Each year, seniors in the Boyer College of Music and Dance majoring in any type of instrumental or vocal performance will perform one final, cumulative recital at Temple. This gives students an opportunity to showcase the development of their musical abilities, as well as their potential as professional musicians.
David Lu
David Lu likes to think every musical genre and artist he’s been exposed to has influenced his own music, but this is especially true, he said, when it comes to The Beatles and Pink Floyd.
“I did a lot of transcribing of their music when I was beginning my music studies,” said Lu, a senior music performance major with a concentration in percussion. “What these artists were able to do with sound and with recording technology was unprecedented at the time. I think a lot of their influence is still evident in today’s popular music.”
On April 18, Lu will perform his senior recital in the Klein Recital Hall of Presser Hall at 7:30 p.m. The night’s repertoire will feature a variety of songs to showcase Lu’s musical progress, including a timpani concerto, a violin piece transcribed for xylophone and a snare drum piece accompanied by an electronic playback.
“I would say the recital is half split between electronic accompaniment and real accompaniment by people,” Lu said.
With graduation approaching, Lu said he’s realizing how quickly time is flying and said leaving Temple is bittersweet.
“I don’t think it hit me yet, honestly,” he said. “It’s kind of weird to say that after this recital, I have a few weeks and then I’m graduating.”
Joshua Lee
Originally, Joshua Lee wasn’t going to pursue a career in music.
“I was going to do engineering,” said Lee, a senior jazz performance major with a concentration in saxophone. “But I played at this one Temple concert with my high school, and I was accepted into the jazz program, so that’s how I’m here.”
Lee’s father was a musician, and growing up, he often heard his father’s music around the house. Eventually, he took it up himself. He played saxophone throughout grade school and high school before coming to Temple.
Now, four years later, Lee will perform his senior recital on Friday in the Klein Recital Hall of Presser Hall at 7:30 p.m.
“It happened so quick,” he said. “I wish I could do it again.”
The performance will include original tunes and arrangements written by Lee, as well as famous pieces, like the gospel hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” John Coltrane’s “Fifth House” and Dizzy Gillespie’s “Con Alma.”
“It will be a tribute to my teachers, my family, people who are important to me,” Lee said.
Andrew Shaw
Andrew Shaw got his start in music in the fifth grade, in his hometown boy’s choir.
“From there I just really grew in classical music,” said Shaw, a senior baritone voice performance major. “Then in high school, I did theater because it was just sort of a natural progression for me from music. Going into college, vocal performance was a marriage of two things I enjoyed.”
Last Wednesday, Shaw performed his senior recital at Rock Hall, singing a variety of works from Jean-Philippe Rameau, Ludwig van Beethoven, Ottorino Respighi and George Butterworth.
“There’s no particular theme to the recital,” he said. “It’s just a lot of really well-written music that I’ve grown to appreciate over the past year or two.”
Shaw said he feels a little overwhelmed by the idea of graduating, but eager nonetheless.
“On one hand, it’s really cool to feel like I’ve grown this much and gone this far, but at the same time there is the question of the future,” Shaw said. “What happens next? I guess I’m a mixture of excited and anxious to see what the future holds.”
Christopher Schelb
Christopher Schelb first became involved with music by chance in middle school.
“I was told I needed to play an instrument, so I picked up the flute,” said Schelb, a senior music performance major with a focus in flute.
The instrument ended up growing on him, and he continued to play throughout high school. Later, he decided to pursue a music degree in college.
His performance’s repertoire will feature various pieces of contemporary classical music, which is the genre Schelb said has influenced him the most.
“I’m playing six pieces,” Schelb said. “One is ‘Cassandra’s Dream Song’ by Brian Ferneyhough. The second piece is ‘Falsa Lectio’ by Dmitri Kourliandski, and the remaining are four pieces by Salvatore Sciarrino.”
“Right now, I’m mostly interested in the composer Salvatore Sciarrino,” he added.
Tomorrow, Schelb will perform his final senior recital at 7:30 p.m. in the Klein Recital Hall of Presser Hall. As for graduating, Schelb is looking forward to finally being finished.
Jean Lin
Jean Lin was only 6 years old when she started playing music.
“I just started taking lessons,” said Lin, a senior piano performance major. “My brother started before me, so then I wanted to try it too.”
Lin will perform her senior recital at 7:30 p.m. in Rock Hall on April 15, playing pieces written by famous composers Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, Frédéric Chopin and Sergei Prokofiev.
“A lot of composers are a great inspiration to me,” she said. “My favorite composer is Beethoven. Also, I’m inspired by my past and current professors, and my friends and colleagues who also play piano.”
After the recital and graduation, Lin hopes to earn her master’s degree in piano performance.
“I’ve been applying and auditioning for schools, but I didn’t make a final decision yet,” she said. “Most likely, I will be at Temple.”
Brooke Williams can be reached at brooke.shelby.williams@temple.edu.
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