Faculty perform in classical baroque concert
Roger Rehm loves playing the oboe when he’s not playing with his iPad.
Rehm, vice president of Information Technology, said he has been doing it since age 12. He can play thousands of pieces, some of which are difficult to play.
“I’ve always just enjoyed playing,” Rehm said. “There is always something new to learn.”
Rehm was one of seven faculty members that performed Tuesday night at a classical baroque concert in the Music Building’s Staples Family Concert Hall. The musicians performed several classical pieces for an audience of about 150 people.
Rehm, along with music faculty member Lindabeth Binkley, assistant music professor MaryBeth Minnis and Steven Egler, professor of music, opened the set with “Sonata in G Major,” by Georg Philipp Telemann. The piece consisted of four parts, including soave, allegro and andante.
Rehm said he had a great time playing at the concert. One of his favorite parts of music is playing with other people.
Egler said he has been playing the organ and harpsichord for 35 years.
He said his favorite part of playing is sharing music with others.
“It doesn’t stop with oneself,” Egler said. “If you don’t play for other people, there is no point.”
He said his favorite type of music to play is classical because it is solid, has integrity and is tested by time.
Associate music professor James Fiste also performed a solo version of “Suite No. 3 in C Major,” by Johann Sebastian Bach on cello.
Binkley teaches and gives oboe lessons. She said she has been playing for 28 years.
Binkley said playing and teaching is a good balance to maintain and she enjoys doing both.
“I love music,” Binkley said. “There is a great deal of variety in music and always something new to listen to and play.”
Binkley said she performs regularly with the Flint Symphony Orchestra and Powers Woodwind Quintet.
“With music, you are communicating with other people or with an audience,” Binkley said.
The School of Music regularly puts on concerts, the next of which will be the CMU Orchestra Concert at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Staples Family Concert Hall.
