Gavino Puggoni pictured performing Faure’s “En Prière” and Vicenzo Bellini’s “Vaga Luna, Che Inargenti,”. PHOTO CREDIT: Hannah Charron | Staff Photographer
Last week’s music convocation, held on Friday, March 25, had a variety of performances by the students of the University of Rhode Island’s music department.
The event began with junior Diane Martin performing a rendition of Gabriel Faure’s “Sicilienne, Op. 78” on the saxophone with David Gilliland accompanying on piano.
After this was a performance by sophomore tenor Gavino Puggoni, who performed Faure’s “En Prière” and Vicenzo Bellini’s “Vaga Luna, Che Inargenti,” songs that he had previously performed for some of his peers on Wednesday.
“When I performed on Wednesday, I was actually tired and did not get a chance to warm up,” Puggoni said in a Q and A session after the performance.
He also mentioned that performing in front of this crowd was exciting, as he could feel the electricity from the crowd, making him more eager to perform.
Puggoni was followed by sophomore soprano Megan Rees, who performed Mozart’s “Oiseaux Si Tous Les Ans” and “Velvet Shoes” by Steven M. Crino.
“I’ve been working on those pieces for a couple months, maybe two and a half,” Rees said after her performance, also mentioning that these help students as it gives them an opportunity to perform solo in front of their peers.
After this was sophomore mezzo soprano Lee Sheridan, who performed Anzoleta avanti la regata from “La regata veneziana” by Gioachino Rossini and “By the Sea” from “Sweeny Todd: The Barber of Fleet Street” by Stephen Sondheim, who passed away last year.
After her performance, Sheridan explained how she performs these songs, which were written for specific characters in plays.
“I come from both a writing and a theater background,” Sheridan said. “I do a lot of research and a lot of writing on all of the characters that I do portray, and really work on getting to know them.”
After her was a surprise performance by graduate student Ben Marcotte, who performed an original composition that he had originally written during his undergraduate years in Kingston.
After that was the final performer, sophomore baritone Sean Connaughton who performed “Wandrers Nachtlied” by Franz Shubert, followed by Mozart’s “Papagena ” as a duet with soprano Chaylee McAdam.
Connaughton mentioned that he and McAdam had originally choreographed a different dance for their performance, but said due to factors including COVID-19, they opted to go with a performance featuring less face to face interaction.
All pieces were accompanied by Nathaniel Baker or David Gilliland on the piano.
Freshman Louis Kogut, who was in the audience, said that he enjoyed his peers’ performances.
“I thought today was very enthusiastic and grandiose,” Kogut said. “It is a good way to end off the week and I was happy to see my peers give enjoyable performances.”
Both he and Rees mentioned that performing in front of their peers is an important thing for them to do as performers, as it lets them show off each student’s individual abilities, as well as giving the music department students an opportunity to bond over their performances.
The music convocation is held weekly in the Fine Arts Center. The next convocation will be held this Friday, April 1 at 1 p.m.