Students Showcase Talent at Prestigious Recital

Six talented students, winners of the 2013-2014 University of Redlands School of Music (URSM) Auditions recently performed in the President's Honor Recital at the Memorial Chapel, University of Redlands (UR). The recital, which has showcased UR talent since 1983 was open to the public at no charge. Any student taking private music lessons with University of Redlands faculty may enter in the competition. The six students featured in the recital were the winners out of 17 finalists in the competition. Featured in the recital was Laura Evans, a sophomore at the UR who is pursuing a Bachelor in Music in violin performance and composition. She was featured as a soloist on the MTAC Showcase recital, MTAC Honors Recital, the UR Youth Symphony Showcase Concert and Youth Ensemble of Strings Orchestra at the Redlands Bowl. Evans took up music from her mother and grandmother, who are both violinists. Acting, hiking, traveling, and rock climbing join music as her life-long passions. She has participated in the Community School of Music Summer Workshop at the UR and the Jascha Heifetz Symposium of Individual Style at the Connecticut College, and hopes to continue sharing her love for music around the world. Nicolai Gervasi-Monarrez has been playing the saxophone since middle school, continuing through high school where he took on several leading positions in the jazz band. He later joined the Luke Ellington Honor Jazz Band, where he performed for 2 years. He is pursuing a music performance major, studying with Dr. Eddie Smith in several university bands. Pianist Edmar Oliveira found his passion for music in middle school, where his teacher would play classical music at the beginning of each class. "I knew I had to become a musician,” Oliveira said. He soon picked up the cello and participated in many performances during his middle school and high school years, all the while taking private piano lessons. He is studying piano and is planning on obtaining a doctorate after his undergraduate studies. Kelly McGrath, a Monrovia California native, is studying flute performance. She held the co-principal chair of the University of Redlands Symphonic Band in 2013. McGrath had the privilege of studying abroad in Vienna, Austria in the spring semester of last year. Ian Rowe has been studying guitar since the age of 10. He joined the Punahou School’s guitar department in Hawaii, making him the youngest student to successfully do so. He performed as a soloist and then moved to California when he was accepted to the UR. Rowe has nearly completed his undergraduate studies, and is now considering attending Yale University. Emily Collins is a graduate student who lives in Hemet. She began her studies in music when a private piano instructor recognized Collins' talent at a young age. She regularly performs as a soloist across Southern California, and she recently played her role as "Hanna" from The Merry Widow at the UR Spring Opera production.