Central Moravian Church: Christmas Vespers Part Two!

After a successful first weekend of the Christmas Vespers service at the Central Moravian Church, I'm excited to do it all again this weekend!

Vespers is a very popular Christmas service in the Lehigh Valley, and takes place at the Central Moravian Church in Historic Bethlehem, and is located right across from Moravian's music building.

A main part of the Christmas Vespers service is music-- both Moravian College's Choir and Women's Chorus are participants.

Both ensembles perform pieces, as well as sing hymns along with the congregation. The whole church fills with music, and it's really a wonderful experience.

And the organ! If anything, it would be worth it coming to this service just to see and hear the organ played. The organist, Russel Jackson, is phenomenal! Postlude is always my favorite.

Both the choir and the women's chorus perform pieces from the balcony, voices melodically flowing, filling the space. I can only imagine it feels magical, as I've only ever viewed it from the balcony, as part of the women's chorus.

But it feels great singing in the space, and my family members who attend are always so happy with the service. My grandmother is particularly a fan of the organ!

I know my family members enjoyed it, and I'm sure your family members would enjoy it as well! Try to scrounge up tickets for this weekend, as they are hard to come by, as Vespers is very popular. I can even help out if you don't know where to look! (Ask fellow students and faculty or even post on Facebook)

The times and dates for the services are:
*Friday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m., doors open at 7:15 (get there promptly!)
*Saturday, Dec. 10, at 8 p.m., doors open at 7:15 (get there promptly!)
*Sunday, Dec. 11, at 5 p.m., doors open at 4:15 (get there promptly!)

Really, Vespers is my favorite part of the Christmas season, even though I felt like I was living in the church this whole past weekend. But I can't complain, I really love it.

And the spiritual energy of the event, it moves me, and it will move you too! You really have to be there to really understand it.

Just so you know, I'm not religious. The spiritual energy goes beyond religion.

I hope to see you there!


--Ashley ^^

Woodwind Trio brings Beethoven and Classical Tunes

Wednesday night, Oct. 19, I was honored to sit in on a rehearsal of the Moravian College Woodwind Trio. Peter Hall, their locale, was softly lit with a few stage lights, and with a door cracked open the string ensemble playing across the hall could just be heard.

The members came bustling in after their dinner break, chatting lightly while unpacking their instruments.The trio consists of Krysti Nappi, '14, on flute; Missy Zirkel, '13, on clarinet; and Adam Dart, '13, on oboe. All are music majors and in both marching band and orchestra.

The trio is directed by Deborah Andrus, who is a clarinet teacher and adjunct professor here at Moravian College.

On Fridays the group rehearses under the guidance of the director, but on Wednesdays the practice is strictly student run.

The group begins practice at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, and rehearsal goes for an hour, fit among the musicians' busy schedules.

"Practicing on our own is like practicing for a lesson." said Missy. "When we practice with Dr. Andrus, she will help us polish the pieces, picking at trouble spots, and suggesting things that I wouldn't have even thought of."

Their music consists of a few classical pieces. The pieces can range from light, fast and airy to slow and lyrical. One of the pieces this semester is Beethoven's Trio Op. 87. The music, gentle in tambor, fluttered through the old concert hall, crickets' chimes the backdrop.

The simplicity of a group of three members and the unique mixture of tones of the three instruments results in a sweet clear sound, gleaming through silence.

The Woodwind Trio performs their music at a concert on Nov. 13, along with the other small ensembles, Clarinet Choir and Flute Troupe. The Clarinet Choir is also directed by Deborah Andrus, and the Flute Troupe by Robin Kani, a flute teacher at Moravian.

The members worked very well together and the rehearsal went smoothly and efficiently, as their music filled the otherwise empty Peter Hall on the quiet autumn night.

As rehearsal ended, Krysti, Missy, and Adam began packing up their instruments and heading off to other rehearsals or practices. Work is never done for a music major!

