By Nicole Tarantino
Correspondent
Sara Zuccarino presented her senior recital this Sunday, Nov. 3, in Mayo Concert Hall to display her development on the bassoon and to fulfill requirements to receive a degree in music.
The performance consisted of a predominantly classical genre, with the exception of a modern song added for balance. Still, Zuccarino’s elegant tone was received graciously by the audience of her classmates, family and other supporters.
The opening piece, Antonio Vivaldi’s “Concerto in G minor RV 496,” was accompanied by Ms. Kathy Shanklin on the piano. This piece contained three movements: presto, largo and allegro. The piece encompassed a bouncing rhythm, rapid scales and a melody that repeated throughout.
As Zuccarino stated in her program, the concerto exemplified the Baroque nature of the instrument and allowed performers to add their own variations to the piece. Indeed, Zuccarino and Shanklin expressed an exciting version of the piece, filled with trills and ornamentations. Zuccarino’s precision and grace in her playing earned a generous applause from the audience.
Two performances, Mozart’s “Overture to the Magical Flute” and Debussy’s “La fille cheveux de lin,” featured instruments other than the bassoon. The first was a quartet of horns that displayed pleasant harmonies. The second piece involved a blending of saxophones. The soprano saxophone was especially vibrant as it glided among varying dynamics.
The penultimate performance, Goyte’s “Somebody that I Used to Know,” made a relevant connection to today’s popular music. Zuccarino performed her arrangement of this song with three other bassoonists. The musicians performed the rhythm of the song while Zuccarino took up the familiar melody.
The final piece of the recital, titled “El Gato Montés” by Manuel Penella, featured the same bassoon quartet, with the addition of bongos and castanets. This combination of instruments elicited an atmosphere of its native Spain. In addition, the song formed a “visual bullfight,” as Zuccarino stated in her description.
Junior music major Tyler Cudia was impressed by his peers’ recital.
“Sara plays with such a beautiful, lyrical tone,” Cudia said. “I am so proud of everything she has accomplished.”
In addition to the Nov. 3 performances, the music department held another recital on Wednesday, Oct. 30. The show featured students Edward Easse on saxophone, Brian Lang performing vocally, Joseph Lesky on piano, Justin Nietzer on trumpet, Olivia Porada performing vocally, and Sungyuk Yang on cello.
Along with their peers, this second group of students displayed a semester’s worth of practice and dedication to their crafts, playing through a range of music without sacrificing any talent.
