"Songs I Have Played": Dr. Lamont's performance at Shuck Recital Hall

“Songs I Have Played,” a vocal recital by Dr. Barbara Lamont featuring Matt Yount on piano, was presented by the Department of Music on Aug. 29 at Shuck Recital Hall.

In a showcase of 17 songs across 5 acts, Dr. Lamont performed her first vocal recital at SEMO, featuring a mix of selections ranging from classical to musical theater.

Lamont, the director of choral activities at Southeast Missouri State, often accompanies choral ensembles and performances. While playing for others, she gathered a list of songs that she wanted to sing herself, leading her to title her recital “Songs I Have Played.”

Her performance featured pieces from various genres, including Italian, German, and English. One of the most challenging pieces, she said, was Von Ewiger Liebe by Johannes Brahms.

“It’s long. It’s involved. It has a huge range, and it's got lots of character changes in it - and lots of German,” Lamont said

Pianist Matt Yount, who accompanied Lamont, said his favorite pieces were the modern songs by Roger Quilter.

“I love Quilter’s music because it's modern - like it was composed in the 1900s - but it wasn't as weird and disowned and hard to listen to as some stuff. He was kind of a backwards thinker, and he was thinking about music of the past, and folk songs, and just kind of romantic textured harmonies, to his music, so I love Roger Quilter,” Yount said.

Audience member and freshman vocal music education major Carly Smith said her favorite piece Lamont performed was the final song, Special Skills by Charnin and Dansicker, because of its unique theatrical aspects.

“Special Skills, that last finale song, really brought out Dr. Lamont,” Smith said.“I just loved her acting in between all of it, as well as the musical performance of it, the range, the singing, all of the awesome effects with it. It just really stuck out.”

As a freshman, Smith has two classes with Lamont and already enjoys her teaching.

“So I have university and chamber choir with her, and I know I just met her this year, just the first week, but still, I already love her. She's so sweet, so kind, and she's really helping with all of the songs that we're learning”

At the end of the performance, Lamont hopes that students going into music know that they can continue performing while having a career.

“I hope that they just realize that it's really something that you can keep doing your whole life. I'm still singing even though I'm a choir director. I hope that the kids keep singing their own solo stuff, as they go on, as well as the folks who are going to be performers. I just hope that they got some good ideas,” Lamont said.