Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Student Piano Recital Features Music from Africa
October 30, 2017
This article is more than old and may contain outdated information.
October 30, 2017 - Piano students of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Associate Professor of Music and Piano Mitch McKay will perform selections featuring the music of Africa and the African Diaspora in recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2017, in the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Fine Arts Hall. Admission is free and everyone is invited to attend.
"I started researching African and African-American composers because I realized their work is underrepresented in public concerts, and there's no better way to demonstrate respect for diversity than making sure our programs are inclusive," McKay explained. "Every student will play something by a composer from Africa or the African Diaspora. Some students will play pieces by African-American composers and others will play music by Nigerian, Egyptian or Ghanaian composers."
Ten of McKay's Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» students from his applied piano or secondary applied piano classes will perform, as well as five younger students who take private piano lessons. Three of the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» students are majoring in piano and one is a scholarship student. Another of McKay's students is an adjunct professor at the college.
McKay has a doctorate degree in piano performance from Michigan State University. He has been teaching music theory, music appreciation and piano at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» since 2012.
The recital is sponsored by the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Fine Arts Department and Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Student Life.
For more information about the recital, call McKay at 352-395-5144.
For more information about the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Performing Arts programs or the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Fine Arts Hall, call Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³» Fine Arts Department Chair Alora Haynes at 352-395-5296.
