Student recitals bring free music each Friday to Fine Arts

"I always ask people, when is the last time you went to hear some live music," said Armin Abdihodžic, associate professor of music. "A lot of them have to stop and think about it."

If you fall into that category as well, consider a trip to the Fine Arts Building. Nearly every Friday of the semester, music majors perform their material at student recitals held in (where else?) the UAA Recital Hall, home to all performances from the Department of Music. Each performance showcases student work in a low-stress setting. The best part: it's completely free and open to the public.

"Everybody benefits," added Armin. "[Audience members] get exposed to good music, and students really benefit from having the audience to practice in front of."

Recitals are part of the curriculum for any student enrolled in private lessons at UAA. That means, from week to week, attendees never know what they'll see. Think of it as a music major variety show. "You could have guitar and voice and piano and oboe and a violin play on one Friday," Armin noted.

During a standard semester, music majors enroll in a range of theory courses, private lessons ensembles, and masterclasses (which cover the process of performance, like how to handle yourself on stage). The recitals provide a great outlet to combine all those skills. In addition, students can take a look at their recorded performance and, much like a professional athlete, determine what they need to tweak before their next show.

In addition to performance requirements, students take on the technical tasks of each recital. These outside-of-class skills - recording the show, running the lights and soundboard, moving podiums and chairs after each performer - help prepare graduates for well-versed careers in the arts. Aside from performing and running tech, music students also attend a set number of performances each semester. By the time they graduate, music majors will likely participate in 80 to 100 Friday shows.

"From my point of view, it's a good way to get over that initial point of stage fright," Mischa Shimek, a senior guitar major, said of the student recitals. "When you're in a practice room or just simply practicing your pieces without anyone there, it's quite easy to forget that you're trying to grow and be able to perform these in front of people. It becomes very different when you start preparing for the stage."

Typically, students play through pieces they're preparing for later in the semester. That means a recital could include jazz combos ahead of the UAA Jazz Festival, soloists prepping for junior and senior recitals, or freshmen training for their first faculty juries.

As a senior, Mischa must complete a 50-minute solo recital before the faculty. Likewise, he's scheduled to attend the Northwest Guitar Festival and Competition for the third straight year. He'll perform material for both in advance at the student recital.

"I find it an outlet to help develop my skill and be more competent, and more confident on stage," he said. "More importantly it's a good way for us to share music that we love, being able to give that to other people who are interested."

"This is a great opportunity ... for community members to come in for a free recital and hear what students are doing, what the department is working on, [and] to get more exposed to good quality music from young performers who are polishing their craft," said Armin, who coordinates the recitals.

"I want to encourage everybody ... to come and check out all the wonderful events that we have here, because I think a lot of them would be surprised by the high quality of performance that happens in the building."

So ask yourself... when's the last time you heard live music?

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Student recitals take the stage most Fridays, starting at 3 p.m. in the UAA Recital Hall. Parking and admission are free. Click here for the Spring 2019 recital schedule.

Click here for the full list of upcoming events in the arts at UAA.