UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State's School of Music is presenting a livestreamed solo faculty recital series, “Together, Alone,” throughout the fall 2020 semester. All concerts are 30 minutes and take place Mondays at 7:30 p.m. The Sept. 7 concert will feature Christopher Guzman, piano, while the Sept. 14 concert will feature Andreas Oeste, oboe.
The idea for the “Together, Alone” series arose from a discussion regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on musicians everywhere. All over the world, musical ensembles have been forced to cease public performances due to the pandemic. The resulting silence, compounded by months of isolation, prompted School of Music faculty to find a way to reach audiences in a safe and meaningful manner.
Naomi Seidman, flute, kicked off the series on Monday, Aug. 31. The upcoming performers throughout the semester include:
- Christopher Guzman, piano, Sept. 7
- Andreas Oeste, oboe, Sept. 14
- Melody Quah, piano, Sept. 21
- Max Zorin, violin, Sept. 28
- Anthony J. Costa, clarinet, Oct. 12
- Daryl Durran, bassoon, Oct. 26
- Jim Lyon, violin, Nov. 2
- Josh Davis, double bass, Nov. 30
“We chose to create a series of solo recitals to highlight the shared experience of isolation,” said Seidman. “The programs will consist of pieces that relate directly to the performers’ experiences during these times of isolation.”
Although the performers are not directly collaborating with each other in the concerts, a common thread throughout the series is multiple performances of “Praying Alone” by Baljinder Sekhon, assistant professor of composition.
For more information and the livestream, visit the series’ website.