At 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 3, “Saxophonia II” was held within Alexander Recital Hall at Eastern Michigan University. This event was the follow up to 2011’s saxophone-based musical recital.
A total of fifteen performances by nine different musicians were performed throughout the night.
“Saxophonia II”, as most events in the Alexander Recital Hall, was free. The theme of the night was World War II.
As the venue opened for the evening, guests were greeted by ushers and allowed to sit where they pleased. When everyone was finally seated, the show began.
EMU Professor Max Plank started off the night.
He walked out from behind the curtain with only his saxophone. He gave a brief introduction to the event that was light-hearted and funny. Plank then performed a short piece entitled, “Greetings.”
The second performance of the evening was a premiere performance.
The piece was a five-minute duet entitled, “Une nuit a’ la’ lucidite’,” which roughly translates to, “A night of lucidity.”
The piece was performed by student John Bogdan on the piano and recent graduate Bradley Faryniarz on the saxophone. It was written by student teacher, and soon to be graduate, Jacob Nurse.
The next performance piece featured John Warfel on the piano and special guest Lawrence Van Oyen of North Central College in Naperville, Ill. on the saxophone. They performed, “Sonata Op. 19,” by Paul Creston in two parts. One part was titled, “With Tranquility,” the other, “With Gaiety”.
At the end of their performance, there was an eruption of applause to which the performers gave a bow and exited the stage.
“Voices From The Holocaust,” was the next performance of the evening. It was a collection of three songs as a duet between Plank and soprano, MeeAe Nam. Nam sang, “Night in the Ghetto, A Cartload of Shoes,” and “Waiting.”
Once the applause had subsided and the stage was once again clear of artists, they held a short, ten-minute intermission.
Upon resuming from intermission, graduates Bradley Faryniarz and Jessica Perry performed a concert piece with two alto saxophones. Composed by Paul Hindemith, “Labhaft, Massig langsam,” and “Labhaft,” again were combined into a magnificent 12-minute piece.
Afterward, Warfel and Van Oyen came back to the stage for a symphonic rhapsody entitled, “Maestoso.” It was a tribute to the late John Lennon.
To conclude the event, Van Oyen stayed on stage through the previous number’s applause while Plank came back out for the big finale. Together, the two instructors performed a four-piece number called “Shepherds of Provence.” They played vigorously for over 18 minutes.
The event ended, as the first “Saxophonia” did, a huge success.
During the meet and greet after the show many people asked if this event would ever happen again. Plank responded with, “Of course we will! Hopefully it will only get bigger for next time. It may not be next year, but it will be.”