The University of Southern Maine Music Department will be holding its 32nd Honors Recital in Corthell Hall on the Gorham campus Saturday, April 4th at 8 p.m. This recital will display nine of the music department’s most talented musicians performing solo pieces on their primary instrument. The student performers will be Stephanie Gilbert, voice; Sophie Flood, horn; Joseph Valliere, voice; Jesslyn Thomas, voice; Michal Harris, piano; Theresa Sepulveda, harp; Slaney Rose Jordan, voice; Mary Clark, voice; and Joshua Miller, voice. This is a free performance for the public. For more information call 780-5555.
Two of the senior voice performers, Stephanie Gilbert and Mary Clark, talked with the Free Press about the upcoming Honors Recital.
Free Press: Why is this honors recital the “most prestigious” talent award in the music department?
Stephanie Gilbert: The honors recital is the only event in the school of music that specifically features student soloists based on talent alone. It’s the only recital that features both vocalists and instrumentalists equally.
FP: Was it a goal of yours to be chosen for the Honors Recital? Why were you chosen to perform?
Gilbert: Being chosen for the recital is definitely something all nominees strive for, but at the same time, we’re happy to see our friends be chosen as well. Being selected for the recital is entirely based on the audition and what the judges thought of each of us on that particular day.
FP: What will you be performing? How long did that take to prepare?
Mary Clark: “Les Oiseaux Dans La Charmille” from Les Contes d’Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach, also known as The Doll Aria. It’s been a work in progress over the last year, and I’ve learned so much about my voice through preparation of this piece. As any serious voice student will tell you, the subtleties of technique advance and mature through months of intensive training.
Gilbert: I will be performing “O rendetemi la speme … qui la voce” from the opera “I, Puritani” by Bellini. I’ve been preparing this aria since January, and will continue working on improving it until the performance.
FP: How have your voice teachers helped you to prepare for this award?
Clark: I’d say the question is really how has my voice teacher helped me to progress as a student. In all honesty, the goal was not to be specifically honored by this recital. It has always been about music and how to excel as a student of music. My focus as a student comes from the faith the USM faculty has expressed that they have in me and all of the USM music students. The dedication of the USM music faculty, mentors and students is a direct testament to my success thus far. This recital is such an honor because I feel it is my chance to show the USM faculty how far I have come since my freshman year.
Gilbert: One of the most important things my voice teacher has taught me is simply to have faith in myself and give every performance or audition my best effort. I’ve always had a tendency to be very critical of myself, and I struggled with stage fright for a long time. Now I try to focus on the audience. They’re there to hear me sing, so I should give them a performance to remember.
FP: What are your plans for the future? Will this recital help you prepare for that? How so?
Clark: I absolutely love to sing, and this recital is simply my most current opportunity to share my love of music. For this alone, I am honored.
Gilbert: I plan to attend Yale in the fall to pursue a Masters of Music in Opera Performance. Every chance I get to sing and act in front of an audience is preparing me more and more for my future plans. I definitely think that one thing the judges considered this year when selecting vocalists for the recital was their ability to portray the emotion of the music through their acting. This is something I have been striving to improve on in my experience here. I’m glad I’m going to have another opportunity to share my hard work on the night of the recital.