This semester, the Chapel Art Center and the Fine Arts Department are continuing to co-sponsor the Fine Arts Series, a compilation of presentations and musical performances. The purpose of the series is to present concerts as well as art history and artist talks on a variety of topics to the college community.

In honor of the college’s 125^th anniversary, Fr. Iain MacLellan, Director of the Chapel Art Center, thought a series exclusively carried out by the Fine Arts faculty would add to the celebration. The series started at the beginning of last semester with a presentation by Professor Katherine Bentz on Renaissance Gardens; research she performed while on sabbatical in Rome the previous year. In November, Professor Karen Hillson also gave a talk on the French Romantic artist and leader of the French Romantic School, Eugène Delacroix.

The first Fine Arts Series event this semester was the Fine Arts Faculty Showcase on February 3 in the Chapel Art Center gallery. The showcase featured performances by Professors Sharon Baker (soprano), Sean Parr (tenor), Molly Lozeau (piano), Rebecca Jefferys (flute), and Francis Kayali (piano). The faculty has been preparing for this performance since the beginning of January.

The showcase featured “Domine Deus” from J. S. Bach’s Mass in B Minor, 19^th and 20^th century pieces by several French and German composers such as Gabriel Fauré, Philippe Gaubert, and Franz Schubert, as well as a contemporary piece, Mariko Suite, by Catherine McMichael.

Mariko Suite is a collection of four traditional Japanese haiku set to music: “Pearls,” “In the Rain,” “Winter Doves,” and “A Fisherman.” It aims to let the listener “achieve a meditative state of mind through the contemplation of beautiful thoughts.”

According to Professor Parr, the musical selections were made in collaboration with the music faculty. Some of the faculty performed solo pieces, while other pieces were done in collaboration. “Domine Deus” was his favorite piece at the concert because it was one that he was able to perform with the rest of his colleagues. While the selections were not centered around any particular theme, Parr thought the collaborations led to “an interesting and fun mixture of music.”

The showcase also served as the site for the world premiere of Intermezzo for Flute and Piano: an original composition written by faculty composer Francis Kayali who played the piece with Professor Jeffreys. Intermezzo has three movements: Prelude, Nocturne (Midnight Stroll), and Capriccio.

Each movement has its own unique characteristics and sounds. The Prelude is a waltz-like movement that evokes ballet; the Nocturne sets a peaceful, dreamy and nostalgic mood, while the Capriccio is a bouncy movement with a jazzy melody and erratic rhythm.

Professor Kayali started compiling sketches for Intermezzo back in October; however, it wasn’t until December that he started working extensively on the composition. He was finally able to deliver the finished score to Professor Jeffreys on January 1^st. Since then, the two have met several times to rehearse the piece.

Kayali notes how “every composer works differently, and one’s process is often different from one piece to the next.” Intermezzo demonstrates this, with Kayali working on the piece at different times and speeds and using different processes.

For his first and second movements, he compiled many sketches by improvising parts at the piano and writing down the most noteworthy ideas. Eventually, he picked out the best ideas and developed them into full movements. The third movement, however, was written rather differently. For Capriccio, he took a concept he had in mind and created the movement in one day. Although it was placed last, it was the first movement to have been completed. Kayali noted that it is unusual for him to write a movement so quickly.

The showcase was a big success. The music was played very beautifully and many students, faculty, and Manchester residents came to listen. The evening ended with Fr. Iain thanking everyone for their attendance. He emphasized the importance of the series and said how it is “a great opportunity to recognize the arts at Saint Anselm College.”

Professor Parr expresses the same sentiments, describing the Fine Arts Series as a “wonderful chance for the college community to hear music and view art in one of the most beautiful spaces on campus, the Chapel Art Center. It’s an important and exciting opportunity for cultural enrichment.”

Students and faculty are encouraged to attend these performances and experience the musical opportunities on campus. Kayali stressed how important the presence of classical music is on campus. He expressed, “Many people think that classical music is ‘quiet music to listen to while you relax.’ There’s so much more to it than that and we need to get the message out! This music can be incredibly energetic, loud, scary, wrenching, or ecstatically uplifting… classical music is a fascinating tradition that is very much alive.”

He also emphasized how the new music classes being offered on campus are providing a positive, engaging, and dynamic experience for students. He expressed how students have been very enthusiastic and how the presence of classical music on campus “not only inspires our growing body of music students, as they perform, compose, and research music, it also serves to expand, invigorate, and embellish the college experience for all students.”

If students are interested in attending other classical music events, Professor Kayali is organizing a Conversatio music event as part of the Beauty and Art Unit on April 13^th at 12:30. The program will include another original composition by Kayali for piano quartet, a new piece composed by Billy Endicott ’16, and voice professor Sharon Baker will sing works by Aaron Copland.

The Fine Arts Series will continue throughout the semester with the second event held on April 7^th. Professors Kathy Hoffman and Parr will be giving a presentation about German opera composer Richard Wagner and his quest for a “total work of art.”