EDMOND—Twelve students, two graduates and one Imperial Academy teacher performed in the Herbert W. Armstrong College fall recital for about 150 friends and family members on December 10 at Armstrong Auditorium. The diverse field of Americans, Australians, Canadians, a Brit and an El Salvadorian included two pairs of siblings and consisted of one guitarist, one violinist, two flutists, four pianists and seven singers. For the performers, the recital represented four months of detailed preparation with the help of nine music teachers.

Sophomore Kieren Underwood got things started with Vivaldi on the guitar.

“The most rewarding part of performing for others is the possibility that you can give someone the thrill of hearing beautiful music, as others have given it to you in the past,” Underwood said after the recital.

Junior flutist Emma Smithies and sophomore violinist Stephanie Cocomise followed. With the curtains onstage drawn back, the sounds reverberated around the cherrywood-paneled orchestra shell and filled the theater where fellow students, parents and other guests looked on.

Freshman flutist Sera Millar played two numbers, the second of which required extreme dexterity and staccato breaths. It was likely the most difficult piece in the recital. “It was breathtaking to play on the stage of God’s house and to be a small part in showcasing to members of the public the raising of the ruins of a godly music culture,” Millar said. “I studied with the Royal Schools of Music examination board based in London, so it was exhilarating to play in God’s house for His royalty.”

Sophomore Calela Brooks sang an Italian number by G. F. Handel—the first of six foreign-language songs in the recital. “So much of vocal training is centered around making the most pure and the most resonant tone,” voice instructor Paula Malone said. “Italian is the obvious first choice to teach tone production because it is built of pure vowel sounds that do not blend together or ‘neutralize.’ The student sees it as foreign, so most established pronunciation habits are more easily erased. It just gives us a cleaner slate on which to build.” (To learn more about the impact language and poetry have had on music history, listen to Mrs. Malone’s interview on Music for Life episode 11.)

After sophomore Adiel Granados played Beethoven’s Sonatina in G, Katelyn Smedley sang “The Colors of My Life” by Cy Coleman—the only English song in the recital. “Of course, we study English too,” Mrs. Malone said. “The student deeply understanding the text and conveying a message is extremely important.”

After performances by graduate singer Lindsy Eagle, senior pianist Michael Cocomise, and freshman singer Jessica Brandon, Imperial Academy teacher Sarah Evans sang “Lascia Ch’io Pianga,” another Italian song. “The most rewarding part was hearing afterward that people were emotionally moved by my piece,” Evans said. “It’s an Italian song, and it’s very sad. But the people who commented to me don’t speak Italian; they just heard the sorrow and grief in the tone and expression. I was so excited that I had been able to use nonverbal ways to tell a story that really meant something to me.”

Graduate singer Jennifer Trebels sang a Puccini number after a graceful rendition of Liszt’s Liebstraum No. 3 by senior pianist Victoria Lancaster.

“According to my parents, I always sang a lot when I was little,” Trebels said. “Since my parents always arrived early at services, I loved to listen to the special music practices and try to do what they did.”

Before Lancaster’s twin sister, Elyssia, capped off the show with a Handel piano suite, senior singer Jordanya Rouzer sang “Brauner Bursche” by Johannes Brahms.

“When I feel like I’ve really done my best, connected with the audience and given what I was preparing to give, then it has been an awesome performance,” Rouzer said.

Imperial Academy youngsters perform in a recital of their own at Armstrong Auditorium on December 17.