Brodt, Weaver, Fogerty perform recitals: Debussy, Copland, and More

This weekend marked a milestone for three of Moravian’s music majors--Lizzie Brodt, Megan Weaver, and Cailin Fogerty each had their senior recitals.

Saturday night, October 15th, was the recital of Megan and Cailin, titled “Pan Pipes and Siren Songs.” 

Megan, a vocalist, is a senior music education major, and she performed a variety of pieces, from Mozart to Strauss to Benjamin Britten.

Cailin, a flutist, and also a senior music education major, chose a fantastical theme for her portion--the legends and myths of the Greek god Pan. The styles ranged from smooth and lilting to jumpy and energetic, touching on the various phases of the character Pan himself.

Both Megan and Cailin had great performances engaging the audience and meeting grand applause at the end.

Megan really showed off her bold classical voice, and Cailin dazzled us with her sweeping flute melodies. And both of them looked great in their turquoise, and purple gowns, respectively.

It also didn’t hurt that they treated us to a little surprise show tune as an encore!

Afterwards family, friends, and peers congratulated the two and joined for a reception of cupcakes and cannoli.

But the next day brought another great musician to the scene.

Sunday, October 16th, Lizzie had her clarinet recital.

Lizzie decided on a beautiful dark blue gown for this event, which lent itself to the “romantic” atmosphere of her pieces.

Lizzie tackled it all, from smooth German romantic pieces like Baermann, to French impressionistic works like Fantasie Italienne, to to 20th century works like Libby Larsen’s “Yellow Jersey” and Copland’s Clarinet Concerto.

Especially entertaining was her duet piece, "Yellow Jersey", which she performed with her teacher, Deborah Andrus. 

The piece was to represent Lance Armstrong’s victories in the Tour de France. It  was very engaging and unpredictable, and did seem to portray a bike race. The two clarinetists really brought out the piece as well with their energy and collaboration.

All of Lizzie’s hard work and anticipation proved to be worthwhile, when she impressed the audience with her virtuosity and had a spectacular performance which was met with thunderous applause.

Each of these students this weekend did fantastic, and are sure to be successful in their future careers as musicians and teachers!

Some up coming performances in the music department:

Alan Gaumer, jazz trumpet- Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m., Foy Hall

Student Recital, Julie Montes de Oca and Kim Van Orden- Oct. 23, 4:00 p.m., Peter Hall

Robin Kani, flute, and Martha Schrempel, piano- Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m., Peter Hall

Eduardo Azzati happy about this year's Women's Chorus

A couple posts ago I wrote about the Moravian College Womens Chorus, and their music and progress this semester. I mentioned that the progress was going very smoothly, especially to the delight of the director, Eduardo Azzati, who has been teaching at the college since 1998. I wanted to know a little more about his thoughts on the music he chose and the ensemble this semester. I asked him a few questions, and it seems that he is just as excited about the group as us, the members of the ensemble!

Why did you choose the pieces that you did this semester? 
After doing a theme program last semester (all baroque music from the Venetian Ospedali) this semester I wanted to create a varied program that takes us and the listener on sort of a music history tour, from 14th century plain chant to arrangements of music of our time, including two pieces from the renaissance, a piece from the baroque era, a piece from  the classical era, a piece from late romanticism, a piece by a living composer on 15th century macaronic English, a contemporary arrangement of a show tune and a spiritual.

Are there any pieces that you like especially?
I like all the pieces I have chosen but I do have a soft spot for "Nigra Sum" by Pablo Casals and for the arrangement we are doing of "Over the Rainbow."

Also, what do you think of the group this semester? The sound, the members, how rehearsals are going so far, etc.
The group is awesome this semester. It is slightly smaller than other years with a lighter, clearer, purer sound, rhythmically tighter and more accurate. The members are very commited and work hard which make rehearsals go more smoothly and productively. I think so far we have accomplished a great deal in the short month or so we've been rehearsing.

Do you have fun directing the chorus?
lots of fun!

WIth each rehearsal the group just keeps getting better! Come see the culmination of all their hard work on Sunday, November 13th at 4 p.m. in Foy Hall!

