A crowd of parents and students gathered at Wadsworth Auditorium on Friday Oct. 19 to attend Parents Weekend’s School of the Arts Kaleidoscope that showcased student and faculty talents.
Distinguished Service Professor of Music and conductor James Walker greeted attendees, and described Kaleidoscope’s talents as a “veritable iceberg of which only the tip is being presented tonight.”
Adjunct professor of music Glennda Dove-Pellito opened the show from the center of the balcony, where she performed Rentaro Taki’s “Moon Over the Ruined Castle” on the flute. As the audience searched for the source of her playful and melodic tune, the excitement and anticipation in the auditorium was palpable.
The Geneseo Wind Ensemble took the stage, performing the high-energy selection of Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Folk Dances” under Walker’s direction.
Cast members from the department of theatre and dance’s upcoming performance of “Parade” gave attendees a glimpse at a flirtatious song about a fickle young boy who desperately tries to win the affections of an elusive young girl.
Next, the Geneseo Wind Quintet with faculty members on flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon, performed “The Egyptian Girl” by Jean-Philippe Rameau, a classical selection as well-known as it was well-executed.
Professor of music Gerard Floriano conducted the Spectrum Women’s Ensemble in its beautiful and well-balanced rendition of “i thank You God” from Earthsongs by e.e. cummings.
Senior David Keyes lent his commanding tenor voice to “Total Eclipse” from “Samson” by George Frideric Handel, accompanied by department of music faculty member Alan Case on the piano. Case’s soothing presentation of Scott Joplin’s “Solace” on the piano preceded the Brodie Brass Quintet, who played John Cheetam’s “Scherzo.”
Senior Louis Lohraseb then took his seat at the piano and amazed the audience with his fluid execution of Chopin’s Grande Polonaise Brilliante in Eb, Op. 22.
The Percussion Ensemble performed a gritty interpretation of Edward Argenziano’s “Stinkin’ Garbage,” throughout which the group used seemingly traditional metal garbage cans and wooden drumsticks to create the beats, only to reveal, when the lights went out at the end of their piece, that the instruments were florescent.
The Geneseo String Band’s lighthearted and folksy performance of “Four Traditional Scandinavian Tunes” was followed by the Monday Night Jazz Ensemble’s animated execution of Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster’s “Secret Love.”
The Chamber Singers lined the aisles for their back-to-back performances of the hauntingly resonant “Ah dolente partita” by Claudio Monteverdi and gospel tune “Ezekiel Saw de Wheel” by William L. Dawson.
Next, Walker conducted the Symphony Orchestra in its classical rendition of “In the Hall of the Mountain King” from “Peer Gynt.” Assistant professor of music Pamela Kurau followed with a gleaming rendition of “My Man’s Gone Now” from “Porgy and Bess.”
Professor of English and American studies and lecturer of music Tom Greenfield offered his comedic musical stylings in the penultimate performance of the showcase in which he invited audience members sing along to his song, “I Really Hated Your Class.”
Students from each of the arts departments combined forces for the finale conducted by Lohraseb. Audience members rose to their feet for the traditional uplifting finale performance of “Hallelujah Chorus” from Messiah to close another kaleidoscopic performance.