The Fresh Ink concert on Nov. 20 shed light on new and upcoming composers who are currently students of St. Olaf.
The first piece of the night, “Conrad Siever” by Aiden Kocian ’25, was performed by a large group of soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voices. The piece travels through the seasons with imagery of fruit and gardens, representing change and longing.
Emily Hagel ’25 was one of many vocalists for the piece. “Having the opportunity to contribute to the first performance of a piece like Aiden Kocian’s ‘Conrad Siever’ not only helps me strengthen my musical knowledge and performance practice, but also exposes me to new music that hasn’t been done before,” Hagel said. “There’s something about hearing the creative genius of your peers that makes you appreciate why we do what we do as musicians.”
Sam Morton ’25 composed “And He Showed Me a River,” a piece with two sopranos, two altos, two tenors, and two basses. Based on Revelation 22:1-5 in the King James Version of the Bible, Morton’s piece thanks God for his grace and salvation towards his people.
“The Rattlesnake,” a solo violin piece composed and performed by Vincent Giza ’26, consists of only four notes total: G, D, A, and E. Many moments in the piece mimic a rattlesnake’s movements when hunting its prey.
“Baking a Cake,” composed by Ron Soto Solari ’26 — who also performed the harp part — consisted of a harp and violin duet behind a large, white sheet. By covering up the musicians, the audience directs their attention towards two sign-holders, showcasing the recipe of the cake while arguing with each other through the process.
The fifth piece performed was “Weatherman” by Lucas Sanner ’25, who also took on the piano part for this baritone and piano duet. “I wanted to write a piece for voice and piano and already had written part of the poem that I paired with the music, but the central idea of the piece was the character of the ‘Weatherman,’ a sort of half-human, half-spirit which wanders around the world before eventually returning to the singer,” Sanner said. “Since I am both the composer and a performer, I get to help realize the piece in a way that is quite close to my original vision.”
The final piece, “The Things They Don’t See” by Elijah Culp ’24, contained two movements; the first was a string quartet of two violins, a viola, and a cello, and the second was a piano solo. Honoring Michael Lynch, a young teen struck by a car in Rochester, NY, who passed away from the sustained injuries, the two movements convey the change between calm emotions before the accident and the concealment of bubbling grief after the tragedy.
Dr. Timothy Mahr ’78, former conductor of the St. Olaf Band who taught composition courses, attended the Fresh Ink concert.
“It was delightful to attend this recital; I heard meaningful, invigorating music, and it was just plain fun to hear the artistic efforts of these talented young composers,” Mahr said. “Some of the music was written last year but had not been performed yet, and that was particularly gratifying. I was pleased to witness the growth in their work.”
