By James Mercandante
Staff Writer
Once the audience filled up the theater seats, the lights dimmed and the show commenced. Students came out from backstage with flutes in hand, prepared to unveil their talent as both individuals and a choir.
On April 23 at 8 p.m., the College’s all-female Flute Choir performed in Mayo Concert Hall to showcase the skills they’ve developed throughout the semester. The performance wasn’t just an average recital, but a euphonious engagement that immediately drew the crowd in.
Directed by David DiGiacobbe, a flute professor at the College, the first piece the choir performed was “Overture to the Abduction from the Seraglio” by Mozart, which sounded overwhelmingly beautiful as a flute adaptation. The concert continued with “Variations on a Theme by Haydn” by John Brahms and “Flute Fantasia” by Sonny Burnette, which were equally as enchanting.
After intermission, senior music majors Marisa Blackman, Caroline Hoynowski, Ashley Krebs and Jessica Richter shined with their presentation of “Trois Pieces pour quatre Flutes” by Eugene Bozza.
To conclude the concert, the full choir performed “Suite from El Amor Brujo” by Manuel de Falla, which was devised into five sections that came together harmoniously.
The harmonies the choir produced were delicate yet powerful, which made the audience feel like it was floating on air.
Genesis Lopez, a junior political science major, found herself pleasantly surprised by the performance.
“I did not know what I was expecting when I came to this recital as I only anticipated people just playing the flute, but the way they played as a group was mesmerizing,” she said.
Throughout the concert, it was apparent how much dedication and hard work was embedded within this performance, as each note was played flawlessly.
“We practiced every Wednesday for two hours since the beginning of the semester,” said Lauren Estes, a freshman music and elementary education dual major. On stage, Estes shared that she was able to “breathe and focus on the music,” which helped her perform smoothly.
After each performance, students bowed while receiving outstanding applause from the crowd, verifying their sheer excellence.
The last piece concluded the concert in a phenomenal way, which took the audience on a musical journey filled with a myriad of transitions and tones. The closeness, teamwork and unity of the flute choir were also evident throughout the night.
“All I could think about was how much fun I was having with all of my friends,” said Emma Schell, a sophomore music education major.
