Fall 2023 Fine Arts News

MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

students who perform at PASIC can also be found performing in the marching band at Horned Frog football games and on the concert stage with the wind symphony, jazz ensemble and symphony orchestra. West designed a robust percussion curriculum for students to gain experience in performance, education, composition, sound engineering and more. Through coursework and class discussions, students prepared for their PASIC showcase concert and mastered valuable skills they will need in their future careers. “Many of our students are pursuing a music education degree, and we’re teaching them how to be performers, teachers and composers,” said West. The Percussion Studio PASIC program included five world premieres of newly commissioned pieces written specifically for TCU, including “Thy Kingdom Come” by Jacob Remington ’09 and “Cloud Dance” by senior Harrison Collins. The ensemble also performed “Adelant” by Ivan Mendoza ’23, In February, the TCU Concert Chorale performed at TMEA, the largest music conference in North America that draws in over 26,000 attendees each year. Invited performers must submit a 50-minute proposed repertoire program, with only two spots for university ensembles each year. Christopher Aspaas, Ph.D., associate professor and director of choral activities, previously led the ensemble to TMEA in 2018, the first year the group was eligible to perform since his arrival at TCU. Aspaas took a five-year break to develop a new repertoire for the blind audition last May and received news the ensemble was an invited performer the following month. The group spent the fall semester rehearsing and developing an engaging program to perform at the conference. which premiered in Taiwan. On Stage at TMEA

PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER ASPAAS

The TCU Concert Chorale performs on stage at TMEA. “I had a specific desire to be a storyteller through the program,” Aspaas said. Aspaas developed the program to feature composers from marginalized communities and innovative repertoire, including “Save Me, O Go” by Patrick Vu ’22 and “Snow Dance for the Dead” by Sean Doherty, with his piece addressing the violence and oppression inflicted during the Russian Civil War in the early 20th century. “As a recent alumnus, I am very honored to have been a part of their moving concert program in this way,” Vu said. “It was one of the most moving performances I have experienced, and I am truly grateful and immensely proud to be part of the TCU community.” Students explored new approaches to interpreting the selected pieces and developing their musicianship. “The focus was to create a pedagogically sound program for our students, so we are not just putting together a show but learning through each piece,” Aspaas said.

In February, the ensemble headed to San Antonio to perform at TMEA. At the end of the first set, over 2,000 audience members sat in awed silence. “That was one of those times as a performer that there was a strange and wonderful energy between us and the audience,” Aspaas said. “We all knew something special was happening and were truly immersed in the experience.” “Attending TMEA was a unique and memorable experience that I will never forget,” said Eduardo Guerrero, a junior music education major. Aspaas hopes this unique opportunity will be a learning tool for his students to develop as professional artists and gain a deeper understanding of performing and interpreting music. “Performing in front of hundreds of colleagues was a beautiful reminder of why we make music,” said Amber Bowen, a vocal music education senior. “It was beautiful to experience a moment that proved just how clearly music speaks.” v

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