The end of the academic year always brings with it a barrage of performance in the arts—both visual and performing—and the musical concerts this year promise to be particularly memorable.
Over the next couple of weeks, several students will perform in what will be, for seniors, their final musical performances at Bowdoin. This includes not only individual senior recitals but also final group performances, as well.
Among these many groups is the Bowdoin Chamber Choir, which has recently been preparing for their final concert. The concert is divided into two sections: the first is entitled "Monteverdi and His Influences", and the second is called "Folk Music of the World".
The first section of the program will include pieces by 16th-century composer Claudio Monteverdi and also by various other composers that influenced him.
"Claudio Monteverdi was among the earliest European composers to use regular meter, memorable melodies and a harmonic language that looks forward to the time of Bach and far beyond," wrote Professor of Music Robert Greenlee, who will be directing the concert, in an e-mail to the Orient.
"It could be argued that any composer in the Western world has come under Monteverdi's influence," said Greenlee.
While the first half of the program comes from foreign origins, the music in the second section of the program, focused on folk music, finds its primary influences in the United States.
Whereas Monteverdi represents the beginning of the Baroque Period in Italy, the Folk Music in the second half of the performance is considerably more modern.
"Folk music...is an increasingly popular source of material for choral and solo vocal music in the US," wrote Greenlee. "This is facilitated by the digital revolution and a greater openness to the artistic endeavors of other cultures," he added.
Similar to many of the other student performances, some of the pieces being performed by the Chamber Choir have been rehearsed for nearly the entire semester, while others have been more recently introduced to the group.
"We have been working on some of this music since the start of the semester in January," said Elise Krob '10, assistant to the director. "But some pieces we have gotten in the months since then."
Krob is currently balancing the thrill of finishing a semester with the nostalgia of experiencing her last few weeks as a Bowdoin performer.
"I'm excited to finally put our whole set together, including solos and small group numbers, to perform for an audience," said Krob. "As a senior I am both sad and excited to have my last Chamber Choir performance ever."
This sentiment seems to be shared by many of the seniors who have either recently performed their senior recitals or are soon to do so.
Two recent performances by seniors have been particularly impressive in their level of accomplishment. Hassan Muhammad '10 performed his senior recital on the jazz piano in Studzinski Hall as part of a trio.
The concert featured original compositions by Muhammad, and the fact that the audience experienced the last of many performances that Muhammad has done at Bowdoin over the past four years made it a particularly special event.
The same goes for the recent performance of the Milkman's Union at Henry Jaminson-Root's senior recital at Studzinski.
The performance featured both fan favorites from the band's repertoire and new compositions by Jamison-Root, all of which were greeted with enthusiasm from the crowd.
Like Muhammad's concert, Jamison-Root's was made especially unique by the sense that this concert was his final musical performing experience at Bowdoin.
While some students have already performed, there will be nine senior musical performances over the next 10 days, according to Senior Academic Department Coordinator Linda Marquis.
Whatever the concert may be, audiences can expect performances that reflect both the expertise gained through years of Bowdoin performances as well as a feeling of closure as another academic year nears its end.
The Bowdoin Chamber Choir performs Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. in the Bowdoin Chapel.
Senior student recitals are indicated on the Bowdoin online calendar.