By Paige Bilsbury

The University of Maryland’s School of Music presented the Meaningful Connections recital at the Clarice Performing Arts Center on Dec. 5, free to the public.

The recital, performed by UMD’s chamber music class, incorporated several art forms to showcase students’ self expression and the musician’s role in society beyond simple entertainment. 

Several ensembles make up the chamber music class, taught by professors Rita Sloan and Irina Muresanu. The concert in Gildenhorn Hall consisted of five ensembles, each with a unique theme. Famous paintings, poems, and student contrived collages complemented the students’ music and represented larger messages.

Chamber music is a genre in which pieces are performed by a smaller, more intimate group than a larger ensemble such as an orchestra. This class originated with the intention of providing these small ensembles with instrument specific guidance, but has expanded and evolved, according to Muresanu. 

“As the class developed that first semester, we realized that it became much more than just a chamber music class,” Muresanu said. “We extended the topics of the class to cover everything related to the field of chamber music, not only coaching.”

Students were tasked to create their ideal concert. Challenges faced by chamber musicians such as funding, community outreach, social justice and entrepreneurship also guided students to identify their goals for this recital. 

Trio and duo ensembles provided engaging art to support the themes of their music. Slideshows of complementary fairytale images, collages of colors, dimmed lighting, and the reading of poems delighted the audience.

Sophie Ross, who played clarinet in a piece by composer Johanne Brahms, said she dedicated a lot of time to reading the composer’s letters for this recital, and read an excerpt before their performance.

Throughout the semester, the chamber ensembles had 10 coaching sessions and met for two hours a week, according to Muresanu. Students discussed with the professors topic ideas for the concert, and learned from unique guest speakers like dancers.

Pianist Anastasiia Maksiuta performed in a trio in the recital that featured collages of colors on the large screen that represented the feelings their music portrayed. 

“Even this small assignment of choosing materials to support your music obviously helps a lot, because we could think and look to a different outcome,” Maksiuta said.

The unconventional elements that the chamber music class incorporated charmed the pianist. Maksiuta said she recommends the class to everyone.

This recital has been organized as the final project for the class since 2016 and has featured a wide range of topics that have advocated for the homeless, people with autism and Jewish communities. These secondary efforts go beyond UMD’s School of Music, as a program will be performed by the chamber class at the College Park Academy on Dec. 13.

“It’s quite stunning because all the projects are so different, yet they’re all extremely interesting,” Muresanu said.

Featured Image: Chamber music students completing a final bow after the Meaningful Connections Recital in Gildenhorn Hall on Dec. 5, 2022. Photo by Paige Bilsbury.