A Music Faculty Recital | Oct. 7
On October 7, the Winona State music faculty held a recital that showcased each professor’s mastery of their musical area. Dr. Brisson, a co-chair of the music department and a renowned piano professor, focused his musical set around the theme of water and the fluidity of time and featured a Debussy piece that played with both elements.
Dr. Mohr, another co-chair and brilliant piano professor, focused her piano set on the decay of sound and the mystical aspects of the natural world. As the recital moved along, Dr. Sheridan, the clarinet professor, dazzled the audience with “Viktor’s Tale” from Steven Spielberg’s classic film The Terminal. Dr. Dunbar, another vocal professor, captivated the audience with his baritone voice as he sang a few short Schumann pieces, while Dr. Lohmeyer, the general music professor and primary Music Business instructor, performed a set of folk music that included audience participation.
Dr. Chester, the choral director and conducting professor, focused her piece, Richard Strauss’s “Allerseelen,” around a different kind of decay — a decay brought about by grief. Allerseelen, or “All Souls Day” in English, is a German art song that meditates on the grief brought about by a lost love. When asked about what Dr. Chester loved most about the piece, she spoke about Strauss’s ability to paint beautiful pictures with the movements of his pieces, “For me, Richard Strauss is a master orchestrator and paints the text so beautifully with the accompaniment.
This song reminisces about the love two people shared before one of them passed away, and the way he pairs uncomfortable dissonance with absolutely breathtaking harmonic resolution paints this so well — while there is immense pain in loss, there is also immense beauty in the love that was and is between two people.”
Cantus feat. Winona State Choirs | Oct.29
On October 29, the Winona Choirs were treated to a day of workshops with Cantus, a professional Acapella group from the Twin Cities with Winona State’s own Dr. Alan Dunbar, an original founding member. The day was filled with singing, laughter, and lots of helpful vocal techniques and advice.
Each choir, from the Treble Chorus to the Concert Choir to the Chamber Ensemble, got to break down a song from their repertoire. With Cantus’ help, the choirs got a closer look at how to create a choral program. To end the event, Cantus performed a nearly sold-out “Land that I Love” themed concert, complete with songs composed by second generation immigrants. The concert and the workshops brought not only the Winona State choirs together, but also brought together the greater Winona community.
The 48th Annual WSU Honor Band Concert & Symphonic Wind Ensemble | Nov. 1-2
On Saturday, November 1, WSU hosted the 48th Annual WSU Honor Band concert on the main Vivian Fusillo Stage with special guest composer Christina Rusnak and the special guest soloist, vocal professor Liz Pearse. On Sunday, November 2, the Honor Band and Symphonic Wind Ensemble held their concert on the Vivian Fusillo Stage, which showcased pieces that connected with their concert theme, “Life Under the Sea.” Their concert hosted guest composer Christina Rusnak and special guest soloist, Liz Pearse.
WSU Jazz Combo Concert | Nov. 17
On November 17, the WSU Jazz Combo held a small concert on Zane’s Stage. The theme was “improv night,” which showcased songs featuring a wide array of solos that gave the audience a taste of each musician’s improvisational skills. With a mix of Latin and swing-style jazz pieces, the songs gave members their time in the spotlight. While songs like “Doxy” by Sonny Rollins, “The Girl from Ipanema” by Antonio Carlos Jobim, and “All Blues” by Miles Davis held down the set with piano, tenor, and baritone saxophone solos, songs like “Maiden Voyage” by Herbie Hancock, “Song for My Father by Horace Silver,” and “Blue Bossa” by Kenny Dorham featured alto saxophone solos.
“The Wild and Divine” Choir Concert | Nov. 22
On November 22, the Winona State Choirs held their bi-annual Choir Concert with the theme of “The Wild and Divine.” The concert began with the Vocal Chamber Ensemble. This year, the ensemble, comprised solely of tenor and bass voices, gave the ensemble the ability to explore pieces unknown to most audiences.
Some of their standout pieces were a traditional Hebrew Song titled “El Yivneh Hagalil” arranged by Peter Sozio, and spirituals, such as “Music in the Air” arranged by Ryan Murphy. Next up was the Treble Chorus, with soprano and alto voices. Their most notable song was a piece titled “Moon Flight” by Daniel Bruinsmead, whose melodies and harmonies blended to create a glorious image of an otherworldly place.
Last came the Concert Choir, whose set consisted of songs not only in other languages, but from different centuries. From the 1600s, with pieces like “Hanacpachap cussicuinin,” an anonymously written funeral chant, to Raphaella Aleotti’s hymnal “Exurgat Deus,” to the 1800s with Clara Schumann’s “Abendfeier inVenedig,” to the more modern songs like “Jauh/Dekat” by Malaysian composer Tracy Wong. The set ended with WSU Alum Jake Runestad’s “Wild Forces.”
For more information about the Music Department at Winona State, contact Eric Brisson or Deanne Mohr at ebrisson@winona.edu or dmohr@winona.edu.
