Twenty-one musicians performed in Ludwig Recital Hall last night

Richard Jeric and Joanne Chew Ann Chang performed a piece written by student James Nicholson at the Honors College Recital. The recital featured honors students’ musical performances from bassoons, pianos, vocals and clarinet. Katie Roupe | Daily Kent Sta

Credit: DKS Editors

Sophomore music composition major James Nicholson didn’t appear on stage last night at the annual Honors College Recital, but two other students performed an original composition by him.

“It’s fun to hear something that you’ve written to be played along with Mozart and Beethoven,” Nicholson said.

Twenty-one honors students took the stage at the Ludwig Recital Hall in the Music and Speech Center last night. The 11 vocal, piano and woodwind performances ranged from solos to duets to chamber ensembles. All soloists were honors students, and each ensemble had at least one honors student participant.

“It’s very nice for the Honors College and the music school to get sponsored,” said Richard Jeric, sophomore piano performance major. “It’s a great way for all of us honors students to get together, for us to show what we’ve been working on.”

Jeric performed Nicholson’s “Movements for Piano Four Hands” with fellow honors student Joanne Chew Ann Chang. Unlike Jeric, whose appearance marked his second time performing in the Honors College Recital, some honors students took the stage alone for the first time.

Hannah Jencius, freshman vocal performance major, said, “It’s my first time doing something solo. I’ve performed in ensembles here before, but I’ve never done anything by myself at Kent State.”

Music professor Dennis Nygren said the recital is good exposure for the Honors College and is “a good opportunity to show their talents.”

Nygren also said it is important for students to rehearse as much as possible to become better performers.

“It just seemed like a good opportunity for performance,” Jencius said.

Other students realize the need for performing on stage.

“To get that experience and feel the adrenaline pumping through you is an invaluable experience,” Jeric said.

Krista Kachovec, junior music major and honors student, said she averages five performances per semester and has grown from the experiences.

“At the very beginning, I was very nervous,” Kachovec said. “I’m not quite so nervous now. I don’t know if I’m quite ready to do a recital by myself just yet.”

The Honors College provides extra opportunities to honors students in the School of Music.

Orchestra Director Christopher James Lees teaches conducting one-on-one with Jeric, and Nicholson said he spends a lot of time with different professors who give him varied opinions about his compositions.

Honors music students’ schedules become busy with ensemble requirements, lessons and classes.

“Being able to utilize some of the special features of the Honors College … that helps to ease our load a little bit,” Jeric said, “and lets us go further into music as quickly and as in-depth as we can.”

Contact international affairs and Honors College reporter

Alison Lucci at [email protected] and performing arts reporter Sara Petersen at [email protected].