The University of Arkansas Music Department is teeming with talent, but public performances often pass by unnoticed, and one professor hopes to change that.
From gypsy jazz to brass backed choirs, the department can please any auditory palate, says Dr. Stephen Caldwell, a visiting music professor and director of choral activities.
"There is something here for every taste imaginable," he says. "From pop music to jazz music to modern music all the way into the classical cannon."
The university hosts concerts or recitals almost every day of the week, often for free, but Caldwell says many times, no one shows up.
"There is nothing more disheartening for a student to walk out on stage for a senior recital and have five people there," he says. "What is really exciting for students is when they walk out on the stage and there's an audience there, appreciative that's there to hear them."
Ethan Moll studies voice and guitar. He sings in Schola Cantorum, directed by Caldwell.
"The music we're doing is complicated, it's interesting, and it's beautiful," Moll says. "The music is good, the people are great, and it's entertaining. It may be choir music but it's fun."
Moll says his professor convinced his classmates to bring as many friends and family as possible to their last concert.
"We really put in that extra effort," Moll says. "It was amazing to have my friends there. It was amazing to have people to see us do what we did. It was great to have more people in the audience than there were in the choir."
Caldwell wants the public to experience the talent brewing at the top of the hill too.
"Not everything is going to be universally liked by all audience members," he says. "But it sure helps people who don't have a lot of contact with live music, to come out and hear an orchestra, and hear a band and a jazz band and hear a choir... and then be able to pick and choose music that they like and be able to hone in on that concert series."
Filling the seats also helps the young musicians hone their skills.
"An integral part of music performance is having an audience around to hear it," Caldwell says. "It lets students get nervous. They need the experience to be in front of large groups of people as much as possible, so that they become more comfortable with it."
A complete list of the performances is available online here.
"There is something here for every taste imaginable," he says. "From pop music to jazz music to modern music all the way into the classical cannon."
The university hosts concerts or recitals almost every day of the week, often for free, but Caldwell says many times, no one shows up.
"There is nothing more disheartening for a student to walk out on stage for a senior recital and have five people there," he says. "What is really exciting for students is when they walk out on the stage and there's an audience there, appreciative that's there to hear them."
Ethan Moll studies voice and guitar. He sings in Schola Cantorum, directed by Caldwell.
"The music we're doing is complicated, it's interesting, and it's beautiful," Moll says. "The music is good, the people are great, and it's entertaining. It may be choir music but it's fun."
Moll says his professor convinced his classmates to bring as many friends and family as possible to their last concert.
"We really put in that extra effort," Moll says. "It was amazing to have my friends there. It was amazing to have people to see us do what we did. It was great to have more people in the audience than there were in the choir."
Caldwell wants the public to experience the talent brewing at the top of the hill too.
"Not everything is going to be universally liked by all audience members," he says. "But it sure helps people who don't have a lot of contact with live music, to come out and hear an orchestra, and hear a band and a jazz band and hear a choir... and then be able to pick and choose music that they like and be able to hone in on that concert series."
Filling the seats also helps the young musicians hone their skills.
"An integral part of music performance is having an audience around to hear it," Caldwell says. "It lets students get nervous. They need the experience to be in front of large groups of people as much as possible, so that they become more comfortable with it."
A complete list of the performances is available online here.
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