As autumn sets in, the Taylor University music program gears up to host the annual Music Faculty Showcase Recital on Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Butz-Carruth Recital Hall.
The recital features free admission and boasts a wide range of performances from exclusively full-time and adjunct instructors. The showcase will include operas, instrumental pieces and small ensembles.
Beyond creating an evening of art for the surrounding community, this showcase serves a deeper purpose, Leon Harshenin, Ph.D., professor of music and coordinator of piano studies, said. While students in the music program may hear their professors demonstrate a short sequence or phrase in lessons or class, they rarely see a full performance. Further, faculty are able to use this showcase as an opportunity to model a recital from beginning to end.
“I have found that students sort of perk up a little bit once they realize, ‘My teacher can perform as well as teach,’’’ Harshenin said. “Honestly, they start listening a little more carefully, paying more attention and have that model to aspire to.”
On the other end of the student/professor interaction, stepping into the spotlight allows professors to be vulnerable with their students, Mary Kathryn Brewer, Ph.D., assistant professor of music, said. Experiencing nervousness before a performance gives professors a fresh perspective on the anxieties their students face before juries, competitions and recitals.
Because of this, professors are able to teach voice technique in lessons while dealing with the nerves that accompany the life of a performer. It can be comforting to know that your professors still get nervous, Brewer said.
The evening is designed to connect with off-campus listeners beyond the traditional classroom setting. For the broader campus and local community, this showcase offers an introduction to live classical music, Harshenin said. He crafted a program that alternates between pieces with more drama and ones with more somber undertones to keep audience members engaged throughout the program.
Beyond offering an engaging concert for the audience, the showcase gives faculty members an avenue to reflect on their deeper artistic purpose. For Brewer, taking the stage is an opportunity to express both gratitude and intentionality through her craft.
“I believe that God gave me the voice that I have to share beauty with the world, to speak about His impact on my life, but also the beautiful world He’s created for us to live in,” Brewer said. “If my voice can be a small part of that, that — to me — is a huge part of my calling.”
This sentiment shifts a performance into an act of worship, Brewer said. Reframing the stage as a space for service allows performers to look beyond self-consciousness to focus on serving their listeners.
Through their performance, the faculty aim to invite their audience into a shared space of faith, artistry and grace, Conor Angell, Ph.D., Music, Theatre & Dance department co-chair and professor of music, said. This shifts the recital hall from a space of separation between the performers and audience to a collection of brothers and sisters in Christ, he said.
“I believe that the task of honing my performance skills is a stewardship of the gift given to me, which I can share as an act of love to God and neighbor,” Angell said. “In this view, it is not about impressing others, but rather about loving them and ministering to them, inviting them to join me in celebrating that God gave us beautiful music to enjoy.”
