BRIDGEWATER, Va.- The Carter Center for Worship and Music on Bridgewater College’s campus is a space for innovation, inspiration and musical excellence. The concert hall hosts faculty recitals that highlight the skills of faculty members and engage students.
Faculty recitals are held at colleges to display the expertise and artistry of the faculty members. Recitals can also provide inspiration for students and foster community engagement with the open-to-the-public free entry.
Bridgewater College has put on faculty recitals for many years, emphasizing Bridgewater’s commitment to artistic excellence. Past events, such as Dr. Larry Taylor’s organ recital, exhibited innovation through diverse organ symphonies accompanied by the silent film “His Royal Slyness.”
“Last year, adjunct saxophone professor Anthony Cincotta (who now teaches at Washington & Lee University) played a faculty recital of works composed entirely by Bridgewater students (including Hannah Simmers and Charlie Hale) and faculty (Dr. Ryan Keebaugh),” Dr. Larry Taylor said, professor of music at Bridgewater. “I was amazed by the quality and variety of these new works for sax.”
For students, the performances serve as a form of motivation and a learning experience to take away from.
“Faculty recitals are a chance for Bridgewater students to hear their professors do what they spent years learning to do,” Dr. Taylor said. “The quality of musicians BC attracts is amazing, and I don’t know that students always realize the level of talent and commitment their teachers represent. These concerts are always open to the public free of charge, and I think they draw attention to Bridgewater College’s commitment to the arts.”
Beyond inspiring students, faculty recitals contribute to the enrichment of culture for the surrounding community and campus. Bridgewater’s music faculty and students bring diverse, interesting perspectives to their performances.
“Every audience member gets something different from a faculty recital or concert experience. Faculty recitals demonstrate the accomplishment of the performer and usually give the audience a chance to hear pieces and styles of music they would not otherwise encounter,” Dr. Taylor said. “A live performance of intricate and emotional concert music is always an adventure, and it is thrilling to hear accomplished musicians create these sorts of magical experiences.”
“The atmosphere gave me an immaculate sense of artistry and it was just a great experience,” Ian Lane said, a second-year Bridgewater College student who attended a recital last semester.
Looking ahead, Bridgewater College continues to prioritize music as an academic and artistic identity. The next faculty recital is Zachary Windsor, adjunct instructor of music at Bridgewater College, performing Johannes Brahm’s “Violin Concerto.”
Windsor possesses degrees from both Shenandoah University and James Madison University, specializing in teaching and playing the violin. He is a member of the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra which is the largest professional orchestra in Western Virginia.
Windsor’s performance was originally taking place on Sunday, Jan. 26, but has since been postponed with no future date being revealed yet.
