By Tamara Fuentes
Correspondent
Jarret Farkas and Cory Nickerson presented their senior recital in Mayo Concert Hall on Sunday, Nov. 17, with Farkas on the oboe and Nickerson on percussion.
The two talented players went back and forth when performing, each taking a turn on the stage to show us what they learned.
Nickerson began by playing the Prelude to “Violin Purrita No. 3 in E major BWV 1006” by Johann Sebastian Bach. For this piece, he played the marimba, showing his percussion skills from the start.
Farkas then went on stage to perform the second movement of “Sonata for Oboe and Piano” by Camille Saint-Saens. Sally Livingston accompanied him on the piano as the two played a sweet and playful mix.
Soon after, Nickerson came back on stage to perform Andres Valero-Castells’s “Impromptu Zeta” on the timpani drums. In this piece, he was able to take advantage of the instrument and exmplify everything the timpani drums can do.
The first half ended with another piece by Farkas featuring Tracy Wiko on the piano. They played the first movement in Franz Joseph Haydn’s “Oboe Concerto in C.” This piece offered a nice back and forth between the piano and the oboe and showed Farkas’s breath control.
Soon after a short intermission, Nickerson took the stage to play the first movement of “Recital Suite for Djembe” by B. Michael Williams. It was a fun dance piece that continued to show Nickerson’s versatility in various percussion instruments.
Farkas went back onstage for another oboe and piano piece. He and Livingston played the third movement of “Oboe Concerto in C Minor” by Benedetto Marcello. In this piece, the piano and oboe worked well together, never stopping and coming together as one, especially toward the end.
Austin Barney then joined Nickerson on the trombone to perform Doug Bristol’s “Conversation for Trombone and Timpani.” This piece, featuring both instruments at a lower register, worked well together and neither performer overpowered the other, even though they both had the power to.
Livingston then joined Farkas for their final piece: the first two movements of “Sonata for Oboe and Piano” by Francis Poulenc. The piece showed how these two different instruments could come together as one and make a very well-done piece.
Nickerson then ended the program with Benjamin Finley’s “Evergreen” on the Marimba, showcasing the full range of the instrument in a playful manner.
Both players received countless applause and a standing ovation at the end. Afterward, friends and family crowded them as they came out to thank them.
Farkas noted that his last piece, “Sonata for Oboe and Piano,” was his favorite in the program, and that he was “a little nervous in the beginning.”
Nickerson also stated that his last piece, “Evergreen,” was his favorite. “I was nervous at first, and a couple of pieces in, I was confident,” he said.
Ultimately, both musicians showed their talents in the recital, displaying how dedicated and diverse the College’s music department is.
