The final song of the night has come. The two stars of the show, Julie Nitowski and Cara Warntz, walk out to the entire auditorium filled with rapturous applause. This final piece has been preceded by 11 other masterfully completed tracks by one of the two seniors. Now, the two musicians will perform a finale together, this recital completing their musical journeys at Elizabethtown College.
Last Thursday, March 31, Nitowski and Warntz performed their final recital, which was one of the very last hurdles they needed to overcome in order to graduate with a degree in music. These two seniors have worked with their instructors, Faith Shiffer and Brent Behrenshausen, for four years now and have trained vigorously for this event.
Both the students and instructors worked together to determine what songs to use at the recital, looking for songs to perform that were both challenging and interesting. Nitowski specializes in songs for the saxophone, while Warntz specializes in songs for percussion instruments.
Looking back at their times at the College, the two girls recalled their time as first-years looking up at the seniors who stood on the stage they just did. “Ever since freshman year I’ve been somewhat prepping for this recital!” Nitowski said. “I’ve looked up to various upperclassmen over the years and now it’s my turn! I feel really grateful for this opportunity to showcase how hard I’ve worked these past four years.”
Warntz had similar feelings to express. “Well, I remember back at freshman year watching my senior friends do it, and being like ‘That’s so far away!’” she said.
After years of training and looking up to their seniors, these two now are the seniors other students look up to.
“Don’t let the amount of practice and classes you have to take overwhelm you,” Warntz said to non-senior music majors. “Play pieces that you want to play and have fun too.” Her advice is good to keep in mind, as keeping your love of the creation of music is essential to getting as far as she has in music learning.
Nitowski has another piece of advice for students newly getting into music, one that’s similarly essential. “Nothing is impossible,” she said. “In order to achieve, you have to believe in yourself!” Staying steadfast in their conviction to succeed is what helped these two seniors reach and overcome their final hurdle. That advice is good to keep at heart in all things one sets out to achieve, not just musical endeavors.
Now that they’ve stepped over the recital barrier, Nitowski and Warntz look to the future and where their honed music skills will take them. “After graduation I’ll be heading to Columbus, Ohio in October to complete my music therapy internship!” Nitowski said. “I will be working at a school called Bridgeway Academy for seven months! I’m very excited and looking forward to my new adventure.” Nitowski is looking to further her understanding of and skill in the saxophone even after her graduation; working as an intern under other skilled people will help her hone her saxophone skills.
Warntz’s noble goal is to use her percussion skills for music therapy in a children’s hospital, a path that she decided to follow after she first started her path to musical mastery. “I intend to get a music therapy internship,” Warntz said. “My goal is to be in a children’s hospital and get my certification for music therapy.”
The two seniors’ instructors are proud of how far their students have come. Behrenshausen, the percussion instructor for Warntz, was happy with her skills displayed. His musical teaching peer also enjoyed her own student’s skills. “I really have enjoyed working with Julie,” woodwind instructor of 19 years Shiffer said. “She is a very dedicated student and has improved greatly at Elizabethtown College.”
The final song fades out, and the two shining seniors take a bow. The entire auditorium fills with even more applause and praise for the two’s skills. Each of them go home with their families to celebrate this momentous achievement and to look to their bright futures.
