2008 Woodie Awards
The music of J-term: students shine in class and performance
Virginia Harper
Issue date: 2/10/05 Section: Arts
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This past January, several Middlebury students had the unique opportunity to participate in a Winter Term class, "Performing Chamber Music," under the guidance of Su Lian Tan, associate professor of Music. The course, which has been offered in previous years, brings together serious musicians - whose academic pursuits range from music to molecular biology to geography - as they spend three hours a day, four days a week throughout the month in rehearsal. This year, cellists, violinists, pianists, a violist, a clarinetist, an oboist and a flautist were represented in the group, providing a multifarious assortment of instruments and a rich sound.
Considering the musicians' instruments, Tan organized the class by selecting appropriate music and dividing the musicians into ensembles. Students practiced individually, but she encouraged their performance as a group. Many of the student musicians knew each other from their involvement in the Middlebury College Orchestra, but the rigorous hours of practicing and the necessity of working together drew them even closer.
"We definitely bonded a lot through the class," said Megan Guiliano '07.5, a violinist who has been playing since age three. "It was really an amazing experience."
The end result was the group's performance on Jan. 27 at the Center for the Arts Concert Hall, followed by an afternoon performance in Mead Chapel the next day. The class presented their work to a crowded concert hall full of faculty, students and staff. With a quartet, quintet and two trios, the class performed pieces from a wide range of composers including Beethoven, Shostakovich, Dvorak, Brahms and Holst.
The audience was clearly impressed by the students' performance after only one month of preparations. Caroline Vial '05.5 went to the concert to see a friend perform and was "astounded as to how much sensitivity was invested into the musical performance."
Vial believes the concert was about much more than simply playing the notes on the page.
Considering the musicians' instruments, Tan organized the class by selecting appropriate music and dividing the musicians into ensembles. Students practiced individually, but she encouraged their performance as a group. Many of the student musicians knew each other from their involvement in the Middlebury College Orchestra, but the rigorous hours of practicing and the necessity of working together drew them even closer.
"We definitely bonded a lot through the class," said Megan Guiliano '07.5, a violinist who has been playing since age three. "It was really an amazing experience."
The end result was the group's performance on Jan. 27 at the Center for the Arts Concert Hall, followed by an afternoon performance in Mead Chapel the next day. The class presented their work to a crowded concert hall full of faculty, students and staff. With a quartet, quintet and two trios, the class performed pieces from a wide range of composers including Beethoven, Shostakovich, Dvorak, Brahms and Holst.
The audience was clearly impressed by the students' performance after only one month of preparations. Caroline Vial '05.5 went to the concert to see a friend perform and was "astounded as to how much sensitivity was invested into the musical performance."
Vial believes the concert was about much more than simply playing the notes on the page.