An evening of music with Maghan Holmes: a review
by Jessica Allen
Issue date: 11/9/09 Section: A&E
On Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in the Piedmont College Chapel, a full room of people were treated to an hour of wonderful music from Maghan Holmes and Joy Hayner.
A senior recital involves not only four years of preparation, research and practice, but also requires that the performer engage his or her audience in a musical experience.
Holmes, a senior music major at Piedmont, did just that. Her stage presence was captivating.
One could barely look away when her voice rose up above the pews and echoed throughout the chapel.
The concert began with two Handel pieces that showed off Holmes' ability to navigate the waters of Baroque articulation and style.
Even though one might expect that nerves would have been present during these first moments, Holmes appeared calm, collected and ready for the task at hand.
The Robert Shumann set that followed was one of the high moments of the concert.
Holmes' face showed a sheer joy and understanding of the love and beauty she was singing about.
The closing piece of this set, Der Nussbaum, had the audience hanging onto every expressive and tender note she sang.
The achingly beautiful Christoph Willibald von Gluck aria, Che Farò senza Euridice? gave Holmes an opportunity for dramatic interpretation as she sang of the death of a spouse with spine tingling longing.
The drama continued into the next set of American art songs featuring poetry of Langston Hughes set to music by Jean Berger.
Of the four pieces, Lonely People, seemed to illustrate Holmes' ability for connecting with an audience; the text, "Lonely people in the lonely night," resonated in the room with power.
The Debussy set, a true feat for Holmes and Hayner sounded as a dance between piano and voice; in perfect harmony and grace.
The concert ended with two spirituals, Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho, arranged by Mark Hayes, and Give Me Jesus, arranged by Larry Shackley, that literally raised the audience to their feet in thanks for a night of wonderful music presented by Holmes, a truly talented performer and her accompanist, Joy Hayner.
A senior recital involves not only four years of preparation, research and practice, but also requires that the performer engage his or her audience in a musical experience.
Holmes, a senior music major at Piedmont, did just that. Her stage presence was captivating.
One could barely look away when her voice rose up above the pews and echoed throughout the chapel.
The concert began with two Handel pieces that showed off Holmes' ability to navigate the waters of Baroque articulation and style.
Even though one might expect that nerves would have been present during these first moments, Holmes appeared calm, collected and ready for the task at hand.
The Robert Shumann set that followed was one of the high moments of the concert.
Holmes' face showed a sheer joy and understanding of the love and beauty she was singing about.
The closing piece of this set, Der Nussbaum, had the audience hanging onto every expressive and tender note she sang.
The achingly beautiful Christoph Willibald von Gluck aria, Che Farò senza Euridice? gave Holmes an opportunity for dramatic interpretation as she sang of the death of a spouse with spine tingling longing.
The drama continued into the next set of American art songs featuring poetry of Langston Hughes set to music by Jean Berger.
Of the four pieces, Lonely People, seemed to illustrate Holmes' ability for connecting with an audience; the text, "Lonely people in the lonely night," resonated in the room with power.
The Debussy set, a true feat for Holmes and Hayner sounded as a dance between piano and voice; in perfect harmony and grace.
The concert ended with two spirituals, Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho, arranged by Mark Hayes, and Give Me Jesus, arranged by Larry Shackley, that literally raised the audience to their feet in thanks for a night of wonderful music presented by Holmes, a truly talented performer and her accompanist, Joy Hayner.
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