To kick off the 2016-2017 concert season at Elizabethtown College, the fine and performing arts department presented the Annual Faculty Recital Monday, Sept. 19 in Leffler Chapel and Performance Center.

Every fall, members of the music department faculty prepare solo or chamber performances to share with the campus community.

This year’s concert showcased both full-time and adjunct faculty members performing works originally composed by Anton Arensky, Clara Schumann, Francis Poulenc and Mozart.

The night’s program included five performances from a variety of music department faculty members. Dr. Kevin Shorner-Johnson, assistant professor of music and director of music education, and colleague Debra Ronning, lecturer in music and director of keyboard studies, performed a piece by Mozart.

Ronning also accompanied Sara Male, adjunct instructor of cello, and Stephanie McCullough, adjunct instructor of violin and viola, in a performance of a piece by Anton Arensky.

Other performers included Paula Nelson, adjunct instructor of flute and Dr. Anne Gross, assistant professor of music.

Sophomore music therapy major Rebecca Conboy attended the recital to support the music department and to fulfill a requirement for one of her music courses.

She explained that all music majors have to take a repertoire class, which requires students to attend nine professional concerts per semester or 18 total concerts for the year.

The Annual Faculty Recital is the first of three Monday Series concerts that will be offered throughout the semester, all of which are mandatory for music majors.

“I feel that the Annual Faculty Recital in particular is a great one to attend because everyone performing in the concert is someone who teaches at the College,” sophomore music therapy major Jackie Carroll said.

Carroll particularly enjoyed the piano performance by Dr. Justin Badgerow, associate professor of music, who played three pieces by composer Francis Poulenc.

“Each of the pieces he played was so different, and they are more modern pieces that we don’t often hear much of in classical repertoire,” Carrol stated.

Conboy agrees that getting the chance to see all of her professors perform in the recital is a special and rewarding experience.

This semester, Conboy is taking vocal lessons with Alison Mekeel, adjunct instructor of voice, who performed three pieces by composer John Corigliano in the recital.

“It’s cool to come to the recital and just to see the personalities of my instructors outside of classes and lessons,” Conboy said.

While attending a music camp at the College, Conboy remembers enjoying a duet piece that was performed by Dr. Matthew Fritz, associate professor of music, and Tina Bomberger, the wife of Dr. E. Douglas Bomberger, professor of musicology.

“I remember enjoying how they played off of each other and getting to watch their personalities come through in the performance,” Conboy stated.

Each year, the Faculty Recital attracts a diverse mix of students, faculty members outside of the music department and members of the Etown community.

“This event is so important because it shows others on campus what the music department is doing,” Carroll said. “The music students get the chance to see what they can strive to become, and the community gets to see what we do here at Elizabethtown’s fine and performing arts division.”

For more information on events in fine and performing arts, visit www.etown.edu/music or contact Amy Reynolds at reynoldsa@etown.edu.