Lizzie Brodt looks forward to her senior recital

Senior Music Education major, Lizzie Brodt, is looking forward to her recital this Sunday, October 16th, when she'll perform before family and friends.

Lizzie is from Coplay, PA, and attended Whitehall High School. She hopes to teach elementary school and continue performing once she graduates.

She began playing clarinet playing in 4th grade, and has enjoyed it ever since.

Today, Lizzie has taken some of my questions, letting us see her passion for her music.

Q: What has playing clarinet been for you, throughout your childhood?


A: Well it was just a fun thing to do as a kid. In high school though, I participated in a lot of festivals and competed, and I was motivated to get better. It taught me self discipline for practicing. I also discovered that I loved performing and wanted to make that part of my career.

Q: So, how did you decide on pursuing music education as a career?


A: Music Education runs in my family. My father is a music teacher. Also I’ve always had a passion for teaching, and I taught private lessons when I was in high school, and I liked watching them get better and succeed. I also had great band directors, who inspired me, and I wanted to affect students in that way, and wanted to get students to enjoy music just like I do.

Q: How have your studies in college for the past three years helped you get better?


A: My clarinet teacher, Deborah Andrus has pushed me in many ways that I didn’t know I could be pushed. I learned so much of music interpretation. I have grown as both a teacher and a student. Being drum major in band, I’ve dealt with many challenges, but I’ve come up with more solutions and I’ve learned how to deal with situations more effectively and maturely. I’ve also learned that I cannot compare myself to others, only be compared to myself in both schoolwork and music.
Neil Wetzel (a faculty member in the music department) recently told me that I should be doing my best for myself, rather than focusing on whether I have the approval of others.

Q: How did you select the repertoire for your recital?


A: I selected my repertoire this summer, I ordered the pieces and began working on them. Having a full recital is a lot of work, so I really had to start early. I knew I could do it though. Recently I’ve been doing a lot of running of the full show to build my endurance. I also have to practice the atmosphere, because there are certain moods for certain pieces, so I have to become a part of the music rather than just react to what is on the page.
I wanted a varied range. I love German romantic pieces, so that is why I choose the Baermann. I’ve recently grown fond of French impressionistic pieces, like Delmas. I knew that I wanted to do a duet, and I am doing one with my teacher. Dr. Andrus introduced me to the Copland Clarinet Concerto--it’s a very challenging piece, but she said that I could rise to the challenge.

Q: How do you feel about doing a full recital? (Recitals are required of all senior music education majors, however they usually do and are only required to do a half recital and share the hour time slot with another student. A full recital is one hour long)


A: When I was first introduced to the idea I was nervous because it was an entire hour. But then I thought, I love performing, and I have a large set of repertoire that should be showcased.

Q: What can the people who attend you recital expect to hear?


A: They will hear charming and romantic pieces, and new and innovative works. I hope they enjoy the concert, as much as I’ve enjoyed preparing for it.

Q: Are you nervous?


A: I don’t think nerves are a bad thing. But, it seems like a lot of pressure for all this work the past few months to be represented in just one hour!


Lizzie’s recital is this Sunday, October 16th. I know I’m looking forward to it, and hope to see you all there!

If you go:
When: Sunday, October 16th, 4 p.m.
Where: Peter Hall, Moravian College
Cost: $0 (free for everyone!)

Interested in other concerts and recitals at Moravian?

Moscow String Quartet performs at Moravian College

Friday, Sept 30, at 8 p.m. in Foy Hall in Bethlehem--the seats were filled with a large number of community members, but also a decent number of students of the Moravian College music department. The hall was abuzz  as everyone eagerly awaited the performance of the Moscow String Quartet.

As the lights dimmed and the crowd quieted down, the president of the Chamber Music Society, Ursla Levy, greeted the audience warmly and with much enthusiasm.

"I promise you you're going to enjoy this experience," she said. She thanked the audience for coming, and expressed gratitude for all the donations that had been made by patrons to the Chamber Music Society in the past year--patrons being the community members, not the college students, because lord knows we don't have money.

