On Saturday, Nov. 12, the featured works of many contemporary women musicians were brought to the Rozsa Center. The pieces of Jennifer Higdon, Kathryn Salfelder, Julie Giroux, Libby Meyer, Carolyn Bremer and Mollie Budiansky were performed by the Michigan Tech Superior Wind Symphony. Particular highlights such as Emmy winning Julie Giroux and Grammy winning Maria Schneider were featured as well. While women have been creating remarkable music for hundreds of years, the greats of the age have since continued to be just that. Arising modern concepts in music from the recent decades such as the “spinning melody” of Elena Ruehr and Alex Shapiro’s electroacoustic pieces made their debut as students showed off their talents for the crowd. Profound dirges resembling the Star-Spangled Banner and Riften Wed were just a few of the marvelous compositions chosen for the event.
Led by Mike Christianson, the group has chosen a different theme annually to set the ground for their concerts. This year, the trend was “Bringing It Back.” From the Backstage Jazz break in October to Creators Among Us, the modernized classics have been appreciated by students, faculty and community members of the Houghton area.
“I love classical music; it has always been a joy in my life. The students here are really dedicated to their work and it’s fun to watch. Classical doesn’t have to mean boring,” said Megan Schultz, a first year environmental engineering student. She herself plays the French horn.
In addition to the sound itself, it is important to recall the significance of such work. Women are being recognized amongst their peers regarding their long hours of study, practice and commitment to their music. In the words of Christianson, “precocious, intelligent women have set the bar high with their compositions.” In fact, he could not have stated it better. From MIT professors to Juilliard graduates, the best of the best discovered their roots and then set their life in sync with passion. For the students of Michigan Tech, these ladies set a prime example of how far one can go if choosing to be immersed in their interests.
Aside from introducing new music, the Michigan Tech Choirs and Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra will be holding a Christmas concert entitled “Messiah” on December 10 at 7:30 p.m. This Christmas event is free for students with the Experience Tech fee and costs $19 per ticket for adults. Children’s tickets cost $6 each. Be sure to keep an eye out for upcoming events this holiday season at https://events.mtu.edu/.
