In an era where rigid classical performance values have been
replaced by the “do-it-yourself” and
“wing-it” mantras of mainstream music, the music
department’s class titled Artsong insists on the importance
of traditional performance methods to help music students
strengthen their craft.
With barely two weeks left to practice for their recital of
classical songs for voice, scheduled for this Wednesday at the Jan
Popper Theater, the 16 students of Artsong sat in their desks
reading over their sheet music, anxious to go onstage and practice
their pieces. Instructor Judy Hansen urged the first ensemble to
come onstage and begin playing. In keeping with the goals of the
class, she avidly pushed students to maintain a strict adherence to
the written music.
“I want the piano stronger on the upbeats,” Hansen
said while vigorously tapping her foot on the floor to keep the
rhythm. “I want to hear those accents.”
Artsong has been an ongoing program for more than 10 years, and
Hansen has been teaching the class for the past nine years, with
two recitals scheduled every quarter. The students, all classically
trained, select pieces from a range of classical songs to learn for
performance and add some expressive personal touches. They practice
as small ensembles, including a vocalist and instrumentalists such
as a piano, clarinet or violin.
Second-year Italian literature student Jonathan Hiller, the only
non-music major in the class, sees Artsong as an opportunity to
develop one’s skill by working with other musicians.
“Artsong, as I understand it, means (the song) is not part
of a show or an opera or from musical theater,” Hiller said.
“Art songs are songs that stand by themselves, intended to be
played and sung on their own.”
Artsong’s main objective is to give students the
opportunity and training to grow as performers, and to maintain
traditional classical performance values. Karen Vuong, a
second-year voice student, says she was interested in Artsong
because it would help her to expand her repertoire. The class lets
students zone in on specific aspects of performing that other
classes might gloss over.
“As an artistic statement, I think all the singers would
agree that they want to show the ability to master a song in its
technique, control, and to express their feelings to the
audience,” Vuong said.
“(The class is) open for people to use as a resource to
better oneself,” said Hiller. “The primary goal here is
just to be learning, to be expanding on oneself. A collaboration of
musicians is something we want to be encouraging here.”
In selecting songs for the programs, students chose songs that
were not part of a larger work and would help develop their ability
to express their themes in the performance.
The class emphasizes the students’ musical development
rather than the idea of performance for performance’s sake.
The recital is meant to showcase the culmination of their learning
process.
“This class is very valuable because the singers learn how
to express words in different languages, (and) the singers are
special because they (express) those words,” said Hansen.
“They’re really exposing themselves and exposing their
feelings about the songs very publicly. I’m very proud of
them for doing this.”