Music students perform Spring 2021 Honors Recital

Concordia music students performed in the annual Spring Honor Recital on March 30 that was livestreamed on the music department’s Facebook page.

The semiannual honor recital at Concordia showcases the vocal and instrumental talents of student musicians. Musicians are chosen to perform based on auditions judged by music department faculty members. The recital is held twice a year, once each semester.

“It’s always a great experience for me and all of the music professors to see the product of our students’ hard work,” said Dr. Kurt von Kampen, music department chair. “Many people assume that music students are only gifted, but they don’t see the hours and hours of hard work they put in preparing their pieces. They don’t see the time spent in preparation by the private instructors as they give guidance to their students. It is a collaborative effort, but it takes a high level of dedication on the part of the student to rise to the level we see in the honor recital.”

During the recital’s program, four students were inducted into the Iota Nu Chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda, the national honor society for higher education music students. This year's inductees include Aaron Jackson, a senior from Palestine, Texas, who will earn a Bachelor of Music in church music and Charlotte Lines, a senior from Marshall, Missouri, who will earn a Bachelor of Music in music education.

Two 2020 graduates—Jacob Roggow, who earned a Bachelor of Music in music education and church music; and Danae Welling, who earned a Bachelor of Music in music education—were also inducted into the honor society.

Music faculty may induct up to 20% of the senior class each year to the honor society. Students who are inducted must demonstrate the highest standards in both academic scholarship and musicianship throughout their academic careers.

Student musicians selected for the Spring 2021 Honor Recital (listed alphabetically by state with Nebraska first, city and last name) include:

Shanda Fujan, senior, Oakland, Neb., singing soprano on “Once More I Can See, from Wonderland” by Frank Wildhorn

Avery Kesar, senior, Omaha, Neb., singing baritone on “Villanelle” by Hector Berlioz

Olivia Leising, junior, Arapahoe, Neb., playing “Va! laisse couler mes larmes” from Werther by Jules Massenet

Jacee Pfeifer, senior, Holdrege, Neb., singing mezzo soprano on “Le Colibri, Op. 2, no. 7” by Ernest Chausson

Renata Peperkorn, junior, Rocklin, Calif., playing “Allegro con brio” from Sonata No. 4, Op. 65 by Felix Mendelssohn on the organ

Thomas Schulteis, freshman, Parker, Colo., playing “Finale” from Symphony No. 4 by Charles Marie Widor on the organ

Bethany Zeckzer, junior, New Haven, Ind., singing mezzo soprano on “Voi lo sapete, o Mamma,” from Cavalleria Rusticana byPietro Mascagni

Hannah Cmeyla, junior, Bay City, Mich., singing soprano on “En Priére” by Gabriel Fauré

Calvin Rohde, sophomore, Reed City, Mich., playing “Capriccio in G minor, Op. 166, no. 3” by Johannes Brahms

Nathan Johnson, junior, Vicksburg, Mich., playing “Polonaise in C minor, Op. 40, no. 2” by Frédéric Chopin

Makenna Clovis, senior, Albuquerque, N.M., playing “Grave” from Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 35 by Frédéric Chopin on the piano