Spring Music Faculty Showcase set for Jan. 26
Valley City State University is delighted to announce its upcoming Spring Music Faculty Showcase, featuring the talents of music faculty members. The showcase is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the Center for the Arts on the VCSU campus.
The showcase promises a diverse blend of compositions performed by Dr. Katrina Clements (clarinet), Dr. Ozzie Johnson (piano), Dr. Stephen Cunningham (bass-baritone), Professor Taylor Long (prepared vibraphone), with a special appearance from VCSU President, Dr. Alan LaFave (clarinet). The repertoire for the evening features music by composers such as Felix Mendelssohn, W.A. Mozart, Amanda Harberg, Hugo Morales Murguia, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.
President Alan LaFave will appear alongside our new woodwind professor, Dr. Katrina Clements, on Felix Mendelssohn’s Konzertstück no. 2. Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Clements joins us from the greater Phoenix Metro Area where she taught since completing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Arizona State University. As a proponent of creative collaborations across art disciplines, her current work focuses on commissioning and performing new pieces for clarinet and multimedia that include visuals to create deeper sensory experiences for audiences. In addition to the Mendelssohn, Clements will also perform the lyrical Sonata for clarinet and piano by Amanda Harberg with VCSU piano faculty, Dr. Ozzie Johnson.
New percussion professor Taylor Long, also joined the VCSU music faculty in the fall of 2023. He will be performing Lū by Hugo Morales Murguia for prepared vibraphone. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Long lived in New York for the previous five years, where he completed doctoral coursework in percussion performance at Stony Brook University and served as a percussion teaching fellow at Bard College Conservatory. Also a member of VCSU’s Audio Production faculty, Long frequently incorporates elements of technology and electronics in his live performances.
Dr. Stephen Cunningham, in his second year as VCSU’s vocal professor, will be performing Mozart’s Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo, an aria planned for the opera Così fan tutte. It was replaced by another aria in the opera but remains one of the great standalone opera buffo arias for the bass voice. Dr. Ozzie Johnson, also in his second year at VCSU, will be adding three solo selections by Sergei Rachmaninoff to close out the recital.
“We are thrilled to present this event, showcasing the talent within our faculty. The Spring Music Faculty Showcase is an opportunity for the community to witness the creativity and collaboration going on in the CFA (Center for the Arts),” said Dr. Ken Jimenez, chair of the music department at VCSU.
Attendees can expect a diverse selection of musical genres, showcasing the versatility and expertise of the VCSU music faculty.
The recital is free and open to the public. For more information on upcoming performances, please visit https://www.vcsu.edu/center-for-the-arts/fine-arts-calendar/.