Recital Article

I forgot to mention.  The school newspaper did an article on my recital.  Which was really nice of them.

I'm copying it here for you slightly modified so that I not posting personal info ;-)  I do have a CD and video from the performance.  I don't have the video off the tape yet but I will get around to uploading some music one of these days....

On April 27, Katie performed her senior recital at the Center for the Arts. About 60 family members, friends and students attended the violin recital. With help from other student musicians and friends, Katie performed several pieces of music.

Photograph by Jodi Krautkramer

About 60 people filled the CFA April 27 to watch Katie perform her senior recital. Katie began playing the violin about 17 years ago. Katie selected the pieces of music she played after intermission.

The concert showcased the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Fritz Kreisler and Luigi Boccherini. Accompanied by student pianist Emily Neal, Katie performed most of the music with only a piano and flower vase on the stage.

“For Katie, everything on stage reflected her personality,” said Emily Neal, junior general and choral education major. “Katie was very well prepared, so when we sat down to put it together, it was easy.”

Guided by her instructor Paul Brenner, Katie selected the first half of the concert music to meet the music requirements. The music after intermission was selected by Katie alone.

“I wanted to do music that would be fun for the audience,” said Katie. “Lover’s Waltz by Jay Ungar and Molly Mason is one of my favorites as is the Boccherini Quintet. Fiddle music is always fun to hear and play.”

During the Luigi Boccherini piece La Musica Notturna di Madrid, four students accompanied Katie on stage. Those musicians included Nathan Manwiller, Hannah Caylor, Brice Lory and Alex Hummel.

“My favorite part of the concert was when Katie was accompanied by the piano,” said Tanya Kammes, sophomore biology major. “She made playing the violin look easy.”

Katie began playing the violin about 17 years ago. At times, she thought about quitting, but she always decided to keep playing.

“I was a very intense child, and my parents knew that I needed something to funnel that intensity into,” said Katie. “So, they prayed and asked God to tell them what to do. God spoke to my mom that I needed a violin.”

Although Katie has been a business administration major with an emphasis in computer information systems, she used to be a music major. Typically, non-music majors do not give recitals, but she changed her major after deciding to do a recital. She is still contemplating a music minor or double major.

Katie is hoping to graduate in two years. After graduation, Katie would like to remain living in the Midwest and have a job in computers or doing computer work from home.

“I love the Midwest and the people that live here. I love the fact that people here care about each other.”

Outside of school, Katie enjoys teaching violin lessons to nine students and hopes to continue teaching the violin wherever she ends up.