On Sunday, Sep. 29, the Lawrence Chamber Players gave a faculty recital in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. It was performed by Cayla Rosché, soprano; Andy Hudson, clarinet; Michael Mizrahi, piano; Jean Carlo Ureña González, percussion; and Theresa Martin, composer and pianist. Featuring pieces by living composers, the recital comprised four works in total.
Composed by Martin, the first piece, “Release,” is a setting of Psalm 13. In her introduction to the piece, Martin said it’s meant to illustrate the anger from the five stages of grief. With the dynamics of the vocal line and the repetition of the text, the song did just that. The lasting message of the piece was of hope, ending with the phrase “I will sing to the Lord, for he has dealt bountifully with me.”
The second piece, “Madder and Woad,” performed by Hudson, is a complicated solo piece for clarinet. Using the impressive, and seemingly impossible, extended technique of multiphonics, Hudson was able to produce two pitches at the same time. The piece switched between multiphonics and singular notes, creating a nuanced sound and performance. Although Hudson was the only one on stage, he filled the space with sound and personality.
Following this was a duet between Hudson and percussionist González called “Corker.” This piece was undeniably exciting; there were moments when Hudson was playing so softly you could barely tell whether he was playing at all, and other moments where the notes and beats soared. The addition of the percussion helped to drive the piece forward as well as emphasize the more somber moments when just the clarinet was playing.
The final piece, “I will learn to love a person,” was performed by Rosché, Hudson, González and pianist Mizrahi. Written by Christopher Cerrone to “create a work that reflects the strange and beautiful experience of growing up at the turn of the century,” this piece has wonderfully contemporary lyrics but still retains moments of classical sound.
In response to this piece, Rosché said her favorite line is “I am afraid that I am not learning fast enough. I can feel the universe expanding.” She followed this by noting how, each time she sings it, that line feels “so immense and true.” The truth certainly came through, in both the lyrics and her performance of them. The vibrancy and depth in her voice was mesmerizing; her presence was strong and beautiful.
Rosché also stated that she “hope[s] that the audience goes on an emotional journey through both of these pieces and feel[s] a sense of connectedness with the ‘human experience’ expressed in these pieces.” She concluded with her hope for the audience to “feel held and seen” and for the pieces to inspire dialogue.
From my experience of the recital, I would say these goals were achieved. The sorrow, confusion and anger of being human were acknowledged, and perhaps in being acknowledged, released. The performance was a lovely way to begin the new school year and to celebrate 150 years of the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music. If you weren’t able to catch the recital in person, you can view it on the Lawrence University Concert Programs webpage.