But even so, Levy invited all to attend the reception after the concert, young and old alike.

The quartet, which is made up of Eugenia Alikhanova on violin, Galina Kokhanovskaia on violin, Tatiana Kokhanovskaia on viola, and Olga Ogranovitch on cello, began their performance with a classic Mozart piece, String Quartet no. 21 in D major.

 I was immediately absorbed by the grace with which they played, and their clear and touching tone. It was a great mix of sounds and harmonies, and their blending was perfect. It was a good start to the concert, and I was looking forward to hearing the rest.

The next piece, however, caught me, and probably most attendees, by surprise; it definitely wasn't Mozart. This was Sofia Gubaidulina's String Quartet no. 3, and before they played the piece, the first violin player came up and said a bit about it.

"It looks like instrumental theatre," was one of the first things she said, and that definitely describes the piece in a nutshell. She explained that the composer was very interested in using different parts of the instrument, and that, maybe most importantly, the composer thought that a musician's personality was in their fingertips. I could really only imagine what in the world this meant. To say the least, my curiosity had peaked.

"The ending is unusual" she said. What could this mean? Were they gonna smash their instruments at the end? We would see.

The piece itself was indeed very strange, as the first seven minutes or so involved sporadic plucking of the strings and making other odd sounds with them. It sounded more like a child had started playing with the instruments, rather than it being an actual piece. But maybe the composer was going for that.

The rest of the piece was filled with atonalities and generally uncomfortable tones, with what seemed like no rhyme or reason at all. It was definitely interesting to listen to. Some parts I did like, but others I didn't. If you like 20th century music, like Webern, then this is the piece for you.

The ending wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be, as it ended in a pleasant chord, which was not at all as intense as instrument smashing would've been. But it's just as well that they didn't, since then they wouldn't have been able to play their last piece, Shostakovich's String Quartet no. 2 in A major.

They played with the same grace and tone as their previous two. But Shostakovich's piece really brought out their blending of beautiful harmonies and gentle melodies. The piece brought out the best of the group- they were able to showcase their tone, blend, and ability to work together well to get a spectacular performance.

At the end of the show, the audience showed their appreciation by loud applause and a standing ovation. The performers, standing on stage, beamed with pride at their successful performance. Many in attendance, including the performers, then joined for the reception to mingle and eat cake.

What did you think of the concert?

Moscow String Quartet coming to Moravian College

Tomorrow night, Friday September 30, the Chamber Music Society of Bethlehem is bringing us a world renowned string quartet, the Moscow String Quartet, to play in Foy Hall at 8 p.m.

Now tickets for this event, for an adult, will cost $30. For students, the cost is $5. That's a pretty good bargain for students, I think. But you know what's even better?

The cost for Moravian students is $0.

All Moravian students get in for free at concerts held at the college, and for the most part, they take advantage of this opportunity.

But talking to a fellow student the other day, it has come to my attention that for some reason, the concerts held by the Chamber Music Society of Bethlehem tend to be overlooked by many of the students. A good number of them pass by this opportunity to hear these great musicians.

Maybe they think that string quartet music is too "stuffy" for their tastes? Or maybe it's the larger number of adults and senior citizens that attend, making them think this music is not for them.

I am here to tell everyone, that it is definitely worth going to see this group. The members of this group are graduates of the Moscow Conservatory and the Gnessin Musical Institute in Moscow. They've traveled all over Europe, and have that European air about them.

They've performed in places such as Amsterdam, London, Brussels, and Berlin.

They've worked closely with one of the composers, Sofia Gubaidulina, who is very pleased and amazed with their reverence to her work. At this weekend's concert, they will be playing her piece "Gubaidulina String Quartet No. 3." It should be interesting to hear this piece played by a group who worked so closely with the composer herself!

Other pieces that they will be playing are the Mozart String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575, and the Shostakovich String Quartet No. 2 in A Major Op. 68 (1944).


I know I'm excited to go see them, and I would hope to see some of you there!