Music professors perform multicultural music at Shuck’s Recital Hall

On March 11, three Southeast professors performed together at Shuck Recital Hall to play the music of American, French and Brazilian composers.

Assistant professor of saxophone Zach Stern played alto saxophone, music faculty Matt Yount played piano and assistant professor of single reeds Gabrielle Baffon played clarinet.

Stern said they had the performance planned last year when the University shut down due to COVID-19.

The trio performed what is known in the musical world as chamber music.

“Chamber music is when there is a small group of performers that is not big enough to be a band or an orchestra that requires a conductor,” Yount said. “Because we do not have a conductor, [Stern] and I are looking at each other and reading each other's body language to make the music come together.”

There were a total of 13 musical pieces the professors played. Stern and Yount played the first six together. The seventh performance was played by Baffoni and Stern, a piece called “Glint” by the composer Roshanne Etezady. After the song ended, Stern and Yount continued to play alongside each other again.

A large portion of the audience consisted of music major students. Professors invited their students to come to the performance for points for their classes.

Yount said Southeast music majors are required to attend eight performances a semester. He added students have to do concert reports for assignment grades or show up just-for-attendance purposes, for students to earn points.

However, music majors were not the only attendees who listened to the performance.

Sophomore Nisa Muhammad said since she is a creative writing major, she had never been to the River Campus.

“There really was not a need for me to visit,” Muhammad said. “I read there was a concert here from their website. I am glad this performance was my first; it was wonderful.”

To find more information about upcoming events or to purchase tickets, go to the River Campus website.