Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Alexander Stawinski Grand Blanc sophomore Faith Keehn, soprano, sings "I (three poems E.E. Cummings)," composed by Coldwater sophomore Philip Rice, during the Composition Studio Recital on Saturday at the Staples Family Recital Hall. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Alexander Stawinski Singers perform "Seven Angels," composed by Prudenville senior Benjamin Laur, during the Composition Studio Recital on Saturday at the Staples Family Recital Hall. [Click to enlarge]

Washington graduate student Jeff Lund had the chance to prove an old music teacher wrong Saturday night by performing his version of Nicholas Stark's "Prelude for Marimba."

Lund was one of many student performers at the Music Composition Studio in Staples Family Recital Hall.

"My high school music teacher told me that I would never make it as a concert percussionist," Lund said. "This motivated me to play the marimba even more because it's a main concert percussion instrument."

Lund now is a percussion performance major and plans to base his life around music.

"I love playing," Lund said. "You get to shape sounds and articulate emotions without words. If done right, it can be a powerful experience."

Saturday's event was a chance for student composers to perform their work.

Composers and musicians given a chance to shine included Prudenville senior Benjamin Laur, who composed "Three Phantasies" and "Seven Angels."

"I've been studying voice for four years and love it. This is my second premier, and I feel God wanted me to do this," Laur said.

Dan Koefoed, a 2005 alumnus backstage who helped organize the concert, enjoyed Laur's performance and said the night went great.

"It was a good turnout," Koefoed said. "I especially enjoyed 'Seven Angels' by Benjamin Laur, which was written about the space shuttle Columbia that went down four years ago. The choral arrangements of the piece made it solemn and beautiful."

Redford senior Cassie Seymour had a chance to enjoy the music of her peers as well.

"There were good performers and good composition," Seymour said. "I thought the performances were well-composed and orchestrated."

Philip Rice, Coldwater junior, composed a piece called "I (three poems of E.E. Cummings)."

"I definitely get excited about events like these," Rice said. "I'm a composition major and this is what my degree is all about."


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