Amanda Vander Stelt, a Northwestern Music Education major, is putting on a recital on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. in Christ Chapel.
As a music education major, Vander Stelt is given the opportunity to put on a recital to showcase her ability to teach music through the high school level.
Vander Stelt has always known she wanted to be a teacher. She is attracted to music because of her love of music and inspiration from a great teacher, so she chose to pursue music education.
Even though the recital is mandatory, Vander Stelt also expressed excitement toward the event. Vander Stelt said she likes to perform and will feel highly accomplished once the recital is done.
During Vander Stelt’s junior year, she and her voice instructor began picking out songs and experimenting with them. The two had to select the best pieces to perform, based on how they fit in her mezzo-soprano voice and what Vander Stelt thought most important to share. After the sets were chosen, the next decision was arranging the music pieces so the recital would flow together well.
Once completed, what was left for Vander Stelt was a mountain of practice.
“I’m fully memorized and feeling prepared for this concert,” Vander Stelt said. “This has been a year in the making.”
Vander Stelt’s line-up for the recital includes approximately twelve songs from various time periods, locations of origin, and genres.
“I included a few operatic pieces, a selection written by two comedians and a set of Norwegian pieces,” Vander Stelt said. “This last inclusion was inspired by my roommate who hails from Norway. I did some research and found a Norwegian composer I liked.”
While all of Vander Stelt’s set pieces for the recital are vocal arrangements, she is also an instrumentalist. Vander Stelt has experience with the viola and violin, plays the saxophone in our Symphonic Band and teaches piano.
Vander Stelt expresses gratitude to those around her for helping through process of putting the recital together, including her friends and especially her voice teacher.
“My vocal teacher made it easy for me to put such a big event on,” Vander Stelt said.
Vander Stelt also jokingly added an incentive for others involved in the music department to attend her performance.
“Just a friendly reminder that the recital will count toward concert credits for those of you in the music department.”
The recital will take place on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. in Christ Chapel. The event is open to the public.
