Music majors are relatively few and far between at Hillsdale. These students dedicate themselves to honing the craft of instrument and voice, their work culminating to make artists of impeccable skill. As graduation grows near for graduating students, so do their senior recitals: the final hurrah and product of four years of work in the fields of music and performance.
“This senior class as a freshman group was a really strong class for us and they’ve been leaders for orchestra, chamber choir, chamber music, our jazz program,” said James Holleman, chair of the music department. “Having the seniors being able to do their final ensemble performances this year is really great and having the ability to do their individual senior recitals is fantastic.”
While graduating seniors already have a lot on their plates, music students have an especially tough last semester as senior recitals come around.
Senior John Szczotka, a senior vocal student, spent his time at Hillsdale studying a variety of different vocal styles.
“I do a lot of different styles of singing. I’m taking jazz and taking classical right now. I’ve gotten a lot better of those, and at the end of the day what I love most is music theatre,” Szczotka said. “My recital has no jazz or classical, but musical theatre, which is what I do best. And at the end of the day, that’s what a recital ought to be.”
Senior Dominic Bulger will be performing vocal pieces alongside pieces for the cello at his senior recital. Bulger has played cello since he was in second grade. He has been singing since he was in ninth grade and is excited to perform the two different styles of music.
“I’m required to do a senior recital for my music major, but beyond that, it’s a chance to pull together all the things I’ve been working on for the past four years and to say thank you to everyone who has supported me,” Bulger said. “For me, the recital isn’t so much a display of mastery on one’s instrument, but rather, a chance to create a whole environment. A recital is an act of hospitality, and just like any other act of hospitality. It involves creating a space, a proper ordering of events, and, hopefully, giving my guests something to walk home with.”
Bulger will be performing works by Haydn, Piatigorsky, Bach, Arensky, and Schumann on Thursday night at 7 p.m. in Conrad Recital Hall.
Preparing for a senior recital and generally mastering an instrument sometimes feels like a full time job. Senior vocal student and music major Antonia Rahe is all too familiar with the hardships that come with the responsibilities of a senior music major at Hillsdale.
“Music is a serious commitment; often practice consumes so much of my time that I must choose between academic homework and practice,” Rahe said. “Since I am a music major, practice usually wins.”
Rahe is grateful for her time at Hillsdale spent honing her musical craft. She hopes to teach music when she graduates, and wants to join a choir to continue utilizing her gift of voice.
“No matter what, I will not stop making music,” she said.
Rahe will be performing works by Mozart, Schubert, Gounod, Handel, and Strauss on Friday night at 7 p.m. in McNamara Rehearsal Hall.
Lorina Clemence, a senior music major will be performing works on the piano later this semester. She echoed Rahe’s sentiment, highlighting the difficulty and effort it takes to prep for a senior recital.
“Sometimes you have to prioritize practicing before completing other assignments, and set a two or three hour time slot for yourself in the afternoon,” Celemnce said. “Since your classes have more immediate deadlines than music does, and music allows for more leeway in the amount you accomplish every week, you can’t afford to slip into thinking you can procrastinate on it.”
Clemence will be performing works by Beethoven, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, and Kasputin. She will also perform a number of jazz standards with a small ensemble.
Fourteen total students will perform in senior recitals this semester. This is a relatively large number, especially considering the fact that many students had their final performances cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19.
“Having the seniors being able to do their final ensemble performances this year is really great and having the ability to do their individual senior recitals is fantastic,” Holleman said. “Last years’ senior recitals got short chained with that.”