College of Music to host more than 600 concerts in spring semester
Ali West // Intern writer
Chances are professor Kimberly Luevano has played the clarinet longer than you’ve been alive. In her 35th year with the instrument, she began playing in the fourth grade and knew by 16 that she wanted to be a musician.
Now in her third year teaching at UNT, she will perform at 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Paul Voertman Concert Hall in a faculty and guest artist recital. She will play four pieces, all of which were composed in the last 10 years.
“People are kind of scared of classical music because they don’t know how to engage with it,” Luevano said. “I really love to perform [contemporary music] to introduce it and bring it alive for audiences.”
In the spring semester alone, the College of Music will host more than 600 concerts and recitals featuring faculty, students and guests performing a wide range of genres and styles.
Luevano doesn’t have a favorite piece – she said she prefers whichever she happens to be working on at a given time. The same principle applies to composers.
“It’s like asking someone if they have a favorite friend,” Luevano said. “It would be impossible to choose because they each piece offers something different and unique. Just as each human is unique, each piece of music is unique.”
Professor John Scott said Luevano is an outstanding contributor to the clarinet program.
“She is a highly recognized and valued member of the national and international clarinet community,” Scott said.
Working one-on-one with her students for years, Luevano said she enjoys seeing them improve and getting to know them better.
“I’ve learned more from my students than they’ve learned from me,” Luevano said. “Many of my students I consider my family, in a way.”
Although music majors are required to attend a number of performances, junior music education major Zack Riley said he would go to concerts even without the requirement of six to eight per semester.
“Every concert, there’s different music that I haven’t heard before,” Riley said. “It makes me think about different pieces in different ways.”
Riley said he prefers to attend performances by the symphonic and brass bands, which tends to play more modern “pop” music.
“The wind symphony is phenomenal,” Riley said. “But the music is mostly atonal 20th century pieces. It’s just not my preference.”
However, music majors are not the only ones who can appreciate the concerts. From jazz to classical to contemporary, Scott said there is something for everyone to enjoy this semester.
“These are the great works of culture,” Scott said. “Listening to classical music and appreciating classical music is something everyone can do if they give themselves a chance.”
For a complete calendar of spring concerts, visit music.unt.edu/calendar.
Performances this week:
- Guest Artist Recital: Robert Clark, organ – 8 p.m. Tuesday Winspear Performance Hall
- Guest Artist/Student Recital: Founders Quartet, tuba and euphonium – 8 p.m. Wednesday, Tuba and Euphonium Recital Hall
- Scott Campbell, saxophone – 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Saxophone Recital Hall
- Trombone Showcase – 8 p.m. Friday, Voertman Hall
- Hentus Van Rooyen, organ – 8 p.m. Friday, Winspear Performance Hall
- Dallas Symphony Orchestra – 8 p.m. Saturday, Winspear Performance Hall
- Tyler Austin, chamber winds – 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Voertman Hall
- Rhea Edelman, violin – 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Voertman Hall
- Li Han Tseng, cello – 8 p.m. Sunday, Voertman Hall
- Faculty recital, violin, cello and piano – 8 p.m. Monday, Piano Recital Hall
- Sarah Dunbar, saxophone – 8 p.m. Monday, Voertman Hall
Feature photo: Graphic by Nicole Arnold / Visuals Editor
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