Guest Recital: Genevieve Fulks and Brian Christian

On September 22nd, College of the Ozarks students had the opportunity to hear an assortment of American pieces by composers such as Bernstein, Copland, and Barber; and premier performances of piano arrangements of Ozark folk songs by pianist Brian Christian. 

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Performing as a guest artist was Genevieve Fulks, a local vocal performer, former member of the Knoxville Opera Ensemble, and currently working with the Springfield Regional Opera.

Brian Christian, graduate of Peabody Conservatory of music and currently working as faculty at College of the Ozarks, is a freelance composer, having written an operetta based on "The Little Prince", several pieces for solo piano, and arrangements for piano, as were performed during this concert.

The program began with Leonard Bernstein's light-hearted song cycle I Hate Music, a piece sung from the perspective of a ten-year-old girl named Barbara who expresses her child-like outlook on science, art, and life.

The next piece was "Laura's Song" from the opera The Tender Land, by Aaron Copland.  The song is a soliloquy by Laurie, a high school senior due to graduate the next day, pondering on the vastness of the opportunities before her: "The time has grown so short;" the piece concludes, "the world so wide."

Then came the song cycle Hermit Songs by Samuel Barber, a collection of poems written by irish monks, translated to English and set to music.  Most deal with spiritual topics, such as The Crucifixion, and St. Ita's Vision while others deal with the everyday life of a monk like The Monk and his Cat, and The Desire for Hermitage.

After the intermission, Ms. Fulks and Mr. Christian performed Cowboy Songs by Libby Larsen, a collection of songs that capture the spirit of the young, wild west, in its romance, its strong work ethic, and the danger of uncivilized folks.
The next piece was a spiritual song, In That Morning singing of the hope of Jesus's return and our resurrection into new life.

The final section of the program consisted of three Ozarks folksongs, arranged for piano and voice by Brian Christian.  The first piece, Blind Boy, was a sweet but sad song about a young blind boy who despite his lack of sight remains cheerful and hopes in God's goodness even to his death.  The second piece relates the fevered dreams of a drunkard who, horrified by the visions pervading his sleep, vows to give up the drink and lead an honorable life.  The third song is a heartfelt cry of a mother to her wayward son to return home to her, where he shall find forgiveness for his ways.


Students enjoyed the presentation, and were inspired towards their own further study in music:  Jordy Hake shared that he was "inspired by the compositional techniques employed both by Barber in his monk songs, and Mr. Christian in his arrangements."  Laura Berthold said "While I enjoyed the entire selection of songs, I particularly enjoyed Mr. Christian's arrangements and Ms. Fulks' interpretations."