CU’s guitar ensemble performs

Photo by Marie Bagwell
Photo by Marie Bagwell

Marie Bagwell
Staff Writer

Nearly every seat was filled in the McCutcheon Recital Hall as the CU Guitar Ensemble performed Oct. 14.

The ensemble strummed melodies that varied from eclectic to cheery and were by composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Miguel Llobet and Ludwig van Beethoven.

Dr. Kirsten Underwood, director of the guitar ensemble, said the members of the ensemble are students enrolled in MUSC 3161 Small Ensemble: Guitar Ensemble.

Jeremy Redbird and Trevor Campbell started the evening with “Sonatina” by Thomas Attwood and “The Flatt Pavin from Jane Pickering’s Lute Book” by John Johnson.

Ashim Bohara and Wesley Stafford performed the next duet, “Fugue in C Major, BWV 953” by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Stafford, Redbird and Bohara each played solo pieces. Stafford played “Romanza” by an anonymous composer, and he was followed by Redbird who played “El Testament de n’Amelia “by Miguel Llobet. Bohara wrapped up the solo performances with “Prelude No. 3 in A minor” from composer Heitor Villa-Lobos.

Bohara, Stafford, Redbird and Shane Rutherford played “Scherzo Humoristique, Op. 12, No. 9” by Serge Prokofiev, arranged by T. McMillan.

The evening concert was wrapped up by the entire ensemble playing “Antico Inno di Quaresima (Ancient Lenten Hymn) Christe” and “qui lux es et dies (Christ who is the light)” by Samuel Scheidt arranged by T. McMillan, “La Frescobalda, Aria con Variazioni” by Girolamo Frescobaldi and “Adagio sostenuto from Piano Sonata No. 14 (“Moonlight”), Op. 27, No.2” by Ludwig van Beethoven, arranged by R.G. Meyer.

CU music student and concert attendant, Chelsea Jenkins said the performance “was really pretty, everyone was prepared. They gave a lot of good information about each piece, so that was nice.”

The performance was not only for the audience, but also it benefited the performers.

“I thoroughly enjoy it,” Redbird said. “I love it. And I love the experience I get from it, becoming a more professional person.”

Redbird was impressed with the audience turnout and said it seems like more and more people turn out for each concert, “it’s really good to have that.”

The CU guitar ensemble will perform another concert on at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the McCutcheon Recital Hall.