The sophisticated application of instruments and alluring singing voices distracted audience members from the chilly night as students performed classic harmonies and received enthusiastic applause.
The Applied Music recital, presented by the music department, took place Nov. 21 in the auditorium. Students performed lessons they learned throughout the semester.
The first half of the recital included four vocalists, Joseph Metzger, Catherine Grigorian, Kenneth Landaverde and Kasha Fernandes, who sang in Italian. Music professor Mihyun Chun accompanied them on the piano.
Joseph Metzger began the recital with Antonio Vivaldi’s “Piango Gemo” in a baritone vocal range. His unconstrained voice captivated the audience, catching its interest for the remainder of the performances.
The program then continued with Grigorian, a mezzo-soprano who performed “Nina.” Her crystal clear and resounding voice was astonishing, especially coming from her small frame.
“My friend, Catherine, is constantly practicing even outside of school and that’s why it’s no surprise that she did really well during her recital performance,” said Irina Kharatyan, a language major who attended the recital to encourage Grigorian.
One standout was Landaverde, who performed the song “Wohin?” as the third performer of the program. Although he only practiced for one week, his dynamic voice received a “bravo!” from the audience.
“Professor [Beth] Pflueger helped me a lot with this recital,” he said. “She knows vocal well.”
Pflueger also coordinated the recital.
“Whenever I take a breath, I take a long breath,” said Landaverde. “So, she always mentioned to me, ‘stop taking, stop breathing.’ It was a funny moment, but it was helpful not to forget out of my head.”
“The most important thing is that they perform musically,” said Pflueger. “I tried to help them understand how the music is supposed to go and what message it is sending.”
Fernandes, a music major, said she practices at least two hours a day. She has been singing opera as a soprano and performed “M’ha Preso Alla Sua Ragna” at the recital.
“This song is perfect for my voice, so I was comfortable to sing it even though I was nervous,” she said.
A very strong and passionate performance ensued with “Slavonic Fantasy” for Trumpet, played Xiaolong Zheng. The delicate movement of his fingers and elegant playing entranced the audience.
The final part of the recital included piano performances by Melinda Hovdepian, who played “Impromptu Op. 90 No. 4,” and Anna Avetisyan, who played “Ballade Op. 38, No.2.”
The closing performance was by alumnus Varand Toros-Adami, who ended the recital with “Rhapsody in b minor, Op. 79, No. 1.”
“We did have fewer performers this fall than we normally do,” said Pflueger. “However, it was a great recital. They did really well.”
Varand Toros-Adami, who ended the recital with “Rhapsody in b minor, Op. 79, No.1.”
“We did have less performers this fall than we normally do,” said Pflueger. “However, It was a great recital. They did really well.”
