We recently attended a faculty recital put on by the Music/Arts Institute in Independence. Abby takes her voice lessons there from Jill Farnham Etter, one of the performers. We love Mrs. Etter, so we wanted to see her perform!
What an incredible treat the entire show was! Mrs. Etter (soprano) performed three really beautiful pieces including Mahler's "Hans und Grethe," my favorite of the three. It was so fun to watch and listen to Abby's teacher be the performer instead of the audience she is at Abby's lessons. Her beautiful voice and animated delivery makes her so enjoyable as a performer.
Her daughter, Savannah, a student at the UMKC conservatory, performed Chopin's "Scherzo in B-flat minor Op. 31." It was definitely a WOW piece. Savannah has accompanied Abby several times in recital and contests. She's extraordinarily talented.
Baritone Ayron Hyatt was next. He performed three Broadway pieces, included one of my favorites "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables." Abby begged me to hire him to serenade her in the mornings as she gets ready for school. (She's such a funny girl.)
Mr. Hyatt also performed a duet with tenor Dr. Mark Lee, MAI's Executive Director. Their version of "Lily's Eyes" from The Secret Garden was beautiful.
Dr. Lee also performed "Sei tu M'ami" by Pergolesi, a song that Abby has been performing. She loved hearing a male performance of a song she is so intimately familiar with.
Also on the bill, and also an incredible treat to see, were John Svoboda on classical guitar and his collaboration with Jon-Marc McDonald on world percussion. Their duo, Algo de Nova, was a cool blend of classical and traditional. They are truly remarkable musicians.
Can you believe all of this beautiful music was free and open to the public?? The only down point was that more people were not there to enjoy these great talents. Music/Arts Institute is a true gem in our community and I hope more people will check out what they have to offer.
I can't wait until the next Faculty Recital to see what else MAI has in store!
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