
