By Amanda Lee Anderson
School of Music faculty celebrates with annual gala
On Friday, September 13, at 8pm, the Tenth Annual Faculty Gala was held at the University Of Louisville School Of Music Comstock Concert Hall. At the concert, faculty members were invited to show their talent in a concert setting.
Music students, Louisville community members, and faculty from other academic units marveled at the talent and musical ability of the music professors.
One highlight included soprano Meghan Monaghanís vocal solo entitled “Lines for Valentines.” Her voice rang clear and her notes crisp throughout the hall, accompanied by guitarist Daniel Boring. She played the role of a sulking girl, with fitting lyrics: “If you won’t be my valentine/I’ll hold my breath. I’ll pout. I’ll pine/ I’ll stomp and swear and spit and whine/ if you wonít be my valentine.”
Also, renowned soprano Edith Davis Tidwell demonstrated her ability to evoke goose bumps in a listener with “Summertime,” a Gershwin hit from the opera Porgy and Bess. Her clear high notes rang strongly throughout Comstock Hall, yielding thunderous applause from the audience.
The Louisville Brass Ensemble presented a medley of pieces by John Philip Sousa. The ensemble, comprised of Michael Tunnell, Bruce Heim, Herbert Koerselman, Brett Shuster, and John Jones, had the energy and spunk needed to get the entire audience clapping in rhythm to the Sousa arrangement. Some members of the quintet played more than one instrument during the ensemble performance, a feat which astounded many audience members.
Megan Bowden, a freshman vocal performance major, said, “The way they arranged it all was impressive, with all the different pieces in different styles. Seeing something like this makes me proud to be a part of the music school.”
Emily Redmond, a freshman music education major, agreed. “The interpretations of the pieces are awesome,” she raved. “It’s really great to see my professors perform, because we don’t get to see this performance side of them on a day-to-day basis.”
