In a faculty recital in recognition of International Education Week titled, “Notes from around the World,” faculty members brought out a side of themselves students do not get to see everyday in the classroom.
If the performers were not pouring their emotions into their words, their instruments would dramatize the pieces.
That was what captured and held the attention of Darrell Nottage, 21, a fourth-year business administration student from Quincy.
“I thought the show was great and had a wide variety of music,” said Nottage. “Despite a language barrier, the quality of the music was felt through emotion.
The event was held in the recital hall of the Foster-Tanner Music Complex.
Melodic sounds filled the hall as various faculty members of the music department showcased their musical capabilities.
Lindsey Sarjeant and Joanna Sobkowska-Parsons were featured pianists. Bob Griffin played trombone, Longineu Parsons showcased trumpet and vocal skills, Brian Hall was the bassist and Kevian Cox, a music education student, displayed percussion ability.
Devon Mitchell, 22, a first-year graduate psychology student from Orlando said the show was very great and was motivated her to look more into the different eras and genres of music she saw featured Monday night.
“The jazz section and the last piece [Dite alla giovine…Morro, a scene taken from La Traviata, were touching],” said Mitchell.
“Dite alla giovine…Morro”, as well as others, were performed by Alethea Kilgore and Marcus Rhodes, both professors of voice in the music department.
Another memorable and rather unexpected moment was during the jazz sectional.
Trumpet player, Longineu Parsons was so moved by the singing of “If It Ain’t Got That Swing” that he temporarily put down his horn and gave his own raspy rendition of the tune.
“In preparation for the performance, they learned the music months ago and had several practices, Kilgore said.
“Although their onstage chemistry was undeniable, this was actually their first performance together on the campus.”
As an aspiring musician herself and a dedicated member of the Marching “100,” Keyandra Berry, 19, a second-year political science student from Miramar, Fla., said, “the tune quality was sonorous and very expressive.”
Berry liked that there were no “busted notes”, or “jumping out of key” and also enjoyed the improvisation.
She said this performance was a great show of professionalism.
Performing pieces from Mozart to Duke Ellington to Fryderyk Chopin, the variety of music was enough to captivate the audience, but the fact that the performers gave background insight on artists and the pieces they performed reminded the audience that this recital was not just for entertainment, but it was also an educational experience.
Charles Kochman, executive editor at Abrams ComicArts, said comics for kids seems to be recession-proof.
“I think the moment is less about the superheros … than they are about the ordinary person … telling their personal stories. The graphic novels are about realism now. There has been a real shift,” he said.
There will also be an exhibit of photographs and illustrations at the college campus up until Jan. 15, 2010. The exhibit will display the work that is in the graphic novel “The Photographer,” a story of a photographer who traveled with Doctors Without Borders in Afghanistan in the ‘80s.
It is to “to remind people for sure that every time there is a conflict there are people caught up in it and for Afghanistan it’s ongoing,” said Stephen Figge, the public events officer for Doctors Without Borders, who worked to put up the exhibit.
There is also a section where children and teens can learn to actually write and illustrate comics. Several professional storytellers and children’s authors also are expected.
Pamuk said he looked forward to attending and discussing his latest novel, “The Museum of Innocence,” an exploration of how humans behave when in love.
He said in a telephone interview from Boston that “the desire to read and write books will never vanish” because literature is beyond economic crises.
“The joy of reading books in time of crisis or economic boom will not change really.”