The Performing Arts Library hosted its Colloquium Series on Wednesday, which featured two student presenters who discussed their research in music.

The first presenter was Rosemary Heredos, a senior music major. Her research was titled “Paths of Change in Medieval and Marian Imagery.”

“The tunes for these songs, while they were certainly musical in nature back in the Middle Ages … have been lost today,” Heredos said.

Heredos also translated many lyrics like, “I Sing of a Maiden,” into how the lyrics would be sung today. According to her abstract, these lyrics were a “musical meditation on both sacred and secular subjects.”

At the end of her presentation, Heredos showed examples of what the music would have sounded like and included a piece that featured her singing.

The next presenter, Xiaorong Yuan, a graduate student in ethnomusicology, received her degree in musicology from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 2012. Yuan spoke on her research titled “Authenticity in Chinese Minority Popular Music: A Case Study of Shanren, a Contemporary Multi-Ethnic Band.”

Yuan discussed the history of ethnic minority popular music in China, as well its present state. She focused on the band Shanren, whom she knows personally.

“The indie popular group, Shanren, which has strong ties to minority music and culture in China, is used as a case study to examine how authenticity is achieved through visual, aural, and linguistic connections to the social reality of the rural ethnic minority community, as well as migrant workers who are drawn to major urban centers in China, as well as Beijing,” Yuan said in her abstract.

She also gave examples of traditional music, like the song “Left Feet Dance Song,” which was rearranged by Shanren.

Joe Clark, head of performing arts library, said it was nice to see everyone come together to hear the students presentations.

“(It was) very interesting research by students, so again, just giving students the opportunity to share their research with the community,” Clark said.

The next Colloquium series will be May 3, beginning at 5:00 p.m. and will feature doctoral students.

Kimberly Laferty is the libraries reporter for The Kent Stater, contact her at [email protected].