This Valentine’s Day brings a musical treat: violin and viola students in Professor of Music Melissa Knecht’s studio are performing a virtuosi concert Feb. 14 in Markel Auditorium at 8:00 p.m.
“It is designed to be a fun concert to showcase the violins and violas that we have at Hillsdale,” Knecht said. “We really have an amazing amount of talent. Everyone says that, but it really is a true fact.”
Twenty-two student performers will take the stage in Markel dressed for the special occasion.
“Everyone is wearing formals and tuxes which is really fun,” said sophomore LaRae Furguson, one of the performers and a recent winner of the music department’s concerto competition.
Seniors Jennifer Franklund and Tori Coe said they agree with Ferguson and are both excited about the virtuosi and suggest the concert as a wonderful place to take your Valentine’s Day date.
“It’s more fun than going out to dinner,” Franklund said. “It’s a little more special.”
“You feel a little bit more sophisticated because you get all dressed up and your date takes you to go see a string concert,” Coe added.
Knecht emphasized the light hearted nature of the concert. It’s all about fast, difficult, and light-hearted music.
“It’s more focused on the virtuosity of the performers and less on what you may call serious music,” said Ferguson.
“It’s more our opportunity to show off,” she added, laughing.
Though the performance will feature mostly solo pieces, there will be two large group pieces –– one performed by a group of violin students and the other by a group of viola students.
“It’s very unusual to have enough violas to have five parts beautifully played. Usually, you’re lucky to have one good viola,” Knecht joked.
Knecht boasted about the skill in Hillsdale’s music department. She said this concert will have over 50 performers, each one highly skilled at playing under pressure.
This is only the second time Knecht will put on this short, hour-and-fifteen-minute concert. The last one was in 2010 after Knecht got the inspiration to start it from the Indiana University’s Violin Virtuosi group.
“It’s definitely a date night activity that won’t take too much time away from your studies,” Knecht said, promising students a delightful date night for Valentine’s Day.
kdrapkin@hillsdale.edu