Gunther faculty recital to feature UNL voice faculty, alumni
calendar icon02 Sep 2021 user iconBy Kathe C. Andersen
Lincoln, Neb.--A faculty recital by new Glenn Korff School of Music Assistant Professor of Voice Suna Gunther will include several University of Nebraska–Lincoln voice faculty and alumni.
The recital is Friday, Sept. 17 at 7:30 p.m. in Kimball Recital Hall. The concert is free and open to the public. The concert will also be live webcast. Visit https://arts.unl.edu/music/webcasts for the link.
“I am very excited for this program,” Gunther said. “I am new to UNL, and I wanted to begin my relationships with my new colleagues by making music together. They have all very generously agreed to perform with me on Sept. 17.”
Gunther’s recital will include the following faculty and alumni: Karen Becker (cello), Kevin Hanrahan, William Shomos, Jamie Reimer Seaman, Marques L.A. Garrett, Alisa Belflower, Amy Guevara and Thomas Gunther with Madeline Rogers, piano.
Her program will include a song cycle by Garrett, assistant professor of music in choral activities, titled “A Love Cycle.” The cycle includes “A Love Song” by Paul Laurence Dunbar from “Lyrics of Love and Laughter,” Alberto Donaudy’s “O del mio amato ben,” Heinrich Heine’s “Herz, mein Herz, sei nicht beklommen” and “Adieu, jusque je vous revoye” (anonymous).
“Each of these songs are shaped by the language of their poetry in really beautiful ways,” Gunther said.
Her program will also include a brand-new composition titled “Remember Me” for soprano, piano and cello written for this concert by Eklund, Hixson-Lied Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities.
“I’m so honored and pleased that Dr. Eklund took the time to write a piece for this occasion,” Gunther said. “It’s always a privilege to perform a world premiere, but this one is particularly lovely and special to me.”
She will also perform some well-loved duets from operas by Mozart, Puccini and Rossini, musical theatre duets and lesser-known duets by Robert Schumann, Henry Purcell and Carl Zeller.
Gunther is thrilled to have the opportunity to make musical connections with her new colleagues so early in her time at UNL.
“The relationships that I have built with my colleagues have been really important to me throughout my career, thus far,” Gunther said. “And I’ve always felt that they have evolved to a whole new level of understanding when we were able to make music together. So when I moved here, I really wanted to start with that foundation for us all to be able to bond through what we love the most. It’s already been such a wonderful experience being able to make music with people who haven’t performed in a long time because of COVID and other extrinsic reasons. Being able to already learn and grow through one another’s artistry has been wonderful. I’m really looking forward to doing more of that.”
The program also includes a variety of music.
“We’re doing everything from the Baroque to brand new music, including both classical and musical theatre genres,” Gunther said. “I think every single piece is really unique in itself because I’m collaborating with an entirely different artist with each of them. No five minutes will be the same.”
Gunther comes to the Glenn Korff School of Music from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, where she was assistant professor and coordinator of voice.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Indiana University.
Gunther is a strong advocate for inclusive music pedagogy that spans a breadth of backgrounds, representation and genres. She has also spent the past decade as a “cultural ambassador” of the U.S. State Department.
“I’m so excited to be here,” Gunther said. “The caliber of musicianship here really blew me away, across styles and genres. The people that I met during the search were so warm and welcoming and had such fabulous ideas for growth within their program. I have great respect for the people that I already knew, and that is only growing as I get to know more people.”