There was little introduction needed as the violinist and pianist entered Kathy Cashen Recital Hall Sept. 16, and played their instruments that resonated the whole room with magnificent skill. With the room near about full, the music spoke for itself.
From the time that performers Alfonso Lopez, violin and Michelle Tabor, piano entered the room in silence, there was a mood about the room that was unforgettable. The performers were dressed in all black, reflecting the many minor chords of melancholy sounds heard throughout the performance. Some of the keys recognized in these songs are G minor, A major, and C minor.
The event was entitled Lopez Tabor Duo and was free admission. The two performed several pieces from various composers from throughout Europe. There were only short inserts between performances spoken by Tabor. Johannes Brahms, one of the famous composers whose work was performed was mentioned.
“Johannes Brahms toured all over Europe playing these songs,” said Tabor. “He wrote them when he was about 21.”
The short intermission was filled with the sounds of people chattering positively about the performance they had just witnessed through their eyes as well as ears.
“It was very refreshing to listen to,” said Patrick Tap, an art student at UWG. “Each piece was played very elegantly with ease. I feel that even though both musicians played them with ease, it had challenged them both.”
There was very high energy as the performance progressed. The music seemed to move from sad and then quickly resolve itself with a more uplifting sound. The ups and downs as well as the choppiness of the pieces heard really kept the crowd awake and eager to hear what comes next. The audience stared at the performers intently throughout the event as if they had something new and unheard of to show them.
“I really enjoyed the show,” said Claudia Morales, a student taking a music course at UWG. “They really seemed to accompany each other well. This was not what I expected at first, but I really enjoyed the performance tonight.”
This was the first of five events the Department of Music has of the 2013-2014 concert series. The second event has passed already, but there are three more events to come. Those interested can see Faculty Recital: Dueling Euphoniums on Sept. 30 at 8:15 PM, Musical Magic: An Evening on the Lighter Side on Oct. 10 at 8:15 PM, and UWG Opera Workshop on Oct. 18 at 7:30 PM. All events will be held in Kathy Cashen Recital Hall in the Humanities building and be free admission.
