WKSU Players aim to bring spontaneous music performances to Kent.

The premise of the program is to hold spontaneous music performances all around Kent, engaging students with classical music.

Classical quartets strike up music around campus

One of the last things one might expect while walking to class is to see a classical music performance, but that’s exactly what the WKSU Players are attempting to bring to Kent State.

The WKSU Players is a new collaboration between the local National Public Radio affiliate WKSU and the School of Music. The premise of the program is to hold spontaneous music performances all around Kent, engaging students with classical music, said Kelly Eppink, manager of communications at WKSU and creator of the program.

“I thought it would be a neat way to bring music to the students and to the Kent State community as a whole,” Eppink said. “We wanted to focus on starting on campus, then branching out.”

There are two quartets performing for the program: The Nexus Quartet, a graduate group and The President’s Quartet, an undergraduate group that held its debut performance near the fountain in the Student Center on Friday.

“I’m really excited to play in front of everybody because a lot of people don’t get to listen to classical music very often,” said Ali Brasher, cellist in The President’s Quartet.

The President’s Quartet performance lasted around an hour and caught the attention of many passersby.

Zack Krocek, senior exercise science major, was on his way to an exam when he encountered the performance.

“I didn’t even know what I was hearing,” Krocek said. “I stopped and listened and it was something I never even knew I would enjoy.”

Eppink and The President’s Quartet were pleased with the first performance.

“It was exactly what I was hoping for,” Eppink said.

Michelle Ullman, freshman fashion design major, watched the performance from the balcony overlooking the first floor of the Student Center.

“I think it’s awesome,” Ullman said of the WKSU Players program. “I think it gets peoples’ attention, and it really adds to the art. It’s nice to hear.”

WKSU continues to hold auditions for performers interested in the program. While classical music is the main focus, Eppink said auditions are open to all types of musicians.

There’s no telling when the next pop-up performance will happen, but then again, that’s the point.

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Contact performing arts reporter Kyle McDonald at [email protected].