Department of Music concert raises funds for scholarships

Melodious tunes filled the air in Russell Auditorium on April 14 at the first annual Spring Music Scholarship Concert hosted by the Department of Music.

The concert featured the talents of 150 students. The Wind Symphony, the University Chorus, Women’s Ensemble, the Jazz Band, the Max Noah Singers and the Georgia College Orchestra performed for the audience of students, faculty and staff and community members.

All proceeds collected from ticket sales and other donations from the concert were used to create scholarships for students in the Department of Music.

Junior music therapy major and member of the University Chorus Daniel Giddens believes that the money raised from the concert will assist students.

“It will definitely help,” Giddens said. “Any money helps, even if it is just $500, it will be beneficial.”

At $10 each, tickets were costly, but Department of Music Chair Victor Vallo believes that the price was reasonable since the funds were being used exclusively for scholarships.

“Well we thought that $5 would be a good figure for the general price for students, but we are trying to raise money and I think we find that when it’s for scholarships people are more willing to donate,” Vallo said.

About 200 people attended the first annual event and helped the Department of Music raise just over $1,000 for scholarships.

Blind auditions were used to determine who received scholarship funds.

“Students who wish to compete for the scholarships audition,” Vallo said. “It’s a blind audition behind a curtain and they’ll (the students) play and sing and then the scholarship committee will rate those auditions and award the scholarships based on talent; but we are not going to know who is singing or playing, so we keep it very fair.”

Sophomore music education major and a member of four of the ensembles that performed in the Spring Music Scholarship Concert, Shelby Cloud plans on auditioning for one of the scholarships that will be made possible because of the concert.

“I feel that the concert showcased everyone’s talents and I hope that the money will help further these talents,” Cloud said.

Though this was the first spring concert solely to raise scholarship money, the Department of Music Holiday Concert is hosted every year and a portion of the revenue raised contributes to scholarship funding as well.

According to Vallo, the Department of Music Holiday Concert in December generated about $4,000 total profits to create scholarships as well as pay for other department needs.

The Spring Scholarship Concert featured many pieces by all six ensembles.

“Overture to ‘Candide,’” “On a Hymnsong of Phillip Bliss” and “Gandalf” from Symphony No. 1 (The Lord of the Rings)” were the selections that opened the concert and were performed by the Wind Symphony and directed by Vallo.

Following the Wind Symphony, the Women’s Ensemble lead by Jennifer Flory took the stage and showcased their vocal talents with three pieces; “La Lluvia,” “I Will Be Earth” and “Lay Earth’s Burden Down.”

The Georgia College Orchestra directed by Dan Auerbach entertained the audience with their performances of “Capriol Suite; Pavane and Mattachins” and “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik; Minuet.”

“I Share Creation” was the piece that the Max Noah Singers undertook lead by Jennifer Flory. The piece contained five parts: “When the Sun Rises,” “The Earth,” “The Innermost House” and “Come to the Great World.”

Georgia College Jazz Band directed by Christopher Probst was up next and wowed the audience with “Spanish Fire” and “Pick Up the Pieces.”

The University Chorus lead by Jennifer Flory performed “Cloudburst.”

The final performance of the evening was “God Bless America” and was a collaboration between the Wind Symphony, the University Chorus, the Women’s Ensemble and the Orchestra.