{"id":23287,"date":"2025-11-03T14:15:06","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T14:15:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/23287\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T14:15:06","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T14:15:06","slug":"student-musicians-perform-a-wide-range-of-pieces-at-pitts-fall-music-performance-showcase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/23287\/","title":{"rendered":"Student musicians perform a wide range of pieces at Pitt\u2019s Fall Music Performance Showcase"},"content":{"rendered":"

Music echoed from Bellefield Hall last Monday during the University of Pittsburgh\u2019s Fall Music Performance Showcase<\/a>. The concert\u2019s performances lit up the stage and displayed a high level of musical talent across different instrumentalists and singers. The night featured six musicians performing alongside a staff member from Pitt\u2019s music department.<\/a> The styles included classical, theatrical and other pieces from across the globe. Each performer took their turn on stage, presenting their piece. Some of the musicians performed with a violin accompaniment, while the other performances involved three different singers accompanied by piano, with one opera song and two musical theater pieces.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The music department puts on a showcase about once a month to allow students to present their music to an audience. Roger Zahab, a teaching professor of music and composition at Pitt and the director of the University\u2019s symphony orchestra, is working with the music department to implement more frequent performance opportunities for musicians.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had one earlier, we\u2019re having this [now, and] the next one is November 10th,\u201d Zahab said. \u201cThere may even be some weekend concerts to give students a chance to perform.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zahab was one of the two staff members who performed in the concert. Playing his violin, he joined three student musicians, including a fellow violinist, a violist and a marimbist on stage. The different songs displayed a wide range of genres and cultural significance.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a short but fascinating collection of pieces,\u201d Zahab said. \u201cWe begin with two African folk tunes \u2014 one of them is Akan, the other is Yoruba \u2014 West African styles. Then we zip to England in the Elizabethan period, and then songs, and then Judith Weir and then a wonderful duo for violin and marimba.\u201d<\/p>\n

One musician who played alongside Zahab was Ro Ramirez, a junior studying political science. Ramirez plays the violin and has been doing so for 10 years. They enjoyed playing in the orchestra growing up, so they wanted to continue performing in their college years.<\/p>\n

\u201cOrchestra was such an important part of my life in middle and high school,\u201d Ramirez said. \u201cI wanted to make sure that the violin was a skill that I retained.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the showcase, Ramirez performed three selections, including \u201cDuets for Violins in African Idiom,\u201d \u201cFantasia VI\u201d and \u201cMeggie\u2019s Theme.\u201d Ramirez chose the piece with the assistance of Zahab and spent a few weeks learning each selection. They typically enjoy playing duets and quartets, so this concert allowed for Ramirez to present their favorite style to an audience. After their moment on stage, Ramirez was happy with their performance and was excited to hear the other songs of the night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI get stage fright pretty easily, so just knowing that I\u2019ve been able to perform something in front of others makes me feel proud,\u201d Ramirez said. \u201cStudent showcases are always fun because you get to hear what your peers have spent so much time working on, and you can all encourage each other.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ramirez\u2019s passion for music was matched by the audience who attended the event. The audience smiled as they listened to each performance, and each song concluded with a loud applause from the auditorium. One audience member, Emily Barlotta, a junior natural sciences major, enjoyed the different styles of each piece and was excited she had the opportunity to attend the concert. Barlotta enjoys going to music events on campus as a way of continuing her passion for music.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was involved in music in high school, so sometimes I like to go experience college music,\u201d Barlotta said. \u201cI thought it was really interesting that it\u2019s solo performances instead of group performances.\u201d<\/p>\n

Both Ramirez and Barlotta find that the musical arts are a part of something bigger than entertainment \u2014 it can provide a sense of mental and emotional healing. Ramirez finds that performing gives them a space to be themselves and create something they love.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMusic is really therapeutic for me,\u201d Ramirez said. \u201cBeing able to make my own music is something that makes me feel very proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barlotta loves that she is able to support other people\u2019s talents and passion for music. As a former musician, she recognizes their hard work and dedication to put on a great show and knows the importance of music in people\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s really important because everyone has a passion,\u201d Barlotta said. \u201cI used to be involved in music myself, and I remember how fun and how therapeutic it can be.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Fall Music Performance allowed students to take part in a passion that is separate from their academic career and is a way to present their own musical style. There will be two more<\/a> music performance showcases this fall to highlight the work of new student musicians.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Music echoed from Bellefield Hall last Monday during the University of Pittsburgh\u2019s Fall Music Performance Showcase. The concert\u2019s…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":23288,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[15463,15464,73,75,74],"class_list":["post-23287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pittsburgh","tag-classical-music","tag-fall-showcase","tag-pittsburgh","tag-pittsburgh-headlines","tag-pittsburgh-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23287"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23287\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}