Students, faculty and lovers of chamber music were in for a treat Thursday night when five Rowan professors collaborated and put on a “woodwind and string” concert at Boyd Recital Hall, as part of the College of Performing Arts’ Faculty Spotlight Series.

The Department of Music faculty performers were Rie Suzuki on clarinet, Michelle Rosen on bassoon, Lyndsie Wilson on French horn, Timothy Schwarz on violin and Douglas Mapp on double bass. The concert featured two special guests as well: Nina Cottman on viola and Mark Ward on cello.

“I usually play in an orchestra, to play chamber music was kind of cool,” Mapp said.

Mapp and Schwarz played a key role in organizing the event. The idea was formed last spring when they wanted to get together and play with fellow faculty members. After working with everyone’s schedules, the two instructors were able to set a date and produce the funds for the concert.

The professors ultimately had six hours of practice together. They would usually practice on their own and reconvene for two hours to see how they sounded as a group. Their first rehearsal was held the first day of the semester, followed with two more rehearsals prior to the show.

The pieces that the group performed were “Eulenspiegel’s Einmal Anders!” by Richard Strauss and Beethoven’s “Septet in E major, Op. 20.”

“We worked very hard. So glad it happened,” said Suzuki.

When asked about his favorite part of performing, Schwarz said: “Just the energy of concert. You could feel the sparkle in the audience.”

Students accounted for most of that group; the majority of them were there in support of their teachers, while others were there for class assignments. Once the concert was finished, students rushed and waited outside of the recital hall to greet their instructors.

“I came to support my teacher and because I simply enjoy the music,” freshman violin performance major Hannah Hernandez said.

“All [recitals here] are really good, well mostly,” she continued. “The best ones are when faculty performs.”

Audience members enjoyed the show and some said they would like for the group to perform together again. Junior music education major Michael Binkins hailed the show as a “very stellar performance.”

“I was here for my teacher but the other faculty members are very talented as well,” Binkins added.

Almost every year there is some sort of collaboration among music faculty but this was the largest number of people playing together. According to Mapp, it doesn’t seem as if this group will have another concert due to the scarce amount of music that comprises all of their instruments.

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