As the Spring semester picks up, many clubs, departments, and extracurriculars have started prepping for events and activities. In the music department, the time has come for junior and senior recitals.
What is a recital at Bethel college? At Bethel, juniors and seniors who are majoring in music or taking private music lessons will perform to showcase their progress over the year on their instrument of choice. Through the tireless assistance of accompanists, friends, family, and the music department faculty, students are able to display their talents.
For senior music majors, a recital is required and will serve as their version of a senior seminar. Senior recitals are roughly an hour long in contrast to junior recitals which are optional and half as long.
No matter the instrument or the year, putting together a recital takes a lot of time and preparation.
Bryce Wilson is a junior music major from Sterling. “It is a lot of work to put together a recital. Between general practice, repertoire selection, practicing selected pieces, meeting with the accompanist, and more, there's a lot that needs to be done. Fortunately this work can be started right when you begin taking lessons, so it doesn't have to be overwhelming as the recital nears” Wilson said.
Trae Gehring, senior music education major from Pretty Prairie, performed his senior tuba recital on February 20th, 2022, featuring a wide range of music that he had been collecting since as early as 8th grade.
“I began working on some of the material periodically freshman year already. I did not begin practicing most of it consistently until the beginning of my senior year,” said Gehring
When it comes to repertoire or the music performed, the choice is usually influenced heavily by the student’s private music instructor. In the case of Julianna Schrag, junior Communication Arts major from Hillsboro, the music she performed last Sunday was music Schrag had learned and added to her repertoire over three years through weekly lessons with Souyun Chun, her vocal instructor.
“Soyoun often makes choices and gives recommendations that she feels would fit my voice. She knows my voice and range very well and typically chooses pieces that I end up enjoying very much and connect to well! In fact, she, herself, has performed much, if not all, of the repertoire…” said Schrag.
However, some students like Gehring are given the liberty to choose what they want to perform and personalize their audience’s experience.
“I designed it for my audience to really enjoy, and I wanted my recital to be somewhat memorable, if not just simply unique..I wanted to educate people on the repertoire and abilities of the tuba so that they may have a better understanding of music and the instrument in general as well as ultimately to entertain them,” said Gehring.
For a lot of seniors, their recital will be the last performance they do on Bethel campus, so be on the lookout for more recitals to come through the rest of the semester.
“...if one of your friends is having a recital, please do not miss it! For some of them, especially non-music majors and music majors that are planning to be teachers, it may be the only time that they perform solo and they will want you to be there.” Wilson said.
