Pitt’s Music Department hosted its annual fall showcase featuring many student performances

Student and faculty performers took the stage for Pitt’s Department of Music Fall Showcase at Bellefield Hall on Monday evening. The night consisted of five vocal performances, a saxophone quartet and a viola duet.

Professor Roger Zahab, the director of undergraduate studies in the music department, was extremely impressed by the performances of his students. 

“Everyone here is a devoted musician, music major or not,” Zahab said. “It’s very good to have a mix of people. I liked the fact that some people were performing their songs for the first time, and others had a lot of experience.”

Zahab first picked up an instrument at age eight and has been in music for almost 60 years now. He received degrees in violin performance at the University of Akron and SUNY Stonybrook. He began teaching music at the University of Pittsburgh in 1993 and continued to teach after reviving the orchestra. A violinist by trade, he also works as a composer and a conductor.

The program opened with two pieces sung in different languages. “Chanson d’Amour,” French for “love song,” started off the concert’s individual performances. The following piece, “S’altro che Lacrime,” is an Italian song composed by Wolfgang Mozart. It jumps from note to note, allowing the singer to show off their vocal range. Kathleen Krawczyk sang both songs and was accompanied by professor Christopher Catone on piano.

The third song of the showcase was a piece titled “Alma del core,” composed by Antonio Caldara. “Alma del core,” sung by Chloe Brokesh, is an Italian love song. The vocalist and accompanying piano conversed throughout the song, pausing while the other crescendoed.

“Bachiazzola” was the only wind piece performed in the swift-moving concert. Written by Ukrainian composers Slava Kazykin and Svetlana Kazykina, it was performed by a group of four saxophones. The quartet was made up of each type of sax — a soprano, alto, tenor and baritone sax. Michael Levin, the soprano saxophone, led the four with his swaying hips and horn, belting out high-pitched solos.

“Panis Angelicus,” composed by César Franck, shifted the concert back to vocal performances. An andante song, those in attendance reclined back in their seats to the smooth piano. This piece was sung in Latin by Ava Gargiulo, a sophomore majoring in music. 

“[I enjoy] being able to perform for people and try new things,” Gargiulo said. 

Gargiulo is a member of the Heinz Chapel Choir in addition to studying music here at Pitt.

The second-to-last vocal piece followed Giovanni Pergolesi’s “Stizzoso, mio stizzoso.” This Italian opera song, performed by Bethany Tome, was accompanist Catone’s favorite piece of the evening. It was also his last accompanying song, coming to a total of five for the concert.

The only string piece of the evening was “Lament (1911),” composed by Frank Bridge, an English violist. Zahab picked up the bow for this viola duet, playing alongside student Finn Fitzgerald. This piece features drawn-out conversations between the two players as they switch from plucking to bowing the strings in a call-and-response manner. Teacher and student were in sync on stage, emphasizing the actions of their instruments with their bodies.

The final song of the showcase was the only pop culture song of the night. The program closed out with Andrew Lippa’s “Happy/Sad” from the Addams Family. Jacob Shinder sang this piece and was accompanied by Lydia Freethy on piano, the deepest voice performance of the night. The showcase ended with applause which echoed throughout the auditorium.

The music department expressed its excitement for future programs. Catone, who accompanies both vocalists and instrumentalists, is anticipating the rest of the semester’s showcases. 

“I’m looking forward to getting to play for more students and accompany more students,” Catone said. 

Zahab highlighted an upcoming event he was extremely excited about — the orchestra’s winter performance. On Dec. 11, he looks forward to performing Modest Mussorgsky’s famed “Pictures at an Exhibition.” At the same concert, the orchestra will play the works of three of Zahab’s students in his instrumentation class. Zahab exhibits undergraduate and graduate compositions routinely, wanting to empower students who are beginning their careers in music.

“Every concert, I try and do [compositions by] undergraduate students, current graduates, people who have already graduated and faculty members,” Zahab said. “I have been particularly concerned with how music is used in communities, as a way of social engagement.”

The Dec. 11 concert will be held at Bellefield Hall at 8 p.m.