By E. Quinn Evans Staff writer
The creative work of Susquehanna students will be showcased at the Student Composers Concert on April 11 in Stretansky Concert Hall from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The concert will feature several students demonstrating their imaginative musical work through the orchestral skillsets of fellow Susquehanna students.
While the compositions of the students vary in style, junior Brett J. Heffelfinger will present a classical large-scale minimalist piece called “Resonant Waters.” “I enjoy this style of writing because many listeners can relate to the language of the notes and phrases, but I can build a whole piece on just a few phrases and create a lasting emotional impact,” Heffelfinger said. “For these shows, I tend to stick to the classical genres—mainly Romanticism and some modern modal and minimalist techniques.”
Heffelfinger is particularly excited to reveal his piece, “Resonant Waters,” as it is the largest ensemble he has ever written. Intended to be performed by 12 musicians, the composition possesses an interesting story behind its inspiration. “The main idea behind the piece is that the stage is symmetrical and the main musical ideas shift around the stage,” Heffelfinger said. “As per the title, there are some programmatic elements. When I was writing this piece, I had the idea of someone riding in a boat down a river, but then the river turns to rapids, but then the rapids empty out into a very serene lake. I tried to make the hall seem like it was underwater by using the reverberations in the hall as well as the floatiness in the way I wrote the parts, and in rehearsals that effect has come across.”
This event will also showcase the expertise of musicians on campus. When asked about choosing performers for his composition, Heffelfinger said: “Due to having a large ensemble, I couldn’t really be picky about who I chose to play. In addition to that, the way the parts weave and flow around each other meant that I needed confident performers who were also talented on their respective instrument.”
Victoria Meneses, a first-year music education major, was Heffelfinger’s stand partner when he asked her to participate in his piece “Resonant Waters.” Performing in the role of second cello, she said, “We read through the music at one rehearsal and will rehearse again before the performance.”
Meneses remarked that collaborating with fellow musical students has been a “fun process overall.”
Heffelfinger began composing music in high school, though the musicians to perform his work were lacking. “My main inspirations for writing music were film and video game soundtracks,” Heffelfinger said. “Even if I didn’t know how to write the kind of music I heard in films and games, I did know that I wanted to learn how to create the music and experiences that made me feel so much emotion in soundtracks.”