On Oct. 12, students and faculty from the College of the Arts’ School of Music and Department of Theatre and Dance presented the collaborative and immersive concert experience “Shakespeare in Sound.”
The University Symphonic Winds, conducted by Associate Professor of Music Gregory Xavier Whitmore, along with students from the School of Music’s vocal and brass areas, directed by Joni Prado and Sycil Mathai, performed baroque music.
Throughout the performance, student actors from Department of Theatre and Dance, directed by Maria Cominis, performed scenes from some of William Shakespeare’s most famous works.
College of the Arts faculty Michael Polak, Rob Watson and Courtney Taylor also provided direction and mentorship to the performers.
The concert commemorated the 400-year anniversary of the publication of Shakespeare’s first collection of 36 plays called the “First Folio.”
Printed by Shakespeare’s friends after his death, it included now iconic plays such as “Macbeth,” “The Taming of the Shrew” and “Twelfth Night,” among many others.
The folio’s publication resulted in the critical preservation of Shakespeare’s work, saving roughly half of Shakespeare’s plays from being lost forever.
Whitmore’s idea for the concert came in 2023 when he saw a news segment about the anniversary of the publication while he was traveling abroad.
When asked how a collaboration of this kind can enhance the experience of both forms of art, Whitmore said: “It is well-known that the arts evolve together and the music programmed for the concert would have been performed during Shakespeare’s era. It illuminates and deepens the impact of Shakespeare’s words, and his words illuminate and deepen the impact of the music.”
Theatre and dance student Liam Somerville praised the passion and professionalism of his colleagues.
“It was a privilege to work under the direction of Maria Cominis, fight choreographer Micheal Polak, and the artists who put on this ambitious and innovative production,” said Somerville. “The highlight of the entire experience was the orchestra led by Dr. Whitmore. The live music was inspiring, and I could feel it in my soul.”
Instrumentalist Trevor Cannon was amazed by how the production evolved throughout the rehearsal process.
“It was absolutely surreal to see it all come together in the days leading up to the performance. Working alongside the creative theatre and dance faculty and performers in conjunction with the talented musicians in my respective area was a very fulfilling experience,” said Cannon.
Fellow theatre student Leo Van Bindsbergen, who played the character Tybalt from “Romeo and Juliet,” was grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with music students and summed up his experience by noting how it “provided an incredible opportunity for performing arts students in the College of the Arts to come together and share a one-of-a-kind performance.”
For Whitmore, the collaboration was his favorite part of the performance.
“The artistry, talent, expertise and scholarship in the College of the Arts allows for this type of project, which benefits our students and our community.”