Echoing through the hallways of the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts this week are the sounds of Latino students performing Latino works: the sonorous tones of singing in Spanish punctuated by instruction and conversation in both English and Spanish — and plenty of laughter. Fourteen Latino students from West Michigan high schools …
Category Archives: Musical Arts
New Practice Organ Adds Versatile Voice to Hope’s International Roster of Instruments
The new practice organ installed at Hope earlier this fall has added even more variety to the distinctive and storied international roster of instruments that provide learning opportunities for students at the college. Built for the college by Casavant Frères (Casavant Brothers) of Saint-Hyacinthe in Quebec, Canada, the organ joins compatriots from Germany, the Netherlands, …
Welcome Home, Dr. Sarah VandenBrink
“I’m curious to know what the post-show blues will feel like as a music director,” said Dr. Sarah VandenBrink as we chatted in the sun a few days ago. Currently the Theatre Department is wrapping up rehearsals for the musical Ordinary Days, which will be presented virtually Friday-Sunday, April 16-18, and Thursday through Saturday, April …
Instrumental Decision-Making
To perform at a high level in nearly any field requires outstanding talent and training, and for many the equipment is also crucial. The talent is intrinsic — you either have it, or you don’t. The training requires dedication and even passion — a commitment to devoting thousands of hours to pursuing mastery even while …
Musical Showcase Reflections
Last Thursday was a pretty normal afternoon in the Jack H. Miller Center for the Musical Arts lobby. Students were doing homework, heading to practice, laughing and enjoying conversation. Everyone was a little tired from the busy few days behind and anticipating an even busier next couple. Musical Showcase was coming up, and the vibe of the …
Two Veteran Musicians Create a New Sound
One of the most exciting aspects of presenting performers to the community is the opportunity to offer an event that connects artists working together for the first time. Artists are constantly creating and reinventing themselves, and when they are in the midst of a new path, they are as excited as the audience. Such is …
I Traded My Holland Summer for Winter in Brazil
Dr. Christopher Fashun of the Hope College music faculty was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2018, and with it, he spent the summer of 2019 studying Afro-Brazilian music and culture in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.
Inspirational Musical Globe-Trotting
As part of my musical globetrotting, I always look for exciting and appealing music from around the world that is not only a crowd pleaser but also has a transformative and enlightening effect for the mind, body, and soul. So the music for an upcoming concert, “From Armenian Dance to Argentinian Tango,” brings together Armenian …
It is More Than a Performance
This is the story of a hat, a little boy, and three musicians…and, maybe a bit more. For those who follow the Hope College Great Performance Series, you know the Ahn Trio. The three Juilliard trained sisters who make up the piano trio are Maria (cello), Lucia (piano), and Angella (violin). Angella is the youngest …
Why Every Hope Student Should Be in a Music Ensemble
When I was an undergraduate, just after the last Ice Age, my fraternity demanded that all pledges participate in serenading at sorority houses. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t sing; the actives deemed it a capital-letter Important Experience, so I did it. Here’s a picture of one of Hope’s fraternities serenading the women of Voorhees …
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