Musicians perform original works in SU composers concert

By Jess Deibert Photography editor The first composers concert of the semester was held in Stretansky Concert Hall on Nov. 1. The concert consisted of original musical compositions by...

By Jess Deibert Photography editor

The first composers concert of the semester was held in Stretansky Concert Hall on Nov. 1.

The concert consisted of original musical compositions by Susquehanna students.

The concert featured the work of senior John Leonard, junior Brett Heffelfinger and sophomore Michaela Wagner.

Leonard composed two pieces, “[breath.bow.beat. bed]” and “-youth-,” both of which featured non-traditional use of instruments.

In “[breath.bow.beat.bed]” senior Mike Kaminski and sophomores Gus Black and Carissa Sweet all played percussion, although not in the traditional sense.

The piece began with a quiet rustling of papers, the brushing of the top of a drum and a violin bow slowly moving up and down a block.

Leonard defined these soft sounds as “listened to as one listens to the heartbeat of their partner, as distant footsteps or as musical objects.”

Heffelfinger’s composition “Andante from ‘Old Memories’” featured seniors Alethea Khoo on the piano and Tori Hogan on the violin as well as Heffelfinger on the cello.

Heffelfinger described his piece as having influences from Clara Schumann and Brahms. It was inspired by Schoenberg’s “Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4.”

The piece is based on a poem that tells the story of the memories a woman has when she was in love.

Emily Giannakovilias, a first-year music major, said this piece was her favorite of the night. She also found the entire event entertaining.

“It was an interesting contrast between each piece and the instruments [each composer] chose,” Giannakovilias said.

The event marked Wagner’s third composer concert.

Her piece, “River” was played by first-year Vanessa Lloyd on the piano.

Wagner said she was asked by a professor to write a solo piano piece. Then, she chose Lloyd to play her piece because she wanted a musician who had never performed at Susquehanna before.

“I wanted someone young that would bring a different experience to the piece,” Wagner said.

Leonard’s second piece, which closed the program, was similarly eccentric to his first.

“-youth-” featured senior Sean Colvin on the electric guitar accompanied by Leonard on the trombone.

Although Leonard started out traditionally playing the trombone, he later put a bowl over its bell to achieve a muffled rumbling effect.

Sophomore Rosemary Butterly found the concert enjoyable despite it being different from concerts she had previously attended.

“It was different and unique,” Butterly said. “This was not very typical of a composer’s concert.”

The composers concert was sponsored by the Susquehanna Department of Music.

The next concert will be an orchestra concert conducted by Gregory Grabowski in Stretansky Concert Hall on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2:30 p.m.

Seniors Sarah Stine and Emily McGurk will have their senior recitals on Saturday Nov. 12. in Stretanksy Concert Hall. Stine will perform at 5:30 p.m. and McGurk will perform at 7:30 p.m.

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