Students in the School of Music had a chance to have their work heard by the public. At 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday Nov. 5, the Whitmore Recital Hall hosted the Student Composers Recital. The free event showcased works written and performed by students.

Composition major Isabelle Borchardt was one of the composers who was a part of the recital. Borchardt and two of her fellow freshman students wrote a piece in the “exquisite corpse” style of music.

“It’s called ‘Numerous Class Suites,’ which is also an exquisite corpse phrase, and it’s actually really cool,” Borchardt said. “It turned out really well ‘cause we started with field recordings that we had of everyday sounds. Like recordings we had from buses, an elevator, squeaky shoes, like a nuclear power plant and then we all took those recordings and went with them on our own. The product is actually really fun and really modern.”

Sophomore Sam Whitty heard his song “Grocery Mom” performed, which showcased a rhythmic dance beat. He also worked on Borchardt’s exquisite corpse project.

“I’m not playing in [Grocery Mom] and I’m really excited to hear it ‘cause I think it’s always fun when you get to hear your pieces while they are being played, and not just having to play them,” Whitty said. “You [don’t] just have to rely on the recordings, but it’s really fun.”

Niko Schroeder was the producer for last year’s concert and this year has three students performing a piece he wrote. Schroeder praises the event for the great opportunities it provides students to bond with one another and build a sense of community.

“Production experience can be hard to come by … it plays a crucial role in the environment of music in the 21st century,” Schroeder said. “It’s very important that we have those skills so that we go out in the world and we’re putting together our own chamber concerts; we already have those experiences before. I think it fosters an appreciation for what our event staff [does] every day for other concerts at the school.”

The Student Composer Recital was an event that allowed students to show off their compositions to their friends and family and also get a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes nature of a concert.

_Edited by Janae McKenzie | jmckenzie@themaneater.com_