Recital worth a listen

    Josh McGuire, a world renowned guitarist now teaching at Vanderbilt University, and soprano Wendy Anne Mullen, Vocal coordinator and associate professor of Voice at GCSU, performed in the Faculty Recital on Sunday, Feb. 3.
    Beginning the performance with “Two Italian Lute Pieces,” McGuire quickly captivated the audience with his fervent partnership with his guitar. McGuire did not just play the necessary notes, he actively engaged on the musical selection. Like a true musician, McGuire did not conglomerate noise; rather he gave his guitar a voice.
    Numerous students appeared to enjoy McGuire’s second instrumental selection, “Chaconne.” Written in the Renaissance time period, the song was composed by J.S. Bach. McGuire gave the piece soul. When on the stage he was a mix between a classical and traditional musician, and “Chaconne” truly expressed this.
    Most of the songs McGuire played were a success. As expected, there were barely any errors in his performance. Surprisingly, the show was far from boring, even for those without a cultured appreciation for classical music. The general solo performance given by McGuire was solemnly exquisite. His choice of quiet, retrospective music calmly intrigued the audience.
    Wendy Anne Mullen joined after the short intermission. Together McGuire and Mullen performed some of the most challenging pieces in classical music. After the initial opening piece known as “Bachianas Brasilieras No. 5,” most guests were equally impressed with the magnitude of the tone – Mullen’s voice reverberated in all corners of the room.
    The rest of the evening contained French Folk and Spanish songs. Some of the students particularly enjoyed the French comical pieces of “J’ai descendu” and “Marguerite, elle est malade.” Specifically, “Marguerite, elle est malade” was about a woman that would rather get drunk than take her medicine.
    Each song was an individual testimony to the immense talent of the performers. The professionalism of the show was expected, but the great companionship of Mullen’s voice and McGuire’s guitar was less predictable.
    The crowd had an astonishing 45 people attend. Once again, our students have proved apathetic and unsupportive to faculty recitals. Yet, students get some credit considering the Superbowl was at the same time. It is just disappointing to see such an amazing performance go unrecognized and unappreciated.
    In general, the performance itself was well-organized and nicely executed. McGuire expressed a direct kinmanship between his guitar and himself. Mullen’s voice was commanding and potent. With the mixture of McGuire’s guitar and Mullen’s voice, the performance was nothing short of magnificent.
    Chelsea Thomas enjoys writing and she also enjoys music. On ocassion, she likes to do both and share her experiences.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 8 2008. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry