By Sarah McMillin, Staff Writer
Juniors Kaitlyn Killeen and Hannah Nyce will perform a student recital at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24 in Stretansky Concert Hall.
Nyce is a soprano vocalist and Killeen is a flutist.
“Our instruments go well together,” Nyce said.
“A recital of all the same instrument can feel really long,” Nyce continued.
Killeen and Nyce will both perform for about 30 minutes each, making the recital an hour in total.
Nyce will be accompanied by Jamie Namminga, lecturer in music. Killeen will be accompanied by Namminga and sophomore Ali Hordeski.
For Nyce’s part of the recital, she will perform pieces from German composer Felix Mendelssohn’s song cycles, pieces from a song cycle by French composer Francis Poulenc, an aria and recitative from GermanBritish composer George Fredric Handel’s “Xerxes,” two folk pieces arranged by English composer Benjamin Britten and “A Simple Song” from American composer Leonard Bernstein’s mass.
For Killeen’s part of the recital, she will perform three longer pieces, including works by German composer Johann Sebastian Bach, American composer Kent Kennan and Hungarian composer Bela Bartok.
With two of Killeen’s pieces running at over ten minutes, Killeen said the performances can sometimes be strenuous.
“I’m really excited for everyone to hear these pieces because each one is special to me in a different way,” Killeen said.
Bach’s “Flute Sonata in B minor,” one of the pieces Killeen will perform, is one that she is very familiar with.
Killeen said she had been practicing the piece for years and that it was her audition piece when coming to Susquehanna three years ago.
“It’s just one of those pieces I’ve always loved,” Killeen said. “It will show them something about me that they didn’t know before.”
Nyce and Killeen both said they are generally not nervous for their recital.
“I am the most nervous for remembering to breathe and make the most of the music,” Nyce said. Killeen agreed and said, “I’m kind of nervous, but really excited for the music.”
While the two are not playing any pieces together, they have been working together to organize the concert.
They collaborated on aspects of the recital such as posters, dress rehearsal and food for the reception.
Both Nyce and Killeen are excited to perform for the campus and community at their joint recital.
“Life is short, but art is long,” Nyce said.
“Our recital is about honoring music of many different styles,” Nyce continued.
Another joint student recital will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 in Stretansky Concert Hall and will feature juniors Benjamin Nause and Benjamin Nylander.
