Nearly 200 audience members filled Coulter Recital Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 27, to enjoy two hours of performances during the annual School of Music Spring Faculty Showcase.
Instrumental and vocal faculty members performed prepared pieces, giving the audience a chance to experience their musicianship outside the classroom.
“I definitely think out of all the concerts, this is one of the most important concerts because if you’re curious about the School of Music, it really showcases every single part of the department here,” said Sarah Hudspeth, a music education student who studies flute. “So, you get to just have fun, and you get to see a lot of things that you typically don’t get to see at any type of concert.”
Some faculty members performed duets, including soprano voice professor Andrea M. Price, who sang “What Good Would the Moon Be?” and “If I Loved You” by Kurt Weill and Langston Hughes, accompanied by professor Andrew Adams on piano. Tuba and euphonium professor Nick Beltchev and piano professor Leonidas Lagrimas performed “Basso Bossa” by Kristen Fife.
The concert also featured solo performances. Music professor Michael Langer performed “Valse” by Francis Poulenc on piano, and pianist Lagrimas returned to perform “China Gates” by John Adams.
Events like the Spring Faculty Showcase give students the chance to see their instructors perform in a professional setting on stage.
“Seeing our professors perform can be very inspiring. We gauge a lot from hearing them. How we would like to sound, play, and be heard, and even see how some of their teachings affect our own sound,” said Gavin Cugini, a commercial music and audio production student who studies trombone.
“I get to see where they get their passion from, and I also get to see different styles of music,” said Hudspeth. “I get to see things I’ve never really heard or seen before, and I get to learn about what they’re doing.”
The next performance from Western Carolina University’s School of Music will feature Dr. Esther Waite in a Faculty Flute Recital on Tuesday, Feb. 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Coulter Recital Hall.
