November 3 MMTA Piano Competition

In the weeks preceding November 3, the strains of Bach, Haydn, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Debussy, Gershwin, and Scriabin could be heard wafting through the halls of the music building as piano students prepared for the MMTA piano competition. Six students boarded a van the afternoon of November 2: Zach Bryngelson, Laura Berthold, Kaylen Draschil, TJ Goze, Brian Hofmann, and Ryan Moore.

 

Dr. Clara Christian, piano professor, said that “this is the third year our piano department has taken contestants to the MMTA state collegiate auditions held the first weekend of every November. We bring five contestants a year, which is higher than many other colleges and universities and demonstrates the willingness to push towards excellence that characterizes all of our advanced piano students.  

The auditions are held each year at different universities throughout the state of Missouri, and this year it took place at University of Central Missouri-Warrensburg.  All the C of O students reached new levels of achievement with the pieces they were playing, and some of the performances truly represented personal bests. It was also exciting to hear the students play in a hall that's larger than ours, and perform on a Steinway D 9 foot grand piano that's less than a year old.”

October 26 Reformation Concert

On October 26, the Music Department and the BTS Department presented a concert celebrating the 500^th Anniversary of the Reformation. The concert began with student pianists Kaylen Draschil, Brian Hofmann, and Ryan Moore playing selections from Bach’s French Suites. Dr. Clara Christian opened the event with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in E-flat major.

The Reformation Concert featured performances by the College of the Ozarks Chorale, directed by Dr. John Cornish, and the College of the Ozarks Orchestra, directed by Dr. Luke Carlson. The chorale sang two a capella works: Mendelssohn’s “Psalm 100,” and Dr. Cornish’s arrangement of “All Praise to You.” The orchestra performed Dr. Carlson’s arrangement of “O God, My Faithful God” and the combined forces of chorale and orchestra performed “Hear My Prayer” by Mendelssohn, and “A Mighty Fortress” arranged by Dr. Carlson.

Emily LaVelle was the featured soprano soloist in “Hear My Prayer,” and an octet consisting of Jordan Bryant, Bob Jorash, Asa Boldman, Issac Taylor, Natalie Hensarling, Jennifer Beal, Lydia Burnett, and Lizzie Jordan were featured in Mendelssohn’s “Psalm 100.” 

October 28 MTNA Fall Piano Festival

On October 28th, 2017, College of the Ozarks hosted the MTNA Fall Piano Festival for local piano students. The young performers ranged from five to sixteen years old and had different ranges of skill levels from beginners to advanced players. Students came bright and early Saturday morning to perform two prepared piano pieces for a number of judges, who were piano students from College of the Ozarks.









After the evaluations, all students were invited back to the afternoon recital where some of the young students were selected to play. The recital was concluded with inspiring performances by several of the college student judges. This festival provided a valuable experience for the children and college students alike.