By Ashley Bowden
Arts & Entertainment Editor
The department of music provides multitudes of opportunities for students to hone their skills playing a wide variety of instruments, as well as many networking possibilities with professionals in the industry. Visiting artists including the Shanghai String Quartet and Berta Rojas will hold convocations for students during the spring 2018 semester, and there are other events and showcases lined up for students, faculty, and other attendees outside of the department. “It’s a busy semester, and aside from our usual ensemble concerts, there are a lot of junior and senior recitals, faculty recitals and three festivals,” Lisa Meyer, production and recruitment coordinator, said. Most concerts are free to attend with a valid Post student ID.
Each semester students and faculty strive to expose audiences to as many eras and styles of music as possible. “There’s such a variety of music from contemporary to jazz and classical, so [students will] get
a really good understanding of the different time periods and genres of music,” Meyer said. She hopes those who attend the department’s concerts and convocations will hear something new and want to hear more of it. One opportunity for this is a convocation held by Veronica Nguyen, senior music major, called “A Taste of Vietnamese Music: Building Bridges through Cultural Understanding” on Feb. 12 at 12:30 p.m. in the Hillwood Recital Hall. “She presented her [honors] thesis last semester, and our chair was so impressed that she asked if she would present it again at a convocation,” Meyer said. “Just the level of her caliber of performance and presentation is so outstanding that she wanted the other music majors to see what they should strive for.” Nguyen will perform as well as present a video presentation.
Another chance to for students to possibly hear music from abroad is at the faculty recital presented by the Feigin Duo. They specialize in violin and piano music and are originally from Russia. Music professor Eugene Feigin will perform with his sister Tatiana Feigin on Feb. 6 at 8:15 p.m. More faculty recitals include Victoria Schwartzman, pianist, on Jan. 26 at 5 p.m., and David Holzman, pianist, on Feb. 13 at 8:15 p.m. These performances will take place in the Great Hall and have free admission.
There are several festivals lined up for the season, including the Tilles Choral Festival Concert on March 28 at 7:30 p.m. and the LIU Post Band Festival Concert on April 13 at 8 p.m. These concerts will
be held at the Tilles Center, visit www.tillescenter.org for ticket prices, discounted student tickets are available.
The Long Island Guitar Festival will run April 9-15. This year marks the Guitar Festival’s 26th anniversary. “Some of the world’s greatest artists are coming to the festival,” Harris Becker, director of guitar studies, said. He has worked with director John Mesh to set up concerts and coordinate scheduling for the five-day event. “I try to keep a certain vision of the festival which has to do with high level performance,” he said, “And I’ve been fortunate to get all these guitarists to play.” Attending artists include Berta Rojas, The Newman and Oltman Guitar Duo and Simon Powis. The festival will consist of various concerts, workshops and master classes. “I hope it [teaches] people the versatility of an instrument; the guitar is used in so many different styles in different countries,” Becker said. Many of the duo performances will be held in the intimate chamber setting of the Great Hall, allowing audiences to hear the nuances of the guitar’s various genres of sound. The guitar has incredible versatility, and it enhances the way people can communicate through their onset of expression, according to Becker. Visit www.liu.edu/gfest for further details.
All Post students are welcome to attend these events as well as those in the department’s convocation series that takes place during common hour in the Hillwood Recital Hall. Solo student performances will be held on March 6 and 26. “It’s always a different variety of music, so if people are done with their lunch they can come and enjoy a concert,” Meyer said.
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