As any artist — or pro athlete — will tell you, inspiration often hides in the folds of everyday occurrences. Chris Gekker, music faculty performer at University of Maryland College Park knows the feeling well. A report card from his child’s pre-school indicated a check mark in the box preceding this phrase: “Plays well with others.”
| If you go U.Md. School of Music: Music in Mind |
| Where: Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s, Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn Recital Hall |
| When: 3 p.m., Sunday |
| Info: 301-405-ARTS (2787); claricesmithcenter.umd.edu |
“This would be a fine thing for a musician to say, because we do play together and it can be a challenge a lot of times,” said the instructor and professional trumpet player.
He has therefore named Sunday’s early afternoon Music in Mind series performance, “Plays Well with Others.” His faculty colleague and fellow performer, Chris Vadala notes that “The program is a great way for the audience to entertain themselves before they rush home to the Super Bowl and see a different kind of entertainment going on.”
In a musical program that juxtaposes Baroque pieces with new compositions and jazz classics, Gekker highlights the versatility of the trumpet as well as the talented interplay between artists of the U.Md. School of Music faculty.
“You often hear people use the word, ‘classical’ [but] the real meaning of the word classical, is ‘established and impervious to fad or fetish,'” Gekker noted. “And this music is really ‘American classical’ because of Duke Ellington, the great songs of Irving Berlin, Miles Davis [and] John Coltrane. It does not depend on being in or out of fashion — it’s just there. It connects with people on a level that’s not going to go away.”
The first part of the program includes the melodic Lyric Trio for trumpet, cello and piano. Gekker will be joined by faculty pianist Rita Sloan on piano and Evelyn Elsing, faculty cello performer. Soprano Linda Mabbs, faculty voice instructor, sings a Baroque cantata backed by trumpet, viola de gamba, and harpsichord.
The second half of the program focuses on jazz, with faculty members Vadala on saxophone, Robert Gibson (music department head) on bass and U.Md. alum, Greg Small at the piano. The three men accompany Gekker for a series of ballads that include Duke Ellington’s, “In a Sentimental Mood” and Irving Berlin’s haunting song “What’ll I Do?” sung by Mabbs.
“This show is a melting pot of different eras of music, a diverse program which represents a combination of styles and performers,” Vadala said.
