The first ever Eastern Michigan Campus Showcase Recital was a showing of music and dance talent found in organizations around the university.
Mu Phi Epsilon, a professional music service fraternity, organized the showcase that would feature various student music and dance groups from the university. It was held Saturday, Feb. 4, at 7 p.m. in the Alexander Music Building Recital Hall.
The program featured a variety of musical styles and instrumentations, as well as, a solo dance selection, classical duets and quintets, soloists and groups.
The recital hall is an intimate but serious venue for musical performance, and the theater had a substantial audience for the size of the event. Emily White, President of Mu Phi Epsilon and performer at the showcase, noted she was particularly impressed with the turnout.
“It’s great to see so many people out here tonight, especially on a weekend night,” White said. “This has just been really fun.”
The night started off with a series of instrumental groups playing what would be considered newer classical music. It was an effective juxtaposition in contrast to the second half with more traditional selections from the baroque period, featuring Joseph Haydn and J. S. Bach.
Especially scintillating were the performances by Adam Collins on marimba and timpani. It was clearly a disappointment for the audience not to be able to hear the entire Concerto for Marimba by Emmanuel Sejourné, as Collins commanded a powerful show of the virtuosity available to these instruments not often considered for independent concert. The audience was well aware they were in the presence of someone in control of the instrument.
The Music Therapy Student Association (MTSA) brought its vocations to the stage in a piece entitled “Progression of Life: A Group Improvisation.” Music therapists use music as part of restorative treatment for individuals. Patients are encouraged to participate in the music-making.
The MTSA invited four volunteers from the audience to come up and improvise with them. They explained the improvisatory nature of music therapy is “an exercise in non-verbal communication.” The music started out timid, but then organically developed a driving rhythm as, wordlessly, the participants felt the music grow.
During the short intermission, performers and organizers of the show spoke about the showcase.
Emily White, who was playing oboe in the double reed quintet after the intermission, was enthusiastic about the programming, saying in particular she was excited about the “variety showcased tonight.”
Brad Coleman, the Programs Director in Mu Phi Epsilon and responsible for organizing the event, said he was pleased about the progress of the event and explained the showcase is meant to focus on musical organizations or people who are part of organizations.
“We would take individuals if they are interested, but organizations are our priority,” Coleman said. “It’s a way for individuals to get involved with organizations.”
Coleman has big ambitions about the future of the showcase. Happy the event was progressing as well as it was, he said he hopes that “it becomes something that people look forward year after year.”
The service aspect of Mu Phi Epsilon was really emphasized in the mission of this showcase, as Coleman said hopefully people see it as providing “a great opportunity for networking,” not just at the organization level, but also at the individual level.
In the future, Coleman plans to expand and revisit the event next year. “Hopefully,” he said, “Next year it’ll be in Pease Auditorium.”
