Staff Writer: Darius Johnson
On Aug. 2, Dr. Jordan Wilson, Associate Professor of Voice, took the stage for the first faculty recital at Wingate since 2018. With the reduction of COVID-19 cases, life on campus has been slowly returning to normal. The Wingate Music Department began its transition by bringing back the recitals this academic year.
Recitals are typically performed by Music Performance majors throughout the school year on their primary instrument of study. They are required to perform a 30-minute junior recital and a 50-minute senior recital to provide standard practice to perform. For years at Wingate, faculty members have been also showcasing their musical abilities simply because they love performing, but also because it is a part of their scholarship to be involved with a performing style of choice. Under the scholarship, faculty can give a recital, perform in operas, conduct an outside group, the list goes on.
Dr. Jennifer Hough, Associate Professor of Music, said “I enjoy hearing songs that aren’t normally sung … like a piece that was performed in Danish. It’s an amazing experience!” Dr. Hough was the last faculty member to perform a recital in March 2020, just before the school shutdown due to COVID-19 precautions. There, Dr. Hough performed for a crowd that included her parents, husband and in-laws. This took place in McGee Theater at the George A. Batte Fine Arts Center on campus, where all recitals took place after Covid Quarantine. Now, all recitals are returning to the Recital Hall in the Batte Center.
It’s not only the faculty that enjoy these recitals. Leah Hatherly, a senior Communications major, said she enjoys faculty recitals because students don’t often see professors perform their crafts. She enjoys hearing them sing in different styles, ranges and languages. All Wingate students are strongly encouraged to attend these events to not only support their peers and teachers but also to discover different cultures of music